Hi All
Thanks for some really interesting and useful points so far
Nick, you've hit the nail on the head in terms of where Factsheets are intended to be useful - as a practical aid to anyone who needs guidance in a particular area, but may have neither the time nor inclination to become familiar with the source materials like MIDAS. Local Societies and Contractors are a key target audience for Factsheets - it's all about being useful to whole community, inclusion and facilitation! Do people have any thoughts on what else Local Societies and Contracting Units might need?
I also agree that we need to be clear about who the Factsheet/s will be being read by. But re the example given, Digital Archiving, it will be a clear concise summary of the issues and procedures involved that would be very broadly applicable - perhaps anything more detailed would be moving towards a `Guide to Good Practice..' style publication? It may be that we do need to pitch differently to different audiences, a concrete example of where this might be the case would be good for further discussion....thoughts?
And Pat, it's a very good point about ensuring people are made aware of areas that fall under the `we don't know yet...' heading - as you say, it's easy to spend a lot of time looking for something that isn't there. Maybe the FISH website could develop this function, giving people an indication of the extent of current knowledge and practice in different fields. How would we do that...?
Printable .pdf versions are a good idea too - although please note we weren't envisaging anything too robust and costly for the hard-copy, more laminating than preserving for posterity! Please do feedback about potential Factsheet topics that arise from your HER work.
It would be good to hear even more from people on other possible topics, as well as potential users - and any thoughts folks have on what's been said so far.
Meanwhile, best wishes to all
Isabel
This message is from:
Isabel M Holroyd
Chief Bibliographer & Editor
biab online - the british & irish archaeological bibliography
The British Academy
10 Carlton House Terrace
London SW1Y 5AH
website: http://www.biab.ac.uk
telephone: 020 7969 5223
facsimile: 020 7969 5300
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Join CBA/YAC & buy CBA books through CBA online shop at: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/shop
Diolch yn fawr
-----Original Message-----
From: The Forum for Information Standards in Heritage (FISH)
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Nick Boldrini
Sent: 02 May 2006 10:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [FISH] FISH Factsheets
Hi Isabel
Factsheets would be a good idea.
A key thing to consider with them, though, is who is the audience for
the various sheets?
For example, - digital archiving - there might be a number of audiences
all of whom may need a slightly different slant (eg Contractors/ Local
Societies- what is archiving and who does it; compared to eg
Museums/other digital repositories - how do you digitally archive)
One key audience for ALL factsheets would be Avocational archaeologist
groups - ie Local Societies, Community Archaeology Projects, LHI funded
groups etc. I have recently been in discussion with a few of these about
how they can gear up to record data in a way that makes incorporation
into the HER easier, and apart from threatening them with MIDAS and
INSCRIPTION, which are useful but pretty alarming to the initiated,
there is nothing between an informal chat with me and the full MIDAS
docs for them to look at to ease into the idea of standards.
I think in fact, that Local Societies and Contractors are the next key
audience for Standards, especially if we want them all to use FISH XML
(or is it MIDAS XL now?) to enable us to import their data easily
hope that helps
best wishes
Nick Boldrini
Historic Environment Record Officer
Heritage Section
Countryside Service
North Yorkshire County Council
County Hall
Northallerton
DL7 8AH
Direct Dial (01609) 532331
Conserving North Yorkshire's heritage - encouraging sustainable access
www.northyorks.gov.uk/archaeology
This email is personal. It is not authorised by or sent on behalf of
North Yorkshire
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the sender
>>> [log in to unmask] 28/04/2006 13:47:48 >>>
Hello All
Making the work of FISH better understood, and more easily/widely used,
by the whole Historic Environment community is seen as a key area for
development. At recent FISH meetings - including the FISH communications
meeting - the idea was put forward that it would be useful for FISH to
create a series of Factsheets.
The Factsheets are envisaged as clear, concise summaries of different
standards' areas and their implementation. Taking the form of a
reference sheet, they would fulfil a different function than that
addressed by publications like ADS' `Guides to Good Practice..' series.
The Factsheets could be authored in xml and available for download, as
well as in hard-copy form. They should be stable and standard in digital
form and durable in hard-copy form, to allow for regular use as
quick-reference materials. They would be authored by the most
authoritative organisation/person in each area covered, drawing on FISH
membership and beyond if necessary/feasible.
As an example, a `Digital Archiving' Factsheet. This would be authored
by ADS, branded as both an ADS and FISH publication, and available from
both FISH and ADS websites.
What do people think? Are Factsheets a useful initiative? What
subjects/areas could be covered? What formats should Factsheets be
available in? Are there other issues that people think need discussion
under this heading?
Factsheets are of course only one possible output - they do not
preclude other resource production or outreach initiatives.
It would be really useful to hear what people think about this so
please make your thoughts known.
Look forward to hearing your ideas.
With all best wishes
Isabel Holroyd
(FISH Convenor)
This message is from:
Isabel M Holroyd
Chief Bibliographer & Editor
biab online - the british & irish archaeological bibliography
The British Academy
10 Carlton House Terrace
London SW1Y 5AH
website: http://www.biab.ac.uk
telephone: 020 7969 5223
facsimile: 020 7969 5300
to email all biab staff use: [log in to unmask]
Join CBA/YAC & buy CBA books through CBA online shop at:
http://www.britarch.ac.uk/shop
Diolch yn fawr
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