Hi Nick
For what it's worth, i would like to make some broad comments in
response to your questions. First, a comment on the integrated text,
design and layout of the document which is refreshingly clear and to
the point. As a statement of intent I think it is generally admirable.
My experience is in assessing image collections and systems in a
variety of institutions - and trying to integrate content into
broader distribution outlets, both commercial and cultural.
I do therefore have a clear view of the many contradictions in the
provision of museum services that have emerged over the last 10
years. Many interlinking systems and accompanying workflows have been
put in place that will be difficult to disentangle - and we are all
notoriously allergic to change. However, if the many laudable aims of
your document are to succeed, this must happen.
Most of all it is important for staff managing these resources to
understand the way in which image and metadata move through their
systems - and the actions that are in place (often hidden in coded
scripting). Moving forward will involve many compromises, but these
must be made if museums want to improve the ways in which they expose
their resources to all their potential users.
From that viewpoint, my more detailed comments are as follows:
> 1. Is the provision of content (metadata, data and images) in a
> proactive way to the HE/FE sector a current priority for your museum?
Many of the museums that I have worked with are, in principle, very
positive about this but, inevitably, affordability is at the heart of
their concerns. In particular, as this has not been seen as a
priority, the mechanisms for delivery are often not in place. If
museums are to recognise this aim as a priority, they will also have
to be convinced that they will be assisted to enable this - both
financially and by advice. I can envisage many opportunities for
different kinds of collaboration that would be welcomed on both
sides. There are many ways in which the HE/FE sector might be
encouraged to enhance metadata in exchange for the use of resources.
In addition, larger museums and galleries often have commercial
picture libraries that have mechanisms already in place that could
enable this cheaply and cost-efficiently. [NB The need for brevity
means that I have just cut my more detailed comments on how these
services might be incorporated. More later...]
>
> 2. How willing is your institution to make the body of your
> collections-based information available for aggregation so that it can
> be shared (for free) with researchers and learners?
Institutions often mistake such initiatives as requiring the exposure
of all museum data. It is important to make it clear that this would
not be required. Bulk exports do not necessitate the export of every
field in your database. Third party rights do not have to be
compromised.
In addition, there is an on-going belief that making content
available in this way would reduce income and have too many rights
implications. I believe that these assumptions have not been
sufficiently challenged - or even examined in an informed way. There
seems to have grown up in our museums and galleries a belief that
they should erect high walls around their content in order to protect
their interests. ( I myself have participated in such actions). These
assumptions should now be challenged in a much more proactive way in
view of new emerging practices and marketplaces.
I can give chapter and verse on this, but brevity dictates .......
>
> 3. What would prevent you from making Collections data available
> to the HE/FE sector in this way?
Clearly, policy is the main sticking point here. However, if a
suitable policy is in place, then the main obstacles will inevitably
be in the existing workflows and the software and scripting that
supports these. This is a complex area, so I will write separately on
these issues. However, I would say that if the policy is in place,
there are many low-cost software solutions that could enable museums
etc to make their images and metadata more suitable for general
distribution. Unfortunately, funders in the past have not been
prescriptive enough on the service that they wanted their
institutions to provide. This is now a necessity - as is the
necessity to provide on-going feedback on the quality of these
services - and, above all, the user experience.
If you want to enable this, it is also vital, that proper granular
comparative research is done on the systems that currently exist -
both technical and workflow - on the quality of the resources that
are available - and on the quality of images and metadata that have
been produced, including rights information. Only then will you know
the scale of the problem and the priorities for addressing these. I'm
not suggesting here a full-blown 2-year research project, but a good-
enough survey that assumes that participants should be guided through
these intricacies. Broad brush surveys in this area are notoriously
unsuccessful as this is not done.
>
> 4. What is the most valuable thing we could do to increase the
> value for museums of making content available to the HE/FE community?
Undoubtedly, the most valuable thing that is now required is to
improve the quality of the metadata currently available - resources
must be made more 'discoverable'. If the move to make content
available to the HE/FE community can upgrade this content and its
findability - and access - then it will produce a win-win situation
as internal museum staff and their external clients will also benefit.
A collaborative approach harnessing Semantic Web ideas seems to be
the most positive way to go.
Finally, surely we should have in place some sort of awards system
that recognises those institutions that have created high quality
discoverable resources and singles them out for praise. this is not
covered by more general plaudits about 'websites' generally.
Apologies for the length of my response. However, this is an area
that is close to my heart.
many thanks
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]
>
>
> I sit on the Advisory Board for something called the 'Resource
> Discovery
> Task Force <http://rdtf.jiscinvolve.org/wp/> ' - a cross-industry
> body
> that has been asked to look at ways of integrating content from
> museums,
> archives and libraries into academic Resource Discovery to support
> research in the HE/FE sector.
>
>
>
> I have posted onto Collections Link the JISC Vision document
> <http://www.collectionslink.org.uk/index.cfm?ct=assets.assetDisplay/
> titl
> e/JISC%20Vision%20of%20Resource%20Discovery%20Infrastructure/
> assetId/669
>> , which sets out how museum content can be aggregated into the HE/FE
> environment and delivered to researchers via the new generation of
> discovery services. With support from the JISC, the Collections Trust
> will be working with the RDTF to integrate the Culture Grid
> <http://www.culturegrid.org.uk/> and Europeana
> <http://www.europeana.eu/> into this resource discovery
> infrastructure.
>
>
>
> While many eyes are on the Arts Council in their new role for museum
> policy, it is important to remember that JISC and HE remain an
> important
> partner for museums in the digital agenda. To inform my
> participation in
> this group, I would really welcome thoughts from the list on the
> following questions:
>
>
>
> 1. Is the provision of content (metadata, data and images) in a
> proactive way to the HE/FE sector a current priority for your museum?
>
>
>
> 2. How willing is your institution to make the body of your
> collections-based information available for aggregation so that it can
> be shared (for free) with researchers and learners?
>
>
>
> 3. What would prevent you from making Collections data available
> to the HE/FE sector in this way?
>
>
>
> 4. What is the most valuable thing we could do to increase the
> value for museums of making content available to the HE/FE community?
>
>
>
> Please do also comment on the JISC document, either here on the
> list or
> via Collections Link or on Twitter (tag #rdtf)
>
>
>
> Many thanks in advance for your thoughts.
>
>
>
> Nick
>
>
>
> Nick Poole
>
> Chief Executive
>
> Collections Trust
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> Tel: 0207 022 1889
>
>
>
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