About
The AIC is led by the Digital Library Federation (DLF) with support from the College Art Association (CAA). Funded to July 2000 by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the DLF, and with contributions from Yale and Carnegie Mellon Universities, the AIC is presently developing a prototype. The prototype is envisaged as a working system exemplifying what may be achieved in a networked environment by and for the visual arts community. It is a collection of images and a set of tools that may be implemented, configured, and extended locally to meet institutional needs. It is designed according to open source principles and in compliance with industry- wide standards and best practices. As importantly, during the prototype’s development, the AIC will investigate organizational, legal, and business issues and produce a set of recommendations about how best to secure the development of what we hope may emerge as a vital community resource.
The prototype’s development is a collaborative effort that draws upon the expertise of art historians, visual resource specialists, leading computer technologists, and business and legal advisors. Its presentation to interested communities in venues such as the CAA Annual Meeting and the Art Libraries Society of North American Conference affords a crucial opportunity to solicit feedback from potential users and contributors— feedback that may be incorporated into its further development.