Building FAIR data services: recent developments of the INFRA-ART Spectral Library

This work was funded by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS –UEFISCDI, grant number PN-IV-P2-2.1-TE-2023-2019, and by the European Research Executive Agency through cascading funding provided by the RDA TIGER and FAIR-IMPACT projects. Ioana Maria Cortea, ioana.cort[email protected]o National Institute for Research and Development in Optoelectronics INOE 2000, Romania ▼ACKNOWLEDGEMENT National Institute for R&D in Optoelectronics INOE 2000 409 Atomistilor St., Măgurele, Ilfov County, Romania ▼CONTACT Find more about the INFRA-ART Spectral Library BUILDING FAIR DATA SERVICES: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF THE INFRA-ART SPECTRAL LIBRARY »Recent progress in enhancing semantic interoperability in INFRAART includes the development of metadata crosswalks aligned with DCAT, Schema.org, and domain ontologies (e.g., CHMO), along with initial machine-readable metadata outputs in JSON-LD following EOSC and RDA best practices. These enhancements build directly on the metadata gap report and the interoperability roadmap. »With the support of the FAIR-IMPACT Project, we have implemented several FAIR-enabling capabilities to align with EOSC guidelines. An interoperability roadmap has been developed, together with machine-readable schemas that expose common descriptive attributes of research data repositories as proposed by RDA WG. »Timeline overview highlighting key updates from 2021 to 2025, showing growth in samples, spectra, material classes, and data types, as well as changes in licensing terms. »After implementing machine-actionable metadata with DCAT in the homepage HTML and enabling metadata harvesting via signposting, a substantial improvement in FAIR metrics was recorded as assessed by F-UJI. The INFRA-ART database currently has an overall FAIR score of 46% (moderate range), with the strongest performance in Accessibility, with 4 out of 7 metrics achieved. »Starting with June 2025 the INFRA-ART Spectral Library is a provisional member of the FIDELIS Network of TDRs. ▼CURRENT INDEXES »We’re gathering feedback on the INFRA-ART Spectral Library to guide future development and strengthen it as a trusted, community-driven resource. Learn more and share your input on our website ↘infraart.inoe.ro infraart.inoe.ro infr[email protected]o linkedin.com/company/infra-art-spectral-library »Database expansion with new references and new data types. »Design and development of web-based analytical tools for spectral analysis. »Design and development of FAIR educational resources. »The INFRA-ART Blog provides practical resources to support crossdisciplinary skill development. Its content is organized around three main areas: (1) Open Science & FAIR Data Management, (2) INFRAART Spectral Data Collections & Materials Research, (3) Spectroscopy 101 & Practical Guides for Heritage Science. »Current landing page with integrated search engine for fast discovery across samples, data types, and material classes. ►OVERVIEW The INFRA-ART Spectral Library is a FAIR data service designed as a digital support tool for heritage research specialists working with spectroscopic techniques. The database has been designed, developed, and optimized over several years, and currently hosts a curated multi-analytical collection of more than 2,000 ATR-FTIR, XRF, Raman, and SWIR reflectance spectra from over 1,000 reference materials commonly found in artworks and archaeological objects. ►RECENT DEVELOPMENTS »FAIR and TRUST Alignment Originally conceived as a standalone data service, INFRA-ART has evolved into a FAIR-aligned digital repository through sustained development efforts. Key challenges addressed during this transformation included the enhancement of metadata quality and the improvement of technical and semantic interoperability with the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) ecosystem. This progress has been significantly supported by participation in FAIR-IMPACT support actions, leading to measurable improvements in the repository’s FAIR maturity. »FAIR Semantic Interoperability Semantic interoperability is being further enriched through FAIRMap4ART, a project funded under the RDA TIGER Cascade Grant 2025 Call. The project advances semantic alignment with RDA recommendations and outputs, with a core focus on enhancing the machine-actionability and discoverability of datasets at the object level by developing FAIR mappings and crosswalks. »FAIR Educational Resources In addition to serving as a scientific resource, INFRA-ART is expanding into an educational platform. Through the INFRA-ART blog, it now offers a growing collection of openly accessible learning materials designed to support students and early-career researchers in spectral data analysis. These resources include tutorials, case studies, and articles covering topics such as spectral data interpretation, material characterization, and FAIR data management.