On 9 Apr 2014, at 13:17, Reynolds, Trevor <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> 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.
Web content "to read" and "search for related items" are two different factors.
How does the library website compete with a search for reviews on Amazon?
>
> 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.
I’m being a bit naughty here as I appreciate your point, but compared to the Internet audience as a whole, how big is the research audience?
as for finding a lawnmower my first point of call is google. [1] and google general searches need websites to be actively optimising their content.
I don’t disagree that collections should be exposed on the Internet. My point was that automated exposure of raw data from a collections management system isn’t sufficient and may not be the best place for smaller collections to start.
Digitising and interpreting thousands of objects for the web is overwhelming. Curating an exhibition for the web and telling a story about the best objects in a small museums collection is achievable and likely to be more beneficial.
I think we’re probably agreeing in general about having both collections and curated content on the web, but it’s my belief that with limited time and budget it’s better to curate a small web exhibition than wait for the time and funding to digitise and expose raw data on the whole collection.
:o)
[1] Trying to illustrate this point I discovered an issue for RAMM:
Using the RAMM collections site as an example, and searching google for an object on there, e.g. http://rammcollections.org.uk/content/catalogs/ramm/ethnography/adze-blade-a660.ashx
I’m not seeing it listed. (something amiss there?)
If I use a phrase from that page:
"ground and polished stone axe head from Canada”
I do get listings from:
http://mhubsrv-at.edina.ac.uk/
http://www.europeana.eu
http://museumsuk.net
which suggests google isn’t actually indexing the RAMM collection at all, which is a shame.
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