MIKE SATALOF| SPRING 2012
 PRACTICUM | PRATT SILS
DISCOVERING MUSEUM HISTORY AND NEW ROLES IN
        IMAGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
MET VISUAL HISTORY




Fifth Avenue Façade, July 1926 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
THE SEGV PROJECT
• Special Exhibition Gallery View (SEGV)

• 2-year collaboration with ARTstor
  • No public, private, or federal funding! Interns/volunteers


• Digitize and catalog 4,000 slide images over 10 batches
  (one batch per curatorial dept.)

• Unique collections
  • Visual history of Museum spaces and of past shows
  • Gap in currently available collections
THE SEGV PROJECT

Project Workflow
1.   Assess and select slides
2.   Clean, re-bind, re-label
3.   Inventory
4.   Assign unique identifier
5.   *Digitization by ARTstor*
6.   Ingest images into DAMS
7.   Catalog in DAMS
8.   Re-file slides, document
     digitization on master sets
     and original orders
THE SEGV PROJECT

Project Workflow
1.   Assess and select slides
2.   Clean, re-bind, re-label
3.   Inventory
4.   Assign unique identifier
5.   *Digitization by ARTstor*
6.   Ingest images into DAMS
7.   Catalog in DAMS
8.   Re-file slides, document
     digitization on master sets
     and original orders
SELECTION PARAMETERS
• Digitize:
  • Gallery and exhibition views
  • Unique photographs
  • Met Museum-controlled copyright


• No:
  •   Individual works of art or case shots (subjective)
  •   People’s faces
  •   Banner shots of Museum façade
  •   Shows with “known” copyright issues
NEW DIGITAL IMAGE




   DSsegv1_0085 | Saints and their Legends (1974) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
“MET”ADATA




DSsegv1_0085 | Saints and their Legends (1974) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
TRANSITION AT THE IMAGE LIBRARY


2006: The Photograph and Slide Library

 2006: The Image Library

 2012: (Digital Media Department)

   • The Image Library ceases to exist in name
TRANSITION AT THE IMAGE LIBRARY


• Consolidation of Museum departments

• Danger of compartmentalization at large institutions

• Dedication to active digital asset management
  • (What happens to the analog collections?)
  • (What happens to the space?)
ANALOG ASSET LIBRARIANSHIP
DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT
Discovering Museum History and New Roles in Image
Resource Management

Mike Satalof

Pratt Institute SILS Practicum, Spring 2012
Dr. Tula Giannini, Dean

The Image Library and Department of Digital Media, The
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Discovering Museum History and New Roles in Image Resource Management

  • 1.
    MIKE SATALOF| SPRING2012 PRACTICUM | PRATT SILS DISCOVERING MUSEUM HISTORY AND NEW ROLES IN IMAGE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
  • 2.
    MET VISUAL HISTORY FifthAvenue Façade, July 1926 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • 3.
    THE SEGV PROJECT •Special Exhibition Gallery View (SEGV) • 2-year collaboration with ARTstor • No public, private, or federal funding! Interns/volunteers • Digitize and catalog 4,000 slide images over 10 batches (one batch per curatorial dept.) • Unique collections • Visual history of Museum spaces and of past shows • Gap in currently available collections
  • 4.
    THE SEGV PROJECT ProjectWorkflow 1. Assess and select slides 2. Clean, re-bind, re-label 3. Inventory 4. Assign unique identifier 5. *Digitization by ARTstor* 6. Ingest images into DAMS 7. Catalog in DAMS 8. Re-file slides, document digitization on master sets and original orders
  • 5.
    THE SEGV PROJECT ProjectWorkflow 1. Assess and select slides 2. Clean, re-bind, re-label 3. Inventory 4. Assign unique identifier 5. *Digitization by ARTstor* 6. Ingest images into DAMS 7. Catalog in DAMS 8. Re-file slides, document digitization on master sets and original orders
  • 6.
    SELECTION PARAMETERS • Digitize: • Gallery and exhibition views • Unique photographs • Met Museum-controlled copyright • No: • Individual works of art or case shots (subjective) • People’s faces • Banner shots of Museum façade • Shows with “known” copyright issues
  • 7.
    NEW DIGITAL IMAGE DSsegv1_0085 | Saints and their Legends (1974) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • 8.
    “MET”ADATA DSsegv1_0085 | Saintsand their Legends (1974) | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • 9.
    TRANSITION AT THEIMAGE LIBRARY 2006: The Photograph and Slide Library 2006: The Image Library 2012: (Digital Media Department) • The Image Library ceases to exist in name
  • 10.
    TRANSITION AT THEIMAGE LIBRARY • Consolidation of Museum departments • Danger of compartmentalization at large institutions • Dedication to active digital asset management • (What happens to the analog collections?) • (What happens to the space?)
  • 11.
  • 12.
  • 13.
    Discovering Museum Historyand New Roles in Image Resource Management Mike Satalof Pratt Institute SILS Practicum, Spring 2012 Dr. Tula Giannini, Dean The Image Library and Department of Digital Media, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Editor's Notes

  • #2 Summer 2011 – Spring 2012Two parts – successful project management and transitioning roles of visual resource centers
  • #3 SEGV part of Met Visual History Project – ongoing, multiple iniatiativesOngoing series of initiatives – multiple projects so far, with ARTstorDocumentation of institutional history; museum architectural; historical artworks; and exhibition history
  • #4 2-year projectDigitize and catalog 4,000 imagesARTstor (no public, private, or federal grant funds! – exchange for distribution and rights strategic intern use)IMPORTANT – aims to fill a gap in museum’s collectionsUnique photographyHistory of museum spaces and of exhibitionsCurators, historians, museum archives
  • #5 10 batches – cyclical workflow – differnet batches constantly coming and goingSelectionRe-binding (often deteriorating slide mounts)Inventory – record all metadata and assign unique # BY HAND*DIGITIZATION*Catalog in DAMS – metadata from number of sourcesRe-file slides in original master sets; create master sets if neededDocument project’s work in master sets and on original order forms
  • #7 Selection (subjective part of the process)In particular – show the gallery and/or exhibitionUniqeRIGHTS CONTROL – MMA or contract photogsNOIndividual works – risky – for example, a single piece – show contextPeople’s facesBannersCopyiright issues – contemporary photography shows
  • #9 Metadata comes from: Slides themselves Met Museum Archives – show authority data Original order forms
  • #10 Changes – restructuringTransition period begins in 2006 – re-defined (not fully)2012 – integration with Department of Digital Media Wider initiatives – vision-oriented director Thomas Campbell
  • #11 Campbell consolidates Museum departments – particularly primary digital – under Digital MediaDanger at large institutions – security, lack of communication and resource sharing(the stuff?)
  • #12 Anxiety - end of traditional librarian roles, expanding / shifting job descriptions / public reference, etc.
  • #13 Still similar! – work within museum projects and departmentsImage discovery and delivery; conservators ALL THE TIME; curatorial, web and editorial departments – shaping the output of the museumMaintain the collection and EXCITED about new partnership with Digital Media and being stakeholders in future of the Museum!