Both are good, of course - and of course there can't always be a
narrative - it's really hard to do this, and not many museums apart from
the monsters with the budgets can afford to do it to large swathes of
stuff. But doing it for 100 key objects, or 10, or blogging about 1 on a
regular basis - that stuff isn't quite so hard, and effort pales into
insignificance next to the budgets being paid fairly routinely to put up
long, unfriendly lists of stuff..
As for SEO - totally vital, maybe *the* most vital tech skill - and
usually a pretty big hole in the museum hive-mind skillset, IMO. As I
posted previously, if you're using any kind of automated output from
collections management systems then I'd be having a look at that output
very closely and seeing how it matches up against SEO recommendations.
OR - post an object detail page URL to an SEO tool like
http://seositecheckup.com/ and see what it says. Grabbing things like
the short description of the object and making sure it's in the right
place in the HTML is an automated thing, not an editorial thing, so
shouldn't be that hard. Ditto title field - and (oh god) "nice URL's".
If the short description is rubbish in the original data or your CMS
can't cope without endless?bloody=query&strings=1 (cough, VENDORS!!)
then that's a slightly different matter..
cheers
Mike
_____________________________
*Mike Ellis *
Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital
agency:http://thirty8.co.uk <http://thirty8.co.uk/>
* My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk <http://heritageweb.co.uk/> *
> Bonewell, Perry <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> 9 April 2014 14:14
> (I can't view Nick's slides at work so apologies if this point is
> already made elsewhere)
>
> I agree with Trevor, I reckon both approaches are a good idea (and
> even better if integrated somehow - you do a blog post about an
> object, a link to that post gets added to that object's online record,
> for a simple example).
>
> But there are circumstances where curators can't create a narrative;
> local history related images is a good one. Looking through stats I
> have routinely seen examples of visitors browsing hundreds of images
> per visit.
>
> Those visitors are bringing their own narrative to bear (most likely
> family history researchers) and persevere in spite of not having a
> "friendly" or digestible way of accessing that information. And yes,
> specialists are also part of that audience.
>
> I think online search set up so it is trivial to integrate narratives
> would be a great tool to have.
>
> And going back to the theme from the last MCG conference - it is also
> possible that your users can add value to your raw data, or at least
> you can set yourself up to allow that to happen.
>
> Perry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Reynolds, Trevor
> Sent: 09 April 2014 13:18
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MCG] Online collections and visitors
>
> You need both. Curated objects on a museum website add great value and
> are what curators are all about. They are what many visitors to museum
> websites will really value (just as many visitors to museums will
> really value the public exhibitions).
>
> It is a bit more obvious if you think about a public library website.
> Lots of visitors (myself included) will really value the librarians
> recommendations, information about new publications, etc. However if
> I've just read the latest J K Rowling and really liked it I want to be
> able to see what else the library has by her that I can borrow. I
> don't want that search to be limited by what the librarian thinks is good.
>
> Similarly in the museum context you've found a really great article
> about a lawnmowver on the curated part of a museum website. You've
> found a lawnmower in you're grandfather's shed that's not the same.
> You might want to see whether the museum has one of these, so you also
> need to be able to search there whole collection.
>
> The other audience for whole collection databases (even where there is
> not much information) is the research audience. If you are considering
> doing a PhD or applying for a research grant, or doing some research
> as a hobby how do you find out what collections would benefit from
> your attention or could be included in your project? Perhaps you are
> looking at the distribution of a certain model of sewing machine you
> want to be able to search the entire inventory of lots of museums.
>
> Trevor Reynolds
> Collections Registrar, English Heritage
> tel: +44 (0) 1904 601905. 37 Tanner Row, York, YO1 6WP
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Mike Ellis
> Sent: 09 April 2014 11:02
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MCG] Online collections and visitors
>
> I see Nick Poole just posted this:
>
> http://t.co/9HTlM9IUQN
>
> ..in which he talks about "..moving from creating digital images and
> database records to editorialised, narrative content"
>
> ..he's a good chap, Nick..
>
>
>
> _____________________________
>
>
> *Mike Ellis *
>
> Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital
> agency:http://thirty8.co.uk <http://thirty8.co.uk/>
>
> * My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk <http://heritageweb.co.uk/> *
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************************
> website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
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>
> This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain
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> copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it.
> Any information sent to English Heritage may become publicly available.
>
> Portico: your gateway to information on sites in the National Heritage
> Collection; have a look and tell us what you think.
> http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/archives-and-collections/portico/
>
> ****************************************************************
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> Reynolds, Trevor <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> 9 April 2014 13:17
> You need both. Curated objects on a museum website add great value and
> are what curators are all about. They are what many visitors to museum
> websites will really value (just as many visitors to museums will
> really value the public exhibitions).
>
> It is a bit more obvious if you think about a public library website.
> Lots of visitors (myself included) will really value the librarians
> recommendations, information about new publications, etc. However if
> I've just read the latest J K Rowling and really liked it I want to be
> able to see what else the library has by her that I can borrow. I
> don't want that search to be limited by what the librarian thinks is good.
>
> Similarly in the museum context you've found a really great article
> about a lawnmowver on the curated part of a museum website. You've
> found a lawnmower in you're grandfather's shed that's not the same.
> You might want to see whether the museum has one of these, so you also
> need to be able to search there whole collection.
>
> The other audience for whole collection databases (even where there is
> not much information) is the research audience. If you are considering
> doing a PhD or applying for a research grant, or doing some research
> as a hobby how do you find out what collections would benefit from
> your attention or could be included in your project? Perhaps you are
> looking at the distribution of a certain model of sewing machine you
> want to be able to search the entire inventory of lots of museums.
>
> Trevor Reynolds
> Collections Registrar, English Heritage
> tel: +44 (0) 1904 601905. 37 Tanner Row, York, YO1 6WP
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Mike Ellis
> Sent: 09 April 2014 11:02
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [MCG] Online collections and visitors
>
> I see Nick Poole just posted this:
>
> http://t.co/9HTlM9IUQN
>
> ..in which he talks about "..moving from creating digital images and
> database records to editorialised, narrative content"
>
> ..he's a good chap, Nick..
>
>
>
> _____________________________
>
>
> *Mike Ellis *
>
> Thirty8 Digital: a small but perfectly formed digital
> agency:http://thirty8.co.uk <http://thirty8.co.uk/>
>
> * My book: http://heritageweb.co.uk <http://heritageweb.co.uk/> *
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************************
> website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
> Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
> [un]subscribe: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
> ****************************************************************
>
> This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain
> personal views which are not the views of English Heritage unless
> specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete
> it from your system and notify the sender immediately. Do not use,
> copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it.
> Any information sent to English Heritage may become publicly available.
>
> Portico: your gateway to information on sites in the National Heritage
> Collection; have a look and tell us what you think.
> http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/archives-and-collections/portico/
>
> ****************************************************************
> website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
> Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
> [un]subscribe: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
> ****************************************************************
> Mike Ellis <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> 9 April 2014 11:01
> I see Nick Poole just posted this:
>
> http://t.co/9HTlM9IUQN
>
> ..in which he talks about "..moving from creating digital images and
> database records to editorialised, narrative content"
>
> ..he's a good chap, Nick..
>
>
>
> Oluwatoyin Sogbesan <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> 8 April 2014 20:30
> Hi Mike,
>
> I have benefitted from this discussion as my research is focused on
> the potentials of digital technology in the representation of museum
> collections.
>
> In addition to Tony's more 'stories /less is better/ curated', it will
> be more interesting and rewarding if such visitors can participate in
> the interpretation of those important collection.
>
> As they might have a prior experience or relationship with the object
> which will also add to the resource of the museum about specific objects.
>
> Cheers
> Toyin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************************
> website: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
> Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ukmcg
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/museumscomputergroup
> [un]subscribe: http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
> ****************************************************************
> Mike Ellis <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> 6 April 2014 10:34
> Thanks Elena, really interesting - again..!
>
> To everyone else: do you research before putting your collections
> online? How, and what has this shown you about user wants and needs?
>
> Does Tony's "more stories / less is better / curated" resonate with
> your users? I know it does with me..
>
> cheers
>
> Mike
>
>
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