To add briefly to Angela's post, it would, without doubt, be easier to
make recommendations knowing your absolute criteria. Aside from
budget and resource constraints (are the images already and
consistently digitised for example?) are questions of use: would the
IMS be for staff use only or for visitors and remote visitors too? Do
you want people to use it via a website? If it is public facing, will
you license the images e.g. under Creative Commons or make them
available in some other way (e.g. to download / purchase)? Why does
your organisation want or need one now?
Do pay heed to the warning that it can be, often is, a slow and
painful process, but if you have a clear vision of what you want this
to do, it can be done in a variety of ways already outlined, and very
successfully. Do also be wary of going for the easy option of simply
'adding' an image module to an existing system. Square pegs and round
holes if not done properly.
Tehmina
On 16/11/2007, Angela Murphy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Tony
>
> The reason for the lack of initial responses may have been that it
> all depends what you mean by an image management system. There are
> over 115 different IMS on the market but although they may all have
> similar elements of image management at their heart - they have very
> individual additional functionality. Grant Young of TASI has prepared
> an excellent overview (http://www.tasi.ac.uk/advice/delivering/
> ims2.html )
>
> I am currently assisting a group of Cambridge institutions to specify
> a system (see Chris Burnside's email) - and trying to survey off-the-
> shelf solutions that we can hook up with existing collections
> databases - and there is no doubt that this a very fluid project. At
> Cambridge, we do not feel that the current DSpace software offers
> enough functionality - we look forward to developments and I will
> certainly be getting in touch with Michael to discuss this.
>
> There are a multiplicity of image management systems in place in
> cultural institutions ranging from expensive customised systems based
> on software such as IBase or System Simulation's Indexplus or
> Fotoware -- to commercial picture library software, such as Prostock
> and Capture. In between, there are systems, such as Extensis
> Portfolio, that are much easier to set up - but limited in their
> functionality. However, many of them are not set up to take direct
> feeds or integrated within collections workflows or commercial
> distribution. When we went digital during the NOF-funded project at
> NMSI, we commissioned both customised and commercial systems in the 3
> museums - and set up a workflow that fed both the commercial (Science
> & Society Picture Library) and the cultural (Ingenious) websites at
> the same time. This works very well - but we would of course make a
> number of changes if we were to return to the project. The great
> advantage of distributing through a commercial system (even if you do
> not charge) is that you can analyse what you have and how it is used
> - such functionality is built into the systems.
>
> It is not possible to recommend a system until your institution has
> decided on the immoveable criteria - including budget, potential
> numbers of files, formats, numbers of users, required interface,
> infrastructure, existing staff capabilities, workflows, etc.
> Generally speaking, the process is iterative - especially if you want
> to keep your costs down and ensure that the software will continue to
> be supported. We may well implement interim IMS software while we are
> working towards our ultimate IMS goal. At Cambridge, we want to
> exchange data between our collections and our images systems - and to
> be able to distribute through a variety of outlets - including
> websites aimed at educational and commercial users.
>
> There is still no 'one-size-fits-all' IMS for museums and galleries -
> and many of us have imbedded stand-alone systems that still do not
> talk to each other. In my experience, the preparation period is
> critical and the implementation period is long and painful. Once
> passed the pain is soon forgotten but it is difficult to recommend it.
>
> I very much welcome this as a useful opening salvo in what I hope
> will be a continuing exchange of information.
>
> I would also be happy to chat with anyone about this offline.
>
> best wishes
>
> Angela
>
> Angela Murphy
> Consultant
> Image Management and Rights Clearance
>
> The Image Business
> 21 Leamington Road Villas
> Notting Hill
> London W11 1HS
> Tel: +44-(0)20-77274920
> Mob: +44-(0)7973-820020
>
> email: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> On 16 Nov 2007, at 10:44, HARRIS TONY wrote:
>
> > Dear All,
> >
> > Having only had one response to my email below, can I take it
> > nobody is
> > using an image database? Surely not?
> >
> > Tony Harris
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > --
> > ---------------------------------
> >
> > We at the Government Art Collection would like to investigate an image
> > database that can be linked to an SQL collections management
> > system, and
> > have some sort of permanently live link for data retrieval, can anyone
> > recommend such a system? We are running the Argus CMS which used SQL.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Tony Harris
> >
> > New Media Officer & Photographer
> > Government Art Collection
> > 0044 (0)20 7580 9123
> >
> > www.gac.culture.gov.uk
> >
> >
> >
> >
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--
Tehmina Goskar, AMA
Historian / Museum Specialist
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