Computational Linguistics for Metadata Building (CLiMB)

• Host: University of Maryland College of Information Studies
• Other institutions involved: Columbia University--Center for Computational Learning Systems (CCLS)
• URL: http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~climb/

Description: CLiMB (Computational Linguistics for Metadata Building) aims to improve subject access to image collections through the use of computational linguistic techniques. CLiMB-2, under the leadership of Judith Klavans, is funded by the Mellon Foundation from 2005-2007. CLiMB-1, also funded by the Mellon Foundation, was based at Columbia University under Judith Klavans' direction, from 2002 to 2004.

Implementation description: Two art history survey texts were scanned and encoded in TEI Lite for use in testing the feasibility of using computational linguistic techniques to associate texts and images. A list of image (plates) in the text is produced, then for each image, one or more paragraphs is identified that can be a source of descriptive (subject matter) metadata for indexing the image.

Contact:

Rebecca Passonneau

Center for Computational Learning Systems (CCLS)

Interchurch Center

475 Riverside Drive MC 7717

Columbia University

New York, NY 10115

Tel: (212) 854-5132

Fax: (212) 854-5589

Email: becky@cs.columbia.edu