In message
<[log in to unmask]>,
Nick Poole <[log in to unmask]> writes
>it's important to look at the whole of the value chain, and to take an
>overview of all of the potential assets of the museum and then to
>prioritise commercial activity on the basis of likely return (and
>minimising upfront capital costs).
Just a comment: if we are including museum-generated Linked Data within
the definition of "Digital Content", then there is a tension between its
potential commercial exploitation, and its release under CC0-style
licences which permit re-use (which, as I understand it, is the position
the community is moving towards). Essentially, if museums can make
money out of it, then so could anyone else - and the chances are that a
commercial company would do a better job.
So, I don't hold out much hope for museum income streams coming directly
from Linked Data. (Indirectly, maybe, via e.g. branding, as others have
suggested.)
Richard
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Museums Computer Group on behalf of Tehmina Goskar
>Sent: Thu 02/12/2010 13:06
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Costs of Sales
>
>Dear Nick,
>
>Thank you for your reply. I'm sure the info on digital supply models
>will make interesting reading.
>
>However, if there was some way of turning that study into an actual
>scheme that would show the proof of the pudding to others it could be
>one of the most useful things that Collections Trust could do at this
>current time. Invite applications from actual museums or heritage
>centres or cultural institutions, or whoever, who do not already run
>their own enterprises to work with you and your partners to turn some
>of their cultural activities and assets (including ecommerce, venues
>and services) into sustainable profit-making ones. Then make these
>institutions mentors for others.
>
>I fear that another study on the shelf of a museum manager or
>equivalent will otherwise go to waste as so many are fully occupied
>with firefighting to keep the doors open. No matter the wisdom of
>advice and models, it just won't happen without a helping hand, and so
>no amount of success in getting the EC to commission these studies
>will actually transfer into a meaningful reality unless a practical
>outcome is enshrined in your aims, that you and your partners commit
>to assisting. This should be for the benefit of European cultural and
>heritage organisations, not the Commission itself.
>
>I haven't seen an overly large pencil in years in the UK, they still
>seem to be a favourite overseas. Bring back the large pencil and the
>large pencil case made to look like an overly large pencil.
>
>All the best,
>Tehmina
>
>
>
>
>
>On 1 December 2010 21:00, Nick Poole <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Dear Tehmina,
>>
>> Fair point re: 'memory institution' - I'd spent 48 hours surrounded
>>by people using it with gay abandon and hence had become blinded to
>>its semantic inadequacies. But you are quite right, it is inaccurate!
>>
>> I like your thinking about the potential forms of revenue generation
>>over and above simple image licensing too. We have been working for
>>the past few months on a Digital Content Supply Chain model, the main
>>feature of which is an attempt to map out the potential forms of
>>commercial and non-commercial reuse of this material. When you delve
>>into what people are doing, there are some really interesting
>>potential models out there - things like providing high-quality
>>renders for CGI and game development workflows, or co-developing
>>branded merchandise with a deeper consumer value than tea towels and
>>unusually large pencils (which CultureLabel have been pushing on for a
>>while, obviously). If you are interested, the basic version of the
>>model is on Collections Link at http://tiny.cc/supplychain.
>>
>> As luck would have it, we have heard this evening that the
>>Collections Trust, along with Curtis & Cartwright and Ithaka, have
>>been commissioned by the European Commission to deliver a study into
>>current and emerging models for the commercial reuse of digital assets
>>in museums, archives and libraries, as part of the current review of
>>the Public Sector Information Directive. The study is intended to help
>>the Commission get to grips with the various ways in which digital can
>>lead to revenue (and hence to address the licensing and IPR
>>restrictions that inhibit these activities) but I think the findings
>>could have a broader applicability within the sector.
>>
>> Similarly, there is a really interesting secondary market emerging
>>around helping museums to monetise the various elements of their work
>>in creative ways - including venue, content, knowledge, skill,
>>location and collections. I would hope that this will help people to
>>be more imaginative about the possibilities, as you suggest.
>>Ultimately, although I might wish the past few months had unfolded
>>differently, I can't see a benefit in doing anything other than
>>regarding it positively as an opportunity. Greater commercial
>>independence has its benefits, as has public subsidy, and as the
>>latter is increasingly withdrawn, I see no reason for us to be afraid
>>of the former. It is more how well we make the transition that
>>concerns me. We know already, instinctively, that there is a line we
>>would not be willing to cross in commercialising museums, but there is
>>an awful lot of scope to increase revenue before we get near it.
>>
>> All best,
>>
>> Nick
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Nick Poole
>> Chief Executive
>> Collections Trust
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> Tel: 0207 022 1889
>> OpenCulture 2011
>> UK and international Collections Management Trade Fair and Conference
>> Manchester, 7th & 8th June 2011.
>> Register online at http://www.openculture2011.org.uk
>>
>> http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk
>> http://www.collectionslink.org.uk
>> http://openculture.collectionstrustblogs.org.uk
>>
>> Follow us on Twitter: @collectiontrust
>> Follow me on Twitter: @nickpoole1
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>>
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>>Building, No1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>>Tehmina Goskar
>> Sent: 01 December 2010 18:22
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Costs of Sales
>>
>> Dear Nick,
>>
>> I think you might have misread my comment, which wouldn't be hard as I
>> didn't explain it.
>>
>> Firstly regarding prejudice. I don't have any particular beef against
>> the roles of those who work responsibly in banking and finance on
>> whatever scale. However, I do take issue with those who wish to advise
>> cultural organisations on their commercial activities, as if there is
>> just one way or worse a 'model' that can be applied.
>>
>> What you quoted from the international financier was "Investment banks
>> and commercial investors would be sceptical of investing in
>> Digitisation of cultural heritage as a commercial proposition."
>>
>> What I meant with my terse comment was, does it really take someone
>> like that to tell us something most of us already know? Many of us
>> know that the way in which commercial investments are usually made, on
>> the basis of returns for investment over a fixed period of time
>> _cannot_ work, particularly regarding digital assets. It is the wrong
>> way of looking at things. It is the wrong way of commercialising
>> cultural activities (or parts thereof).
>>
>> This isn't at all the same as suggesting that the dichotomy between
>> the cultural value and monetary value of museum/cultural activities is
>> too broad a gulf to bridge. What there is a lack of is creativity and
>> imagination in enterprise. Instinctively we know without seeing the
>> figures that the costs of digitisation far outweigh the income that
>> could be generated from sales of rights and reproductions. But decent
>> merchanising and marketing based on digital assets _could_ definitely
>> be a good money-earner, for example. Good museum shops are like good
>> museum cafes and tea rooms, they are a resource in themselves for
>> visitors and local communities and I wish many buyers used more of
>> their imagination to merchandise according to their collections as
>> there is certainly a demand.
>>
>> Memory institution is an absolutely appalling term, however much it is
>> used (and by whoever). It is also inaccurate.
>>
>> All the best,
>> Tehmina
>>
>>
>>
>> On 30 November 2010 22:11, J DAVIS <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>> Now *that's* an interesting idea, Richard! ;-)
>>>
>>> --- On Tue, 30/11/10, Richard Light <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> From: Richard Light <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Subject: Re: Costs of Sales
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>> Date: Tuesday, 30 November, 2010, 17:41
>>>> In message <[log in to unmask]>,
>>>> J DAVIS <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> writes
>>>>
>>>> The financiers do not have all the answers. If they did,
>>>> the question financing public culture would have been sorted
>>>> out by now.
>>>>
>>>> I thought it was the question of financing our financial
>>>> system which is being worked on right now? (This week,
>>>> Ireland ...)
>>>>
>>>> Maybe there is a lesson there for us: if we can persuade
>>>> the world that "museums can't be allowed to fail", then we
>>>> could screw things up royally and just wait to be bailed
>>>> out.
>>>>
>>>> Richard
>>>>
>>>> -- Richard Light
>>>>
>>>> ****************************************************************
>>>> For mcg information visit the mcg website at
>>>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
>>>> To manage your subscription to this email list visit
>>>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
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>>>>
>>>
>>> ****************************************************************
>>> For mcg information visit the mcg website at
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dr Tehmina Goskar, MA AMA
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>> http://tehmina.goskar.com/
>>
>> Research Officer: ESRC History, Heritage, and Urban Regeneration: The
>> Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper
>> History & Classics
>> University of Swansea
>>
>> ****************************************************************
>> For mcg information visit the mcg website at
>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
>> To manage your subscription to this email list visit
>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>> ****************************************************************
>>
>> ****************************************************************
>> For mcg information visit the mcg website at
>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
>> To manage your subscription to this email list visit
>> http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>> ****************************************************************
>>
>
>
>
>--
>Dr Tehmina Goskar, MA AMA
>[log in to unmask]
>
>http://tehmina.goskar.com/
>
>Research Officer: ESRC History, Heritage, and Urban Regeneration: The
>Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper
>History & Classics
>University of Swansea
>
>****************************************************************
>For mcg information visit the mcg website at
>http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
>To manage your subscription to this email list visit
>http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
>****************************************************************
>
>
>****************************************************************
>For mcg information visit the mcg website at
>http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/
>To manage your subscription to this email list visit
>http://museumscomputergroup.org.uk/email-list/
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>
>
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>
--
Richard Light
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