Dear Steve,
Comm@net, as mentioned in the article is run by a gent by the name of Chris
Levack. Chris is an ex-miner who felt passionately about the loss of
community-based photos, memories and information and set up [log in to unmask] He
partnered with a university to develop some simple software that allows the
capture of community memories - this also allows the production of CD-ROMs
and the content can be exported on the Comm@net site.
The nice thing about the scheme is that they have an arrangement with the
HLF under Awards for All, whereby there is a streamlined process to get
local community groups ?5,000 or thereabouts to help fund the collation of
such data and to pay for hardware/software to capture it. What they have
done is to prepare all of the necessary forms, costs, etc into a pack so
that literally you just have to fill in the blanks. Comm@net ask for a small
fee out of this; I believe they are a non-profit making charity.
They now have several hundred sites using the software and are very keen to
work with archives, libraries and museums to identify new community
archives. Also, as the article states, Comm@net have been very successful in
moving into other countries. They are about to stage a launch of Comm@net on
Nov. 18th in the British Library, at which point their web-site is to be
revamped too.
From my own experience, I rate them highly. The software is simple, but
effective and the way that they have packaged it works really well -
certainly the users of the service seem to like it. We know them as we have
met with them a number of times and have spread the word to a number of our
customers (museums, archives and libraries), some of whom have gone ahead
with the scheme. Our main focus is helping these institutions with their
ICT/funding/business planning and this is one effective strategy for putting
some basics in place.
At the very least, it is a good way of obtaining good quality hardware and
software (and money to cover expenses/training/people's time) which can be
used to build stronger links into local communities.
If anyone is interested in finding out more, suggest you contact them
direct:
Comm@Net
PO Box 27
Leeds
LS13 1XS
UK
0845 45 88 132
[log in to unmask]
Regards
Chris Meaney (AIMC)
Managing Director
========================================================================
Harvard Consultancy Services Ltd, Bexin House, 2/3 St. Andrews Place
Southover Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1UP
Tel: +44 (0)1273 897517, Fax: +44 (0)1273 471929, E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Registered in England & Wales no. 3766540
Registered Office: 50 Harvard Close, Malling, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2EJ.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Bailey, Joint Information Systems Committee
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 13 November 2002 10:51
Subject: Community Archives on the Web
Dear all,
There's an interesting piece in today's Guardian about how local
communities have been using a piece of software called 'Comma' to
publish their own multimedia local history archives on the web.
The tone of the piece suggests that these people feel that without such
local efforts 'their history' would disappear for ever - not the best
of PR for the 'official' archive profession. Does anyone have any
experience of Comma or links between their repositories and the local
Comma users in their area? If not, should you have??
The story can be found on the Guardian website at:
http://society.guardian.co.uk/internet/story/0,8150,838615,00.html
or from their home page under 'Society' if the link doesnt work.
Regards
Steve
----------------------
Steve Bailey,
Records Manager
Joint Information Systems Committee
Tel: 07092 302850
Email: [log in to unmask]
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