APIS ID NUMBERS

For consistent record matching and database maintenance, each institution is responsible for assigning a permanent APIS ID number to each metadata record contributed. This ID should consistently identify the same metadata record, e.g., if contributor cataloging is updated and resubmitted to the central APIS database. The APIS number is not intended to be a new means of citing papyri or other items externally; the number maybe based whatever unique local id scheme is used for creating and managing cataloging and metadata, or they may be assigned in some other fashion--so long as they consistently and uniquely identify the same metadata record.

The format of the apis ID as defined and implemented for the project is:

[institution].apis.[alphanumeric identifier]

e.g.,

berkeley.apis.23
duke.apis.33149590
columbia.apis.p95
michigan.apis.1874
princeton.apis.p882
yale.apis.0036300000

Using a "p" as the first character of the alphanumeric identifier in records for papyri is optional. If used, however, papyri must still be identified as such explicitly in the metadata as well (i.e., as field 655_phys in the APIS Contribution Format). . APIS numbers are for the sole purpose of pointing to a single metadata record and should otherwise be "non-meaningful."

NB: All Phase II participants provided numbers usable as APIS IDs, although Yale's were somewhat problematic since they were in a format not easily manipulated by computer for retrieval or matching (e.g., "DP 13(First text) qua"). For this reason "interim" Yale APIS ID numbers were generated--based loosely on those provided--to allow records to be loaded and linked to images. (See algorithm applied under Yale / APIS Conversion: Special Processes.) This decision should be reviewed in future phases if new or updated records are to be contributed by Yale.