What is EODEM? A guide to museum loan data exchange
EODEM gives museums a shared way to transfer information about objects being lent for exhibitions. It can reduce repeated data entry between collections management systems while preserving the review and oversight that museum loans require.
Akseli Gallen-Kallela, The Great Black Woodpecker, 1893, gouache, 145 × 90 cm, Ateneum Art Museum. Image courtesy of the Ateneum Art Museum/Finnish National Gallery and Hannu Aaltonen.
Why museum loan information is repeatedly entered
An exhibition loan often begins with information that the lending museum has already documented. The object may have a title, identifier, maker, dimensions, materials, images, condition information, and display requirements recorded in its collections management system.
The borrowing museum needs much of the same information. However, it may receive the data in spreadsheets, documents, PDFs, or emails and then enter it into another system. This work is necessary when systems cannot exchange structured records directly, but it takes time and creates opportunities for transcription errors.
A CIDOC survey of loan-related data entry received 65 usable responses. Respondents reported median data-entry times of 15 minutes per object for outgoing loans and 20 minutes per object for incoming loans. The survey authors note that the sample had geographic and collections-system biases, so these figures should be understood as evidence of the problem rather than a universal benchmark.
EODEM was developed to make this transfer more direct.
What is EODEM?
The Exhibition Object Data Exchange Model, or EODEM, is a standard for transferring information about exhibition objects between museum collections management systems.
In practical terms, EODEM provides an agreed way to package object identification and loan-requirement data. If the lender’s system can export an EODEM file and the borrower’s system can import it, information can move between them without every field being retyped.
Development is coordinated by the CIDOC Documentation Standards Working Group. EODEM 1.0 was launched on 1 September 2023.
EODEM is not a collections management system or a separate loan-management platform. It is a data-exchange standard that collections management system suppliers can incorporate into their platforms.
How EODEM works
A typical exchange involves five stages:
The lender selects the relevant records.
Museum staff decide which objects and which information should be included.The lender’s system creates an EODEM file.
An EODEM exporter places the selected information into a structured XML file. Images may also accompany the file.The file is transferred to the borrower.
The two museums agree on an appropriate method for transferring the data.The borrower imports the information.
An EODEM importer maps the information into the appropriate fields in the borrower’s collections management system.Museum staff review the imported records.
The borrower checks the data, identifies possible duplicates, reconciles local terminology, and confirms that the information has been mapped correctly.
The lender therefore needs access to an EODEM exporter, while the borrower needs an EODEM importer. A collections management system may support one function without supporting the other.
What information can an EODEM file contain?
EODEM establishes a small set of required information so that even a limited exchange can create a usable record. This includes record identifiers, record language, object type, title, lender, object identifier, and export information.
Depending on the records and the capabilities of the two systems, an EODEM exchange may also include:
Descriptions of the object
Makers, artists, or other associated people
Materials and techniques
Measurements and units
Images
Condition or assessment information
Handling and installation instructions
Environmental and display requirements
Security and insurance information
Credit-line requirements
The EODEM specifications and sample files define how this information should be structured.
EODEM is based on LIDO 1.1. LIDO is an XML schema for delivering cultural heritage information. EODEM is an application profile of LIDO, meaning that it applies the broader standard to the specific task of exchanging information for exhibition loans.
Not every implementation will support every optional field. Museums should establish what their own systems can export and import before beginning an exchange.
What EODEM does not automate
EODEM helps systems exchange structured data. It does not automate the entire loans process.
Museum staff still need to:
Determine whether an object can be lent
Decide which information may be shared
Review condition and conservation requirements
Assess environmental, security, insurance, and transport arrangements
Reconcile differences in local terminology
Check imported records for accuracy
Approve the loan and its documentation
EODEM also does not translate information between languages or automatically reconcile different controlled vocabularies. Imported terms may still need to be reviewed and aligned with the borrower’s local terminology.
The current standard does not provide a mechanism for a borrower to return updates about damage, loss, or changes in condition to the lender.
Most importantly, EODEM does not prescribe how files must be transferred. An EODEM file may contain sensitive information, including valuations, security requirements, or installation instructions. Museums therefore need to agree on a secure transfer method and follow their own information-security procedures. The EODEM frequently asked questions provide further guidance on these limitations.
Who implements EODEM?
Collections management system suppliers are responsible for building EODEM exporters and importers. Museums are responsible for determining how those functions should operate within their own records and workflows.
Support may depend on the particular platform version, configuration, or subscription a museum uses. An exporter or importer may also be planned for a future release rather than available now.
CIDOC maintains a current overview of collections systems implementing EODEM. Museums should still confirm capabilities directly with their supplier.
Successful implementation also depends on cooperation between lending and borrowing institutions. One museum cannot complete a direct EODEM exchange unless the other museum has the corresponding import or export capability.
How can a museum prepare for EODEM?
Museums can prepare even before their collections management system supports EODEM.
Map the existing loan workflow
Document how object information currently moves between the collections system, loan paperwork, spreadsheets, emails, and partner institutions. Identify where information is copied, reformatted, or entered again.
Review the relevant data
Focus on the fields used for loans. Check that titles, identifiers, object types, dimensions, units, lender information, and language information are recorded consistently.
The aim is not to make every record as detailed as possible. It is to ensure that the information selected for exchange is accurate, clearly structured, and appropriate for the loan.
Preserve reliable identifiers
Stable record and object identifiers help receiving systems distinguish between similar records and identify information that may already be present.
Decide what information may be shared
Establish which optional fields can leave the institution and who can approve their inclusion. Pay particular attention to valuations, security information, conservation details, and installation requirements.
Confirm the system’s capabilities
Ask whether the exact version and configuration of the museum’s collections management system can:
Export EODEM files
Import EODEM files
Transfer accompanying images
Validate files before export or import
Detect possible duplicate records
Report fields that could not be mapped
Test representative records
A pilot should include more than the simplest object record. Test objects with multiple titles, complex measurements, multilingual information, detailed installation instructions, and sensitive requirements.
Compare the exported file with the original record, then check the imported record field by field.
Assign responsibility for review
Decide who approves outgoing data and who validates incoming data. Retain the lending institution as the source of imported information and document any changes made after import.
A free CIDOC Training Association module offers a more detailed introduction to EODEM and museum preparation.
Questions to ask your collections management system supplier
When discussing EODEM with a supplier, ask:
Does our current system version support EODEM export, import, or both?
Which version of the EODEM standard is supported?
Is EODEM already available, under development, or planned for a future release?
Which required and optional fields can the system exchange?
Can images be included?
How are our local fields mapped to EODEM?
Can those mappings be adjusted for our configuration?
How does the importer identify possible duplicate records?
Does the system validate files and explain import or export errors?
How are unmatched terms or fields handled?
What testing, configuration, training, or support will be required?
Are there additional costs?
Could a future system upgrade affect the implementation?
Ask the supplier to demonstrate the complete process with a representative record whenever possible.
Standardization supports exchange, not judgment
EODEM does not require museums to structure all their records or workflows in the same way. It defines a shared format for the information that passes between them.
That distinction is important. Standardization can reduce unnecessary repetition while allowing institutions to retain their own collections systems, terminology, documentation practices, and professional responsibilities.
The value of EODEM will ultimately depend on implementation, participation, and careful review. When those elements are in place, museum staff can spend less time recreating information that already exists and more time applying their expertise to the decisions an exhibition loan requires.
