Presentation by Fiona Romeo, National Maritime Museum. Given at the London Museum Librarians and Archivists Group conference "Not Museum Pieces" 10 September 2009.
Almost 10,000 enhanced collection records online, plus an additional 20,000 prints and drawings images We digitise 1000 objects and publish 5000 new collection records each year Collections include: Archive & Library, Astronomical & navigational instruments, Charts & maps, Coins & medals, Decorative art, Figureheads, Fine art, Flags, Historic photographs, Relics, Ship models, Ship plans, Timekeeping, Uniforms, Weapons The most popular collections online are ship models, maps & charts, and paintings Eleanor: partnering and volunteering
The needs of our visitors will vary according to their level of engagement with the Museum’s subjects. Therefore, we need to be both broad and deep in our approach to digitized collections – offering targeted levels of context and interpretation as appropriate. Visitor requirements can be grouped around three layers of access: 1) In-depth context and interpretation layer: in-depth context, interpretation and narrative delivered via beautiful and engaging interfaces. This layer can be delivered both online and in the gallery spaces. 2) Digital-surrogacy layer: prioritises broad access to the collections but offers an appropriate level of context, supports both onsite and offsite access to the collections. 3) Resource-discovery layer: supports onsite physical access to the collections by facilitating discovery and request services, such as order-in-advance. Approaching our collections via these layers gives a framework for digital service delivery which is both visitor-focused and scalable.
Largest number of records with the smallest amount of text / specialist only
Intermediate stage/ specialist and enthusiast
Contains the largest amount of text and information with the smallest number of assets/ general visitor Criteria for prioritisation
Almost 10,000 enhanced collection records online, plus an additional 20,000 prints and drawings images We digitise 1000 objects and publish 5000 new collection records each year Collections include: Archive & Library, Astronomical & navigational instruments, Charts & maps, Coins & medals, Decorative art, Figureheads, Fine art, Flags, Historic photographs, Relics, Ship models, Ship plans, Timekeeping, Uniforms, Weapons The most popular collections online are ship models, maps & charts, and paintings
Flickr pilot. Compiled from Wikipedia
5. To develop our taxonomies and browsing options (‘subject access’) in response to the public’s use of descriptive ‘tags’. portrait (type) prow (detail) suspenders (detail) exploration (concept) arctic (place) eskimo, inuit, British, Canadian (people) Also, more informal, anecdotal contributions – ‘bare-chested’ on picture of a sailor, ‘bangs’ on young Inuit girl, knitting pattern on fisherman – opening them up to other interests
International access This is not information we hold or would have added ourselves and it opens our collections up to new audiences
Already some useful corrections from the public – Jon Pratty correcting maker information on a picture. Amended in our collections management system.
In addition to the straightforward contributions, there are questions. Guide to where to put interpretative effort These exchanges help you to learn what the general public is interested in, or where your information is unclear or confusing
They’ve even built software tools to help people get the most our of the Commons and to help institutions manage their streams A fantastic example of online fans becoming active volunteers
Poetic visualisation of maritime memorials Creative approach to museum data. are beautiful and engaging show the data at different levels or in new contexts let people manipulate the view to see what’s most relevant to them are provocative rather than conclusive, raise questions appeal to different learning styles and broader audiences and the most successful ones take people deeper into the data than they would have otherwise gone
Visualisation of sentence construction in journal of Hayward, one of the willing amateurs of the Ross Sea Party – a group of ten men charged with laying a lifeline of essential supply depots for Shackleton