The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) has announced its membership as an associate member of the International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) Consortium. This strategic move aims to enhance the functionality and interoperability of the Canadiana platform, leveraging IIIF’s open standards for delivering high-quality images and audio files online at a large scale.
IIIF provides a set of standards that enable seamless integration and interoperability among digital platforms and collections. By adopting IIIF, CRKN will benefit from state-of-the-art open-source software solutions, replacing the need for custom code within the Canadiana infrastructure. This adoption will streamline CRKN's work and facilitate seamless integration with other open infrastructures.
Joining the IIIF Consortium places CRKN among a community of Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) institutions dedicated to implementing and shaping these vital open standards. As an associate member, CRKN will actively participate in the ongoing development and refinement of IIIF standards.
CRKN's initial implementation plans include introducing the open-source Mirador Viewer to Canadiana portals. This popular item viewer, widely used across Canada and globally, will pull image content directly from the Canadiana infrastructure using new IIIF functionality. Additionally, CRKN is launching a stand-alone IIIF Presentation API to improve load times across its system. Future development plans include implementing the IIIF Content Search API, which will provide search term highlighting in the document viewer.
CRKN’s membership in the IIIF Consortium marks a significant step towards enhancing the accessibility and interoperability of Canadian digital heritage, ensuring that high-quality digital content is more accessible and easily discoverable by users worldwide.
Click here to read the original press release.
