Discovering New Zealand Museums New Zealand digital initiatives to create and share cultural content Paul Rowe, Vernon Systems Museums Association Conference London, Oct 6 th 2009

We are here

Only 4 million people http://www.flickr.com/photos/vtveen/1062621164/

... but a lot of digital initiatives Na tional Digital Forum Coalition of museums, archives, art galleries, libraries and government DigitalNZ Collaborative initiative led by the National Library of NZ

The Internet is a big place http://www.flickr.com/photos/djmccrady/806040268 226 million websites (Sep 2009 Netcraft Web Server Survey)

It can be hard to find what you’re looking for http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnny9s/2894855314

What you’re looking for isn’t always there http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/958035425

Filters help you get the layer you’re interested in http://www.flickr.com/photos/magslhalliday/4298869/

Launched Sep 2008 Represents 400 museums Collection records and images from 60 museums (many volunteer run)

Launched Sep 2008

Represents 400 museums

Collection records and images from 60 museums (many volunteer run)

Website administered by: National Services Te Paerangi, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa The team on the Our Space map at Te Papa www.nationalservices.tepapa.govt.nz

How they help He Rauemi Resource Guides 0508 freephone helpline

NZMuseums allows you to find our treasures

To talk about them

...and help others find them

How did the website come about? Redevelopment of an older directory site Vernon Systems were the successful tender for the new site New site to be based on eHive

Focal point for all New Zealand museums Desired content was not in digital form Most contributors had very limited resources

Focal point for all New Zealand museums

Desired content was not in digital form

Most contributors had very limited resources

DigitalNZ: the digital life cycle

DigitalNZ helping with bottlenecks Online guides through Make It Digital Helpdesk for all aspects of digital lifecycle Aggregated data for whole cultural sector Forum to propose & vote for digital projects

Online guides through Make It Digital

Helpdesk for all aspects of digital lifecycle

Aggregated data for whole cultural sector

Forum to propose & vote for digital projects

2006: NZMuseums focus groups Volunteers are key - keep in simple Keep costs low It should be possible to contribute without the Internet Outline benefits and address concerns

Volunteers are key - keep in simple

Keep costs low

It should be possible to contribute without the Internet

Outline benefits and address concerns

2003: 85% wanted to contribute http://www.flickr.com/photos/mic_n_2_sugars/564570276/

Benefits for small museums Reduces barriers to achieving a web presence Unified approach across New Zealand Entry point into simple collections management Minimal funds and expertise required Show it to the world! Motueka Museum

Reduces barriers to achieving a web presence

Unified approach across New Zealand

Entry point into simple collections management

Minimal funds and expertise required

Show it to the world!

Getting museums onboard Electronic newsletters Museum Development Officers in the field Training workshops

Electronic newsletters

Museum Development Officers in the field

Training workshops

Online forum – avoid answering the same question many times

Spreadsheet for data contributors Could be used without an internet connection Stepping stone between existing systems and eHive

Could be used without an internet connection

Stepping stone between existing systems and eHive

eHive collection management system Within eHive , each contributor has their own login to create and edit content and upload images

Within eHive , each contributor has their own login to create and edit content and upload images

www.ehive.com

Each contributor has their own directory page

eHive web admin for collections management functions

Don’t reinvent the wheel Used Open Source software

Used Open Source software

What’s an API and what’s it doing to my museum data? Application Programmable Interface The way two websites or applications talk to each other Data created in one place can be repurposed Share your stories Website 1 Collection Records . . . . . Website 2 Collection Records Redisplayed with different presentation . . . . . API – “the telephone line”

Application Programmable Interface

The way two websites or applications talk to each other

Data created in one place can be repurposed

Share your stories

Integration with NZLive National cultural events website Data shared with NZMuseums through RSS feeds for each museum

National cultural events website

Data shared with NZMuseums through RSS feeds for each museum

Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Harvesting Metadata – OAI-PHM Create filters of information DigitalNZ’s preferred method is OAI-PHM OAI-PHM is in the Europeana roadmap Data Harvesting

Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Harvesting Metadata – OAI-PHM

Create filters of information

DigitalNZ’s preferred method is OAI-PHM

OAI-PHM is in the Europeana roadmap

Sharing data Copyright issues Less control of where your data ends up eHive - 3 rd party search “opt-out” option Creative Commons licences Copyright holders only Other categories No rights reserved, custom rights statements, all rights reserved

Copyright issues

Less control of where your data ends up

eHive - 3 rd party search “opt-out” option

Creative Commons licences

Copyright holders only

Other categories

No rights reserved, custom rights statements, all rights reserved

Summary If the content isn’t on the web, expect handholding Need filters for different audiences APIs allow you to share your stories Data harvesting can build a new view of data from scattered sources Need to indicate the rights associated with records/images to allow legal re-use

If the content isn’t on the web, expect handholding

Need filters for different audiences

APIs allow you to share your stories

Data harvesting can build a new view of data from scattered sources

Need to indicate the rights associated with records/images to allow legal re-use

Contact Info Paul Rowe Joint CEO Vernon Systems [email_address] Twitter: www.twitter.com/armchair_caver

Paul Rowe

Joint CEO

Vernon Systems

[email_address]

Twitter: www.twitter.com/armchair_caver