Gardens, Libraries and Museums Democratic Strategy Termly Update, June 2018 1
GLAM DIGITAL STRATEGY PROGRAMME UPDATE Our aim is embrace the opportunities offered by digital to democratise access to the collections, and to enhance their management and preservation. To realise this ambition, we have a number of projects in progress. This slide pack provides an overview and update on each and will be available termly. Key deliverables since February 2018: Redeveloped the Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum s website and migrated it to Mosaic; removing security and resiliency risks. Delivered a deep freeze solution for the Museums and Garden s collections, to ensure all our digital assets are secured by being backed up off site. Created an outline framework of our digital audiences and embedded this in our Strategy projects to ensure user-centred design. Delivered new Text Encoded Initiative (TEI) infrastructure for Hebrew, Genizah, Georgian and Fihrist collections, enabling increased discovery - https://georgian.bodleian.ox.ac.uk Delivered a new Volunteer Management Database to replace the obsolete system and align the recruitment, vetting and management of volunteers across GLAM. Replaced the till and stock management system across the Museums; providing a simplified and streamlined process. Appointed a new Engagement Lead, Helen Adams, to support the delivery of the programme. 2
GLAM Strategy initiatives underway Cabinet Project Audience Framework Website refresh for Museums & Libraries Contactless Donations Membership Review Collections Environmental Monitoring (Synergy) Linked open data pilot (OxLOD) SOLO User Interface Upgrade Search & Local Action Plans (Ashmolean, Bodleian, MHS, MNH, Pitt Rivers) TEI Catalogue Consolidation Preservation Bodleian Electronic Archives and Manuscripts (BEAM) review Preservation Micro-Services Museums & Gardens Infrastructure Improvements Museums & Gardens CONNECT migration
Cabinet Project Goal: To roll out Cabinet to the University, following a successful pilot in the Faculty of History. Delivery: July 2018 A bespoke, cutting edge tool to enhance teaching and learning. Expansion of digital assets, including 2D images and 3D models of objects from across the GLAM collections. Increased exposure for hidden collections. Cabinet is live and researchers from the team worked with other GLAM colleagues to contribute 3D content to a new Augmented Reality (AR) app to accompany the BBC s Civilisations series; shown in March. Funding has been agreed until July 2019. Focus on securing future funding for maintaining Cabinet. Working to increase awareness of, and engagement with, the platform among Oxford s academic community to increase long-term support within teaching. Cabinet provides an innovative, interactive model for object-based teaching and learning using Oxford s unrivalled collections. Find out more. 4
Strategy Audience Framework Goal: To ensure we re successful in delivering the Strategy, GLAM requires an evidence-based understanding of who our users are and what their needs are. To achieve this, a professional design agency have been appointed to provide in-depth, objective research. Delivery: October 2018 Establish a foundation for what GLAM users require. Create a measure to assess the progress of the GLAM Strategy as a whole, prioritise projects and evaluate outcomes. Created an outline framework of our digital audiences and embedded this in our Strategy projects to ensure user-centred design. Started to look at audiences who access GLAM digital resources remotely (without planning to visit Oxford), to understand how we can meet their needs. Going forward: Focus on the behaviours of GLAM visitors, to better understand their needs. Look at the planning behaviours of visitors, before they come to Oxford, to see what digital tools, information or services they used before their visit. This information will feed back into how we improve services, going forward. 5
Website Refresh Museums & Libraries Goal: To refresh the websites of the GLAM institutions. Going forward, we will also look to agree on an appropriate ongoing support model for GLAM websites. Delivery: July 2018 (MNH), January 2018 (PR, MHS and Bodleian) Easier for website Content Editors to create and edit content. Improved user experience. Reduced risk of security issues across GLAM websites; maintained by a dedicated team. Reduced cost of ongoing support and maintenance. Redeveloped the Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum s website. Worked closely with the institutions to ensure the new websites meet their individual needs. Preparation work for the new MNH Mosaic website is underway. Work has commenced on planning for the Bodleian website. MNH website to go live July. Plan agreed and funding signed off for Bodleian, MHS and PR websites. Start work on designing the websites (in consultation with the institutions). 6
Linked Open Data Pilot (OxLOD) Goal: To create links between related collections and develop a pilot to assess how effective this is in driving discoverability of collections for the purposes of research, teaching and learning. Find out more. Delivery: September 2018 Insight into how connecting similar collections, held across different institutions or within different departments, can potentially enhance public access. The following digital collections have been linked: Chinese from the Ashmolean, MHS, MNH and Bodleian. Islamic from the Bodleian. Islamic, Indian and Chinese collections - from the Ashmolean. Held a series of open workshops, creating a forum for sharing ideas and lessons learnt to date. To link more collections. Produce a plan for developing the pilot over the next year. Agree solution and get funding signed off. 7
SOLO User Interface Upgrade Goal: To upgrade the User Interface (UI) for SOLO, the flagship academic discovery service of the University of Oxford. SOLO provides search access to the Bodleian to 70,000 people in more than 200 countries. Delivery: September 2018 Enhance the usability and quality of the libraries main tool for researchers. Strengthen Oxford s digital online presence. Briefing sessions held for Library staff to gather feedback. Initial pre-release released to a limited number of users to generate feedback. Further refinements made, based on the feedback. Send out communications to keep users affected by the change updated. SOLO upgrade will go live in August. Close the project. The User Interface allows users to interact with Oxford digital catalogues; this project will deliver an improved search experience for researchers, students and staff. 8
Search & Goal: Explore the options available for optimising search and discovery across the GLAM digital collections. It is currently impossible to search across the institutions; the first phase of the project will design and deliver a series of pilots to investigate which mechanisms are most effective. Find out more. Delivery starts: February 2019 Improve public access to the University s digital collections. Engage a broader audience, with the intention of seeing an increase in visitor numbers. Identify, and capitalise on, opportunities for collaboration across GLAM institutions. Completed two pilots to enhance digital collection discovery: - Wikidata: Wikidata provides a platform for the free dispersal of information, in a multilingual format. - Social Media: using social media platforms to engage with audiences who may be unaware or unlikely to discover GLAM collections. Agree the plan for developing the pilots, and measuring their impact, over the next year. 9
Ashmolean Local Action Plan Goal: To identify and deliver system(s) to manage collections, digital assets (e.g. images, photos, text files and videos) and online collections. Delivery starts: December 2018 Sustainable, integrated systems for the management of collections. Improved online access to collections and digital replicas of items (digital surrogates) for research, teaching and engagement. Improved control and oversight of digital asset re-use. Enhanced management of commercial access to, and re-use of, digital assets. Work is focussed on identifying a supplier for Collections Management, Asset Management and Picture Library systems. Workshops with suppliers scheduled providing an opportunity to review the solutions available. Hold workshops with suppliers. Review options available and produce a recommendation for next steps. 10
Bodleian Imaging Services Local Action Plan Goal: To replace the Bodleian s ageing technical infrastructure in the Imaging Studio; this will enable online ordering of photography and a fit-for-purpose system for archiving, retrieval and delivery of images by Studio staff. Delivery starts: December 2018 A robust system which removes the risk of the current system failing. A system which will allow automated customer ordering and delivery of images. Visited the University of Cambridge to view their system. Held interviews with staff; these insights will be used to identify an appropriate system. Going forward: Visits to external organisations to observe their processes. Invite suppliers to submit solutions. Continue to interview users. Review options available and produce a recommendation for next steps. 11
MHS Local Action Plan Goal: To identify and deliver system(s) to manage collections, digital assets (e.g. images, photos, text files and videos) and online collections. Delivery starts: November 2018 Sustainable, integrated systems for the management of collections. Improved online access to collections and digital replicas of items (digital surrogates) for research, teaching and engagement. Improved control and oversight of digital asset re-use. Enhanced management of commercial access to, and re-use of, digital assets. Local lead has been appointed to support and analysis activities will commence once they have started in June. Interviews and workshops with staff. Produce an outline of criteria which the new system will need to fulfil. Review options available and produce a recommendation for next steps. 12
MNH Local Action Plan Goal: To identify and deliver system(s) to manage collections, digital assets (e.g. images, photos, text files and videos) and online collections. Delivery starts: November 2018 Sustainable, integrated systems for the management of collections. Improved online access to collections and digital replicas of items (digital surrogates) for research, teaching and engagement. Improved control and oversight of digital asset re-use. Enhanced management of commercial access to, and re-use of, digital assets. Local lead has been appointed to support. Collections Online solution agreed this will be developed by IT Services and showcase the museum s digital collection records online. Technical development of the Collections Online solution. Launch Collections Online pilot and assess effectiveness. If successful, it may be rolled out across the remaining museums. Based on the pilot, produce a recommendation for next steps. 13
Pitt Rivers Museum Local Action Plan Goal: To identify and deliver system(s) to manage collections, digital assets (e.g. images, photos, text files and videos) and online collections. Delivery starts: October 2018 although this may be subject to change if a new system will need to be purchased. Sustainable, integrated systems for the management of collections. Improved online access to collections and digital replicas of items (digital surrogates) for research, teaching and engagement. Improved control and oversight of digital asset re-use. Enhanced management of commercial access to, and re-use of, digital assets. Local lead has been appointed to support. Held interviews with staff; these insights will be used to identify an appropriate collections management system. Continue to hold workshops and interviews with staff. Review options available and produce a recommendation for next steps. 14
TEI Catalogues Consolidation Goal: To enhance online access to the Bodleian s 20,000 manuscripts by improving the TEI catalogue descriptions and implementing a suitable IT system to support this. Delivery: September 2018 Robust IT system with lower maintenance costs. Enhanced visibility of the Bodleian s catalogues. Improved experience for users. Improved working practises for cataloguers; with the risk of error reduced. Delivered new Text Encoded Initiative (TEI) infrastructure for Hebrew, Genizah, Georgian and Fihrist collections, enabling increased discovery Fihrist - https://www.fihrist.org.uk Georgian - https://georgian.bodleian.ox.ac.uk The following catalogues will go live: Armenian and Tibetan. Close the project. TEI stands for Text Encoding Initiative a system used to digitally describe texts which is often used by libraries and museums. 15
Preservation Goal: Develop Preservation strategies, policies and training for GLAM as a whole (extending work begun at the Bodleian). Carry out an audit of existing digital assets (e.g. images, photos, text files and videos) at the Ashmolean and Botanic Gardens. Delivery: Strategy agreed - June 2018, work ongoing until June 2019 Benefits: Improved approach to the preservation of digital assets, thereby minimising risk to highvalue collections. Consolidation of digital assets, minimising the required storage space and management resource. Enhanced digital preservation knowledge and skills amongst staff. Preservation Strategy 2018-21 produced, with the aim of providing a framework for preserving digital collections across GLAM. Find out more. Solution agreed and funding signed off for the next phase of developing the strategy. Audit of digital collections agree approach and define plan. Commence audit. 16
Preservation Micro Services Goal: To develop a streamlined service for monitoring digital collections with a pilot in the Bodleian. The pilot will develop and trial a series of digital preservation tools. Delivery starts: August 2019 Improved approach to preservation of digital assets, including ability to monitor risks. Potential for broader roll out to other GLAM collections. Project given approval to start. Going forward: Interview staff and use these insights to inform the development of the tools. Start to develop a storage monitoring tool. preservation refers to the combination of strategies, policies and actions devised to ensure that digital information remains accessible and usable. 17
Bodleian Electronic Archives & Manuscripts (BEAM) review Goal: The Bodleian Electronic Archives and Manuscripts (BEAM) is a collection of unique materials, ranging from the personal archives of great figures to corporate archives. It contains a mix of digital and physical items. This project will focus on trialling a new digital preservation tool for BEAM and explore the opportunities for a broader roll out for other GLAM digital archives. Delivery starts: September 2019 Improved approach to preservation of digital assets reducing the risk to valuable assets. Consolidation of digital asset management approaches. Enhanced digital preservation knowledge and skills amongst staff. Project given approval to start. Going forward: Run a pilot to trial the new digital preservation tool. Hold a training workshop with staff. 18
Museums & Gardens Infrastructure Improvements Goal: To deliver a more centralised and standardised IT system; better suited to the current needs of the Museums and Gardens. Delivery: September 2018 Ageing IT system replaced with an improved model; addressing the current issues and risks. Establish an effective system to support the management of the digital collections. Agreed an interim solution for delivering public Wi-Fi in the Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum (OBGHA); until planning permission is agreed by the City Council. Ongoing support processes for the IT systems agreed. Deliver public Wi-Fi to the OBGHA. Transfer all the information on the old system to the new system. Close the project. 19
Migration of Museums and Gardens to CONNECT Goal: To roll out a new desktop service to the Museum of Natural History and Ashmolean Museum. Delivery: September 2018 A more robust system, which reduces the burden on GLAM IT staff. Reduced cost and risk. Audit carried out to ensure all machines are included in the migration. Equipment ordered. Migrate the Museum of Natural History to CONNECT June. Migrate the Ashmolean to CONNECT July. Close the project. 20
Projects starting: Democratic GLAM Membership Review To review GLAM-wide membership; working with institutions on their strategic plans for membership, membership processes and systems. The final output will be a recommendation on how to maximise the potential in this area. Collections Environmental Monitoring To deliver an integrated temperature and humidity monitoring system across the Museums and Libraries (excluding MNH). Contactless Donations Pilot Run a contactless donations pilot across the Museums to establish how effective this is in increasing visitor donations. 21
Glossary Democratic assets ly stored content such as images, photos, videos and text files. These can range from digital images of museum items through to logo image files or PowerPoint presentations. collections An online platform of digital content, constituted of digital assets. preservation The combination of strategies, policies and actions devised to ensure that digital information remains accessible and usable. For example, retrieving content from a floppy disk and moving it onto a futureproofed system. surrogates The digital reproduction of a physical object, such as a sculpture or painting. A digital surrogate is a type of digital asset. 22
Contact us Democratic For more information on the GLAM Strategy: http://www.glam.ox.ac.uk/digital-strategy For any queries relating to this pack: Jon.ray@glam.ox.ac.uk (Programme Manager) Helen.adams@glam.ox.ac.uk ( Engagement Lead) Next update: October 2018 23