Bridging the ALM Divide An Integrated Archive-Library-Museum Approach for Hybrid Institutions Dr. Francesco Spagnolo, Director of Research and Collections Perian Sully, Collection Information Manager & Web Programs Strategist The Magnes, Berkeley, CA Presented at the American Association of Museums Annual Conference, Philadelphia, May 3, 2009

Magnes: A Collecting History Founded in 1962 Wide range of collecting areas, including – Jews of the American West global Jewish Diaspora Jews in “exotic” locations – China, North Africa, India ceremonial objects fine and decorative arts music rare books cultural ephemera historical documents Three major collecting departments - Western Jewish History Center: 500 archival collections Blumenthal Rare Book and Manuscript Library - ~10,000 items Permanent Museum Collection - ~15,000 items

Founded in 1962

Wide range of collecting areas, including –

Jews of the American West

global Jewish Diaspora

Jews in “exotic” locations – China, North Africa, India

ceremonial objects

fine and decorative arts

music

rare books

cultural ephemera

historical documents

Three major collecting departments -

Western Jewish History Center: 500 archival collections

Blumenthal Rare Book and Manuscript Library - ~10,000 items

Permanent Museum Collection - ~15,000 items

Challenges of Hybrid Institutions Access Catering to a Diversified User Community Research Across Standards Culture Multicultural Aspects Bridging Textual, Documental and Material Cultures Language Multilingualism and the Levels of Access Script, Transliteration, Translation Whose Vision? One Vision! Cultural Models & Database Structure

Learning from One Another, Learning Together (The “Philosophy” of ALM Integration) Extending Museum Models Extending Archive Models Extending Library Models

Extending Museum Models

Extending Archive Models

Extending Library Models

Extending Museum Models Authorship, Creatorship and “Parties” Authors and co-authors Creators and co-creators Donors Accession Numbering Tracking Movement Locations Containers

Authorship, Creatorship and “Parties”

Authors and co-authors

Creators and co-creators

Donors

Accession Numbering

Tracking Movement

Locations

Containers

Extending Archive Models Varying Notions of “Collection” Facilities Donations Collecting Areas Intellectual Organization of Materials

Facilities

Donations

Collecting Areas

Intellectual Organization of Materials

Extending Library Models Why MARC Still Matters Circulation and Research

Why MARC Still Matters

Circulation and Research

Integrating ALM Time – Dates and Periods Subjects – Local and Global Synonyms and Preferred Terms Meta Collection

Time – Dates and Periods

Subjects – Local and Global

Synonyms and Preferred Terms

Meta Collection

Managing Institutional Change Professional Standards Global Perspectives Interoperability of Staff Functions – Workflow as Ping-pong

Professional Standards

Global Perspectives

Interoperability of Staff Functions

– Workflow as Ping-pong

Technological Details System used: IDEA@ALM on MS-SQL database Databanks Templates Managing Standards: EAD, MARC, ISAD Multilingual capabilities with Unicode support Synonym Dictionaries Global Searches and Queries Flexibility Compliancy with many standards and languages for information sharing.

System used: IDEA@ALM on MS-SQL database

Databanks

Templates

Managing Standards: EAD, MARC, ISAD

Multilingual capabilities with Unicode support

Synonym Dictionaries

Global Searches and Queries

Flexibility

Compliancy with many standards and languages

for information sharing.

System Structure: Databanks A databank is a virtual database into which records may be sorted and stored. Magnes IDEA@ALM Database Archive Databank Library Databank Exhibitions Databank Administrative Databank Library Databank Museum Databank

A databank is a virtual database into which records may be sorted and stored.

System Structure: Templates The templates are organizational structures in which specified fields are displayed. Archive Databank Library Databank Museum Databank Administrative Databank Collection Series Sub-Series Document Photo Rare Book Manuscript Object Individuals Image Location Valuation Condition Ketubbah

The templates are organizational structures in which specified fields are displayed.

System Structure: Templates

System Structure: Templates

System Structure: Managing Standards Metadata Standards Applied to Magnes Installation: EAD MARC ISAD Scope and Content (Archive) ‏ EAD: <scopecontent> MARC: 520 ISAD: 3.3.1 Description (Museum) ‏ Abstract (Library) ‏

Metadata Standards Applied to Magnes Installation:

EAD

MARC

ISAD

System Structure: Mastering Multilingual Capabilities Unicode Synonyms Phonetic searches Translations Transliterations

Unicode

Synonyms

Phonetic searches

Translations

Transliterations

Technological Structure: Searches Search across all databanks, templates, and fields Narrow searches to specific fields, databanks, and templates Boolean, fuzzy, exact, phonetic searches Synonym and preferred-term searches Multilingual searches

Search across all databanks, templates, and fields

Narrow searches to specific fields, databanks, and templates

Boolean, fuzzy, exact, phonetic searches

Synonym and preferred-term searches

Multilingual searches

Technological Structure: Flexibility Power Users may modify: Fields Databanks Templates Layouts and structures Which fields are displayed on internet portal

Power Users may modify:

Fields

Databanks

Templates

Layouts and structures

Which fields are displayed on internet portal

Big Picture – How We Got Here Evaluated our information management needs Received support from the Executive Director and Board Interviewed staff & analyzed staff workflow Worked with vendor to develop system based on institutional needs Determined which individual professional processes could be rethought to support the whole Created workflow within the system to support information access

Evaluated our information management needs

Received support from the Executive Director and Board

Interviewed staff & analyzed staff workflow

Worked with vendor to develop system based on institutional needs

Determined which individual professional processes could be rethought to support the whole

Created workflow within the system to support information access

Struggles & What We’ve Learned Staff adoption has been slow, since we have been making changes along the way Confusion about how to use the system and adopting new practices Need for more, regular training to familiarize staff with system and methodology Took a lot longer than anticipated Housekeeping of practices can be traumatizing

Staff adoption has been slow, since we have been making changes along the way

Confusion about how to use the system and adopting new practices

Need for more, regular training to familiarize staff with system and methodology

Took a lot longer than anticipated

Housekeeping of practices can be traumatizing

Next Steps Continue training staff on procedures Analyze current records Fine-tune magnesalm.org for public launch Develop ongoing programs and system modifications to enhance research

Continue training staff on procedures

Analyze current records

Fine-tune magnesalm.org for public launch

Develop ongoing programs and system modifications to enhance research

Thank you!! Francesco Spagnolo: fspagnolo@magnes.org Perian Sully: [email_address]

Francesco Spagnolo: fspagnolo@magnes.org

Perian Sully: [email_address]