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Save IIIF-Linked Research Data Separately from Photo Downloads

By ImgHeal · Updated

A IIIF seeAlso link can point to machine-readable information associated with a presentation. Save it as related research data, not as another photograph. Check the record identifiers and format so the metadata remains connected to the image it describes when files move into a family archive.

Explore this topic: Organize a photo archive

AI-generated editorial illustration

Decide which contextual data you need

List the facts that should accompany the image: source identifier, descriptive title, approximate date, creator attribution, rights context, and view relationships. Keep the institution's human-readable item page as well. A structured record may use codes or linked identifiers that require interpretation, while a web caption may summarize rather than expose every field. Preserve both where useful and permitted. Do not overwrite the source caption with a machine field simply because its name sounds more technical.

Inspect the linked resource type

IIIF documentation distinguishes seeAlso machine-readable related resources from rendering alternatives intended for users to consume as another representation. Follow the supplied link and note the declared and actual format. Match its identifiers to the object or view you downloaded. A file ending in JSON may describe metadata, a manifest, or another service; inspect its structure and source scope instead of assigning a role from the extension alone. Record any unavailable link as a dependency rather than silently substituting unrelated data.

Make the handoff interpretable

Store the related data under a descriptive filename linked to the stable photo ID, and write a short note explaining its source and role. Test whether another researcher can identify the photograph and open its ordinary source record using the package. Keep interpretations or corrections in a separate local note so the supplied data remain recognizable. When a restored image is added, point it to the source record without rewriting institutional metadata to describe generated features. Structured context supports retrieval, but it does not authenticate an AI-created detail or eliminate uncertainty in the original description.

Check this workflow

  • Retain human and machine-readable source context.
  • Identify what each linked data file describes.
  • Keep local interpretation separate from supplied metadata.

Sources and further reading

Questions about this restoration task

Can I open a seeAlso JSON file as though it were an image?

It may be descriptive data rather than image pixels. Inspect the resource type and use an appropriate reader or workflow.

Continue with a related guide

Try a restoration on a copy of your photo

Keep the original scan. Upload a separate digital copy, review ImgHeal’s generated result, and decide whether it suits your needs.

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