Google Docs gets a full overhaul

As we have always done a lot of collaborative writing on Google Docs, I thought you would all like to know about the new Google Docs. They have completely rewritten Docs with a number of new features that will help us in our collaborative writing. See here: http://bit.ly/9q4A8D for an update.

Another project worth a look - SI's Arctic Studies Institute

I've just been exploring the website for the Smithsonian Institution's Arctic Studies Institute "Sharing Knowledge" project. What a great project!

From their "About this project" page:

"The goals of Sharing Knowledge are to make the Smithsonian collections accessible to all and to support cross-cultural learning among Indigenous home communities, in schools, and around the world. Interest in the extraordinary arts and cultural heritage of the North is truly global in scope. Participants in this project are Elders, scholars, artists, and teachers who invite all to explore, learn, and appreciate."

They seem to have done a thorough job of community involvement in all aspects of the project. Object pages (like the one in the screenshot above) have links to video of elders talking about the objects, text transcripts of what the elders said, as well as curatorial research about particular objects and their cultural context. These are featured in a section with different tabs: "Elders' Discussion" "History" and "Visitor Comments". What's even better, the pages default to the "Elders' Discussion" tab. The page featured above has a discussion of the materials used to make the parka, as well as a related story told by an elder and translated from the native language line by line. WOW! The more I look at it, the better it gets!

In particular, this section (from the About page again) got me very excited:
"Collaborative Process

The Sharing Knowledge project seeks to follow best practices and standards for cultural research and interpretation. Interview information, including audio and video recordings, was generously provided for public use by members of Indigenous communities, with their informed consent, permission, and review. All of the Washington, D.C. collections study trips were organized in coordination with regional Alaska Native organizations, including the Aleutian-Pribilof Islands Association, Iñupiat Heritage Center, Kawerak, Inc, Sealaska Heritage Institute, Tanana Chiefs Conference, and the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center and Museum. These organizations selected and invited the participants on our behalf. For the Sugpiaq region, we thank the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository for its cooperation. Complete discussion transcripts and recordings are archived at the Arctic Studies Center in Anchorage, with copies provided to the cooperating regional organizations. A statewide panel of Alaska Native and museum advisors (see Credits) has provided overall guidance on exhibition and web design. We hope and expect that the site will provide a significant resource for cultural heritage programs throughout the project region."

This project will probably become my favorite example of the kind of thing we're trying to build. Certainly worth a look!

Some more news about the fields

One thing I forgot about in the last post about the database fields was the institution_code. This should be set by the AAMHC and should be a unique code (probably 3 letters) for each institution they deal with. This can be added to any information passed to the AAMHC just so they know what data is coming from who.

I have also done a proforma Excel file and a proforma XML file for museums to contribute data. These should be easy to automatically import into the AAMHC database. The XML proforma includes the format for sending images and videos. We will have to work out some system for the ARGUS users to send images as well.


Example of XML proforma:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<cmsdata xmlns:aamhc="http://www.ashiwi-museum.org/cmsdata.html">
<aamhc:institution_name>iiiiii</aamhc:institution_name>
<aamhc:object_key>aaaaaa</aamhc:object_key>
<aamhc:source_accession>bbbbbb</aamhc:source_accession>
<aamhc:object_name>cccccc</aamhc:object_name>
<aamhc:object_date>dddddd</aamhc:object_date>
<aamhc:culture_group>eeeeee</aamhc:culture_group>
<aamhc:description>ffffff</aamhc:description>
<aamhc:materials>gggggg</aamhc:materials>
<aamhc:origin_place>hhhhhh</aamhc:origin_place>
<aamhc:notes>kkkkkk</aamhc:notes>
<aamhc:category>mmmmmm</aamhc:category>
<aamhc:artist_name>nnnnnn</aamhc:artist_name>
<aamhc:measurements>oooooo</aamhc:measurements>
<aamhc:department>pppppp</aamhc:department>
<aamhc:collection>rrrrrr</aamhc:collection>
<aamhc:legal_status>ssssss</aamhc:legal_status>
</cmsdata>

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<cmsimage xmlns:aamhc="http://www.ashiwi-museum.org/cmsimage.html">
<aamhc:institution_name>iiiiii</aamhc:institution_name>
<aamhc:object_key>aaaaaa</aamhc:object_key>
<aamhc:source_accession>bbbbbb</aamhc:source_accession>
<aamhc:image>
<aamhc:image_filename>cccccc</aamhc:image_filename>
<aamhc:image_fullpath>dddddd</aamhc:image_fullpath>
</aamhc:image>
<aamhc:image>
<aamhc:image_filename>eeeeee</aamhc:image_filename>
<aamhc:image_fullpath>ffffff</aamhc:image_fullpath>
</aamhc:image>
<aamhc:video>
<aamhc:video_filename>gggggg</aamhc:video_filename>
<aamhc:video_fullpath>hhhhhh</aamhc:video_fullpath>
</aamhc:video>
</cmsimage>

What fields? Sharing between Argus, AAMHC and others.

I have been working on not only how to get the information from the partner museums to Zuni, but also what information to get. This is not easy as it seems largely impossible to find out exactly what fields ARGUS uses, but these seem to change, a bit, from museum to museum. There is also the question of matching up the information we can get out of Argus with other more extensive CMSs like the one at the MAA. However, progress has been made and I want to put this out for discussion.

Looking at the Argus output from the DMNS, MNA, DAM and IARC it seems that though there are slightly different field names in some cases, and different field use, a core set of data can be identified. The overlap with the MAA data is also good. Further, as the MAA data follows pretty closely the SPECTRUM documentation standard, that means that these fields should map well with just about any CMS.

I had trouble getting the blog to accept the table I created, so here is the link to the google spreadsheet with the comparison between the partners and the list of fields that I suggest, at the moment, should be the core of what is imported into the AAMHC database. I should emphasize that this list is just what will be imported from the partner museums into the AAMHC database, and does not determine, in any way, what the AAMHC will do with that data once it is in.



I now have to start working with how to get the data from AAMHC back to the other museums. This is a bigger problem!

AAMHC's new website!

Well, it may not be all that new, but it's new to me, and I think it's just smashing! Curtis and Jim have done a lovely job of putting this together -- well done!


And they have a page that talks about our project--
http://www.ashiwi-museum.org/kechibawa.html

I particularly like this explanation of what we're doing:

"Emerging technologies may be able to help us experience the beauty of some items without having to pay the expense of maintaining or curating the items. Whatever direction we take to respectfully deal with thousands of Zuni items that were taken from Zuni, this project will help us shape the discussion so we can make the best-informed decisions possible. "

"Archaeology and Accountability" on Native America Calling

Jim Enote, one of our project collaborators at the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center was featured on the call-in radio program Native America Calling several days ago. From their website:

"Thursday, January 21, 2010
Archaeology and Accountability:
Archaeology, ethics and Native Americans have never quite seen eye-to-eye. But this trio may be forging a less antagonistic approach towards one another these days. Ancient Indian artifacts are still hot selling items and ancient Indian burial grounds and graves are still being robbed. But the archaeological field is showing signs of a willingness to collaborate in new and more ethical ways when it comes to Native views and beliefs. Is archaeology ready to be accountable to Native folks? Guests include Jim Enote (Zuni) Director/A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Janine Bowechop (Makah) Director/Makah Cultural and Research Center."

Listen here

Press release - announcing the grant award

For Immediate Use

Shaena Engle, engle@gseis.ucla.edu

(310) 206-5951

UCLA DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION STUDIES AWARDED $ 351 , 398 GRANT FROM THE INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

UCLA’s Department of Information Studies, housed in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies (GSE&IS), was awarded a $351,398 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The new project, "Creating Collaborative Catalogs," will partner Information Studies students and faculty with the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center in Zuni, New Mexico, to create a collaborative catalog enabling people from Native communities to view, learn about, and comment on objects currently housed in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Denver Art Museum, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

“The project brings museums and source communities closer together to develop and share knowledge about culturally-significant museum collections in culturally-appropriate ways,” said Information Studies Assistant Professor Ramesh Srinivasan, principal investigator for the project. This project represents an important step forward in museum-community collaboration, allowing tribes to begin setting the record straight while keeping intellectual property protections around some areas of traditional knowledge. To learn more about the “Creating Collaborative Catalogs” project, please visit http://www.collaborativecatalogs.blogspot.com

“We believe that museums and libraries play an important role in building a competitive workforce and engaged citizenry. We are equally confident that these institutions will elevate museum and library practice through this work,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, director of IMLS.

The UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies (GSE&IS) includes two departments - the Department of Education and the Department of Information Studies. Together, the two departments embody the school's commitment to understand and improve educational practice and policy and information systems and policy in a diverse society. GSE&IS’s academic programs bring together faculties and students committed to expanding the range of knowledge in education, information science and associated disciplines. Its professional programs seek to develop librarians, teachers, administrators and information professionals within the enriched context of a research university.

The largest museum and library joint grant program administered by IMLS, National Leadership Grants support projects that will advance the ability of museums and libraries to preserve culture, heritage, and knowledge while enhancing learning. This year’s National Leadership Grant recipients will generate new tools, research, models, services, practices, and alliances that will positively impact both the awarded institution and the nation.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.