ASIA PACIFIC COLLECTION
ONLINE
Supported by the
Gordon Darling Foundation

PROJECT BACKGROUND
• Aim: to publish a catalogue of the Gallery’s
collection of contemporary Asian and Pacific
art works online for wider public access
• Built on two long-term projects: to upgrade the
Gallery’s Collection Management System
(CMS); and digitisation of Collection images
• Asia Pacific Collection Online is an ongoing
project.

ASIA PACIFIC COLLECTION
Selected this area of the Collection because:
• High profile, significant collection of some 1016
records (642 contemporary Asian; 374
contemporary Pacific) in Jan 2008
• Had accurate and up-to-date catalogue records,
many with essay texts
• Reasonable number of high-resolution digital
scans and transparencies available
• Additional impetus of forthcoming Collection-
based exhibitions e.g. The China Project (2009)

PROJECT STAGES
• KE EMu Collection catalogue
• Digital images
• Copyright
• Art work records and narratives
 Online catalogue in October 2008 with 1181
records

* Flat file, UNIX based system, in use since 1989
KE Texpress * Powerful database, does most things we need, but not user friendly
* No ability to attach images to catalogue records
* Windows compatible relational system
KE EMu * Most commonly used data fields mapped across from Texpress
* Attach images (scanned transparencies, new digital images)
Intranet * Use EMu’s built-in facility to operate through intranet – user friendly
Collection * Customised to suit QAG | GoMA staff requirements
search * Ability to make multiple images available for each record
* Customised intranet search facility for online publication
Asia Pacific
Collection * Hidden search criteria (eg only finds Contemporary Asian and Pacific works)
Online * Copy of database is hosted on external server, outside QAG firewall, and
updated nightly

* Hi-res scans copied to central image server, with metadata
* Filename: Accession no, sequential number, notes
Images
* Lo-res jpeg version manipulated to screen size, and attached to
Catalogue records in EMu
* Automated image load to EMu Multimedia module
* Temporary project officer checked Gallery’s files regarding
copyright status of each work
Copyright * Where no licence was held, artists were contacted and new
licences were negotiated. Ongoing process.
* As new works are acquired, copyright licences are sent out
* Temporary project officer checked and correct catalogue entries
Text * Essays and short texts were edited and approved by Curatorial
staff before publication

BASIC SEARCH SCREEN

LIST VIEW OF SEARCH RESULTS

CONTACT SHEET VIEW OF SEARCH RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL RECORD VIEW

RECORD VIEW WITH MORE INFORMATION

ENLARGED VIEW OF MAIN IMAGE

USING DETAILED SEARCH

SEARCH RESULT FOR PACIFIC TEXTILES

INDIVIDUAL RECORD VIEW

RECORD VIEW WITH MORE INFORMATION

OUTCOMES
In October 2009:
• 1376 records + growing
• 951 records with at least one image
• 703 records with image and copyright cleared
• 389 records with narratives
• Online access to catalogue of Asian and Pacific
art
• Improved management of digital images

PROJECT BENEFITS
• Increased public access to and profile for the
Asian and Pacific collections
• Improved photographic and copyright records of
art works as well as capture and storage of texts
• Forms a basis for further development of
resources and services

ISSUES
• Internal catalogue vs online public access
• Managing workflows and ongoing
maintenance and development
• Copyright is time consuming
• Plan to do it once for the long term but
accept there will be aspects that aren’t
perfect.

CONTACTS
Judy Gunning
Head of Information and Publishing Services
judy.gunning@qag.qld.gov.au
Fiona Mowat
Collection Information Systems Officer
fiona.mowat@qag.qld.gov.au