The exercise has been done at least a few times that I know of.
Currently the Mellon Foundation are funding a system called Collection
Space which has exactly this aim, has done the function list
consultation on a world-wide scale, and is actually building a system
based on it. SPECTRUM could be seen as another (pretty good) expression
of the exercise done and developed over many years. I can recommend
using that as a function bench-mark for implementing any system. The
notion of a new super-system is very tempting but, to me at least,
something of a Chimera.
I would also say that in my experience it is often not the system per se
an institution uses but the way it is used that causes many of the
problems; things like system/s implementation and development, basic and
advanced documentation practice and a rudimentary understanding of the
learnt skills involved in knowledge organisation, data quality control,
user attitude and support, institutional attitude and resource etc. Many
cultural institutions simply do not have, or do not give, the resources
to do something that is quite complex well enough to get the outcomes
they need/demand.
Linked Open Data, perhaps using shared ontologys such as CIDOC-CRM,
foaf, skos etc and open source applications is one possible future
environment that may solve a lot of the flexibility and exchange issues
that currently frustrate. We are having a good look at that here at the
BM.
My final thought on this is: are you clear about the task your system is
for? Is it a collections catalogue or a collections management system?
Is a lack of a clear primary function the cause of some of the 'core
issues'? After many years looking for a great system that does both I am
coming to the conclusion that some separation might be worth exploring -
a sort of 'best tool for the job' tool kit of open source applications
linked by a common technology? What Danny said in fact.
Jonathan
Jonathan WHITSON CLOUD
Technical Support, Documentation
Collections Services
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0)20 7323 8880
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Bonewell, Perry
Sent: 16 August 2011 10:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What would an open source museum CMS look like?
Which sounds exactly like the sort of thing that would interest me: a
platform that solves all the core issues (whatever they may be) from the
off but with the flexibility to be easily developed and extended.
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Birchall, Danny
Sent: 16 August 2011 10:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What would an open source museum CMS look like?
Hi Perry
I would be very happy to help list desirable features for the 'perfect
museum CMS' but I would never ever ever want to use such a thing myself:
it would be an over-specified mess. I'd much rather have a good general
CMS that was open and extensible, with a balanced integration between
robust core functions and custom-built museum-specific extensions.
Danny
Danny Birchall
Web Editor, Wellcome Collection
Wellcome Trust
Gibbs Building
215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK
Tele: +44 (0) 207 611 8894
email: [log in to unmask]
www.wellcomecollection.org
www.twitter.com/explorewellcome
-----Original Message-----
From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Perry Bonewell
Sent: 16 August 2011 9:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MCG] What would an open source museum CMS look like?
I would be interested to hear what ideas people on the list have about
the following:
If you could build the perfect museum web CMS what would it look like?
What features would it need to have straight out of the box to make it a
viable option for your next web site?
All the Best
Perry Bonewell
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