Cross
Currents No 6 Jan 2002
A
digest of cross sectoral information management events, issues and ideas in
organisations, libraries, archives and museums, with special emphasis on
arts and the humanities.
|
ASSOCIATION
MANAGEMENT
Council
of Federal State & Territory Archives | Foundation Center
ARTEFACTS
CLIR
Report
CONFERENCES
H-Net
| Performance in Cultural Institutions | PASIG | ARLIS/ANZ |
Ozeculture
| Digital Resources in the Humanities | IAML Australia | PASIG
DANCE
Keep
Dancing! Project | National Library of Australia Dance Curator
|
DIGITISATION
Center
for Humanities, UCLA | ERPANET | Guidelines
INFORMATION
ECONOMIES
Australia
| Canada
MUSIC
RISM Database Online | Digital Heritage of Opera
PERFORMING
ARTS / THEATRE
AusStage
| Australian Literature Gateway |
Birmingham
Repertory Theatre Archive |
National
Library of Australia | State Library of Victoria
PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATION
ALIA
review | CREATE review
|
Council
of Federal State and Territory Archives
The Council of
Federal State and Territory Archives (COFSTA) has announced the launch of its
new website http://www.cofsta.org.au. COFSTA
comprises the heads of the government archives authorities of the Commonwealth
of Australia, each of the Australian States and the Northern Territory, and
promote a sense of understanding and consistency in the management of
government records. The website has statistics from 34 archival institutions.
[Source: Aus-Archivists]
Foundation
Center
The
Foundation Center's online catalogue provides access to more than 20,000
bibliographic citations and abstracts at http://lnps.fdncenter.org/
. The catalogue, representing the holdings of the Center's 5 libraries and
other sources, also has links to some full text articles, a resource that is
expected to grow in the future. [Source: Librarians Internet Index]
The US Council on Library
and Information Resources (CLIR), has released its report The Evidence in
Hand: Report of the Task Force on the Artifact in Library Collections., an
examination of the problems associated with particular media, from print and
paper to audiovisual and digital; five case studies; and a summary and
recommendations.
Among recommendations is a call for development
of regional repositories of artifactual collections to reduce duplication of
effort, create economies of scale, and ensure that the greatest number of
unique or scarce items are preserved and made accessible to researchers. The
recommendations also call for the creation of standardized descriptive
practices that make information about resources readily accessible through
searchable databases. Strategies for specific formats-print, audiovisual, and
digital-are noted, and areas for further research are proposed.
The Council on Library and Information Resources
works in partnership with libraries, archives, and other information providers
to advocate collaborative approaches to preserving the nation's intellectual
heritage. The Evidence in Hand is available at http://www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub103/pub103.pdf.
H-NET
Jan 2002
H-Net
Technology Sessions at the American Historical Association Annual Conference,
3-6 January 2002, San Francisco includes
a number of presentations on the use of technology for historical research and
scholarship. Websites: http://www.h-net.msu.edu/aha/
http://www.theaha.org/ [Source: Mark
Kornbluh, H-Net Executive Director]
Performance
in Cultural Institutions Feb 2002
The
National Museum of Australia, in collaboration with Old Parliament House,
Questacon and the School of Contemporary Arts, University of Western Sydney,
is holding a conference called Raising the Curtain, an inaugural forum on
performance in cultural institutions, 28 Feb-2 March 2002. The
conference will explore different styles of performance, from first person
interpretation to full-scale theatrical productions, consider the relationship
between audiences and different types of performance and explore the
intellectual and theoretical context of performance in cultural institutions. The forum aims to generate a platform for discussion and
explore possible futures for ongoing dialogue from informal networking to more
formal options. The keynote
speaker is Catherine Hughes, Science Theatre Coordinator at the Boston Science
Museum, founder of the International Museum Theatre Alliance (IMTAL), and
author of Museum Theatre: Communicating with Visitors through Drama
(Heinemann, 1998). The
Program includes sessions on performance in Australian cultural institutions,
audience dynamics and partnerships with the theatre industry.
An optional workshop facilitated by Catherine Hughes is being offered
from 10-2pm on Saturday 2 March. Source
and contact: Daina Harvey, Team Leader, Public Programs National Museum of
Australia, Tel: 02 6208 5139
Performing
Arts Special Interest Group Mar 2002
PASIG
is holding a half day session on 21 March 2002 in conjunction with Museum
Australia’s conference in Adelaide. The session will examine the governance
and status of performing arts collections within a non collecting environment,
eg. performing arts museums in commercially based arts centres. Speakers will
include Janine Barrand developing further her impressions of European models,
a representative of the management side of a performing arts centre, and a
collection manager from a similar situation but not in the performing arts
sector. For details on the Museums Australia conference, March 18-22,
see http://www.museumsaustralia.org.au For
details of the PASIG conference, contact Richard Stone, PASIG,
randj@austarmetro.com.au
ARLIS/ANZ
April 2002
The
Arts Libraries Society of Australia and New Zealand will be holding its next
conference in Auckland, New Zealand at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki and
the University of Auckland, 26-28 April 2002.
The program includes sessions on indigenous art information resources,
collection access developments, with an emphasis on digitization projects and
provenance research. Speakers will include Annamaria Poma-Swank from the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York on collection development in art museum
libraries, Roger Blackley from Victoria University of Wellington on art
research using "old fashioned" resources, Roger Horrocks from the
University of Auckland on researching his recent biography of Len Lye,
Ngahiraka Mason, curator, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, and Maureen
Lander, artist, on contemporary Maori art.
Contacts: Catherine Hammond hammondc@akcity.govt.nz or Gail Keefe
g.keefe@auckland.ac.nz
OZeCulture
Conference May 2002
The
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts is holding
the second OzeCulture Conference 2002, Taking the Next Step, in Sydney on
28-30 May 2002. The conference will focus on the opportunities created by the
internet, digital media technology for arts production and the operation of
cultural organisations. Topics
will include: digital rights management; necessity is the mother of invention
- managing your cultural website on a small budget; cultural eBusiness
initiatives; creating communities; new media: where the arts, science and
technology meet; intellectual property, privacy and public policy issues;
virtually on the seat - audience development and the Internet; managing
digital content. The conference will also feature a trade fair, where
information technology, web service and digital media companies will show
their latest cultural-sector focussed products and services and two single-day
eBusiness for the cultural sector training sessions and an intensive, two-day
project management and business case development seminar.
Website: http://www.recreationandculture.gov.au/conference.
Digital
Resources for the Humanities, Sep 2002
The
Digital Resources for the Humanities Conference has called for papers for
presentation at is Edinburgh Conference in Sep 8-11, 2002 [http://www.drh2002.lib.ed.ac.uk/]..
The conference committee seeks proposals for papers, panel sessions and
posters relating to the creation and use of digital resources in all aspects
of work in the humanities. Preference will be given to papers which outline
innovative technical approaches or explore subject areas which have been
generally neglected by the conference communities. The Committee
particularly welcomes proposals which relate to the following themes:
provision and management of access; digital libraries, archives and museums;
time-based media and multimedia studies in music and performing arts; other
social sciences where these overlap significantly with the humanities; network
technologies used to support international community programs; the anticipated
convergence between televisual, communication and computing media and its
effect on the humanities; information analysis, design and modelling in
humanities research; knowledge representation, including visualization and
simulation. Selected papers from DRH annual conferences are published
by the Office for Humanities Communication at King's College London.
See http://www.drh.org.uk/.
[Source: NINCH Announce].
IAML
Australia & PASIG Joint Conference Sep 2002
The
Australian Branch of the International Association of Music Libraries,
Documentation Centres and Archives and the Performing Arts Special Interest
Group of Museums Australia will hold a joint conference at the Alexander
Library Building of the Library and Information Service of Western Australia
in Perth, 12-14 September 2002. The
Conference will also coincide
with the Australian Composers Orchestral Forum.
[For further information: contact Allison Fyfe afyfe@liswa.wa.gov.au]
The
Keep Dancing! Project, which began in 1997, ceased its active life in June
2001. A collaboration between Ausdance, the National Library of Australia and
Screensound Australia, with funding from the Australia Council, the project,
managed by Michelle Potter, unearthed, identified and preserved thousands of
feet of rare archival dance film footage, negotiated the acquisition of
significant dance materials in all formats, and established the dynamic online
Australian Dance Directory. Annual reports and statistics are available on the
National Library's home page - www.nla.gov.au. Michelle Potter has been appointed to a newly created
position of Dance Curator in the National Library of Australia with the
primary task of develop the online Australian Dance Directory, established
under the Keep Dancing! Project. [Source: Richard Stone, PASIG]
Center
for Digital Humanities, UCLA
The
University of California, Los Angeles has invited applications for Director of
the Center for Digital Humanities. As
part of its mission, the Center seeks to advance the research, teaching and
public service mission of the Humanities Division through the use of computing
technology and new media, and coordinate and support faculty research and
teaching projects that employ these technologies. The center helps focus such
projects, locates personnel and funding, discovers partners both inside and
outside the university, and manages the projects over time. In addition to
project and course development, the Center is also responsible for E-campus,
the instructional Web sites that offer on-line enhancements to the 600
undergraduate courses offered each quarter by the Humanities Division. The
Center also oversees the IT infrastructure for the Division. Website http://www.cdh.ucla.edu. Source: NINCH]
Electronic
Resource Preservation and Access Network
The
Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII) of Glasgow
University has announced a new
EURO 1.2 million digital preservation initiative: ERPANET (Electronic Resource
Preservation and Access Network). The
Project - an EU funded collaboration between HATII at the University of
Glasgow, Schweizerisches Bundesarchiv (Switzerland), Rijksarchiefdienst
(Netherlands), and the University of Urbino (Italy)) - will make viable and
visible information, best practice, and skills; development in the area of
digital preservation of cultural heritage and scientific objects. Specific
objectives are:
-
To
identify and raise awareness of sources of information about the
preservation of digital objects across the broad spectrum of national and
regional cultural and scientific heritage activity in Europe.
-
To
appraise and evaluate information sources and documented developments in
digital preservation on behalf of the ERPANET user community; and to make
available results of research, projects, and best practice.
-
To
provide an enquiry and advisory service on digital preservation issues,
practice, technology and developments.
-
To
implement a suite of six thematic workshops to bring together experts from
a range of disciplines to address key preservation issues (eg.integrity
and audit requirements, emulation and migration) and to initiated
associated thematic discussion.
-
To
build during the EU-sponsored phase a suite of eight training seminars
based on best practice, and to identify where and what further
practitioner training and staff development is required.
-
To
develop a suite of tools, guidelines, templates for prototype instruments
and best practice testbeds and case studies.
-
To
stimulate further research on digital preservation in key areas and
encourage the development of standards where gaps and opportunities have
been identified.
-
To
build ERPANET step-by-step into a self-sustaining initiative supported by
those individuals and organisations which require access to digital
preservation resources and information.
-
To
stimulate ICT companies and software developers to incorporate some of the
preservation lessons into new generations of software.
Website:
http://www.erpanet.org, Source NINCH-Announce
Guidelines
A
number of organisations have recently published guidelines on managing digital
collections and projects,
The
Institute of Museums and Library Services has published A Framework of
Guidance for Building Good Digital Collections with principles
and definitions for good digital objects, metadata, collections, and projects.
Website: http://www.imls.gov/pubs/forumframework.htm.. [Source DigLib]
The
British Library’s National Preservation Office has published an introduction
to managing digitisation projects at http://www.bl.uk/services/preservation/dig.pdf.
The 24-page pamphlet covers topics like justifying the project,
selecting materials, scoping the project, planning and managing it,
and preserving the digital images. A brief bibliography points to
essential resources. [Source Current Cites].
DNER
and BNSC have jointly published a report and speaker presentations from the
invitational seminar, Digital Curation: Digital Archives, Libraries and
e-Science, involving participants from industry, university and government
research bodies, libraries and archives, at
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/dner/preservation/digitalarchives.html.
Topics covered: the OAIS Reference Model and Digital Archive Certification
OAIS Ref Model; Data Curation and the Grid E-science; Curation of Digital
Collections; Where Next? [Source DIGLIB]
Sun
Microsystems has published the 2nd edition of its Digital Library Toolkit at
http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/edu/libraries/digitaltoolkit.html
Australian
National Office of the Information Economy
The
Australian National Office of the Information Economy (NOIE), established as
an executive agency in October 2000, has published its 2000/2001 annual report
at http://www.noie.gov.au/publications/NOIE/AnRep/00-01. The purpose of NOIE
is to facilitate a competitive and sustainable advantage in the global
information economy. The Office has been restructured into three broad groups:
Information Economy, Information Industries, and Government Online, with
branches representing access, regulation, business facilitation, strategy and
policy, ICT industry development, international, and government. In future,
it will focus its work on communicating a coherent framework for
Australia’s information economy that promotes the efficient and effective
use of information, communications and technology tools for innovation and
productivity growth and mobilising leadership within the Commonwealth for
addressing information economy issues.
.
NOIE
has commissioned a series of case studies of ICT companies to highlight the
strengths and capabilities of the Australian industry. More info: http://www.noie.gov.au/Projects/CaseStudies/ICT
NOIE
has also developed Australia.gov.au as a top
level site of the Commonwealth portals initiative at: http://www.australia.gov.au
Canadian
Government boosts funding on the Internet, research and libraries
The
Canadian Government, in its 2001 Budget,
boosted funding for the following Internet and information economy
items.
-
SchoolNet / LibraryNet / Community Access Programs at an annual
cost of C$40 million until 2004. The Government is also setting aside C$35
million a year for three years to support the expansion of broadband
access to the Internet. The Canadian Library Association, in its
pre-budget brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
argued that libraries are the best way that society has of ensuring that
Canadians have access to the Internet and that "while provinces and
municipalities will remain the main source of support for libraries, the
federal government has an overall economic responsibility for investing in
the nation's information infrastructure". For more information on
CLA's brief to the Finance Committee or its recently launched Campaign for
Canada's Libraries visit the CLA website (www.cla.ca)
-
eGovernment.
C$600 million allocated over the next four years to implement the
Government's online strategy and resources and modernise the information
management and information technology infrastructure of a number of
government departments and agencies.
-
CANet 4. C$110 million allocated to build CANet 4 (which includes
SchoolNet, the Community Access Program, Smart Communities and Geo
Connections), a new generation of Internet broadband network architecture
that will link all research-intensive institutions, including many
community colleges.
-
Research. $200 million allocated to Canada's universities to help
alleviate financial pressures associated with federally supported research
activity at universities and research hospitals. This initiative was
strongly supported by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries
(CARL) in their pre-budget lobby campaign.
[Source:
Canadian Library Association http://www.cla.ca]
RISM
Database Online
National
Information Services Corporation (NISC) has announced the publication of RISM
(Repertoire International des Sources Musicales) on BiblioLine. RISM will be
available for subscription starting in February 2002.
Its series A/II is the most
comprehensive annotated index and guide to music manuscripts
produced after 1600, bringing together more than 370,000 works by over
18,000 composers into one database. The manuscripts are found in over 595
libraries and archives in 31 countries including: Australia, Austria, Belarus,
Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway,
Poland, Portugal,
Rumania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Ukraine, Uruguay and USA. The Music manuscript database is linked to three
other databases, which together hold 410,000 records and over 450,000
searchable music incipits.
RISM can also be searched simultaneously on BiblioLine with RIPM and
RILM. The annual institutional subscription base price is US$795.00. A special
price of US$595.00 is available for institutions in Europe. A 30-day trial
will be available during Feb 2002 at
http://www.nisc.com/request/bibltrial.asp
Website: http://www.nisc.com Source;
IAML-L]
Digital
Heritage of Opera in the Open Network Environment
The
Centre for Music Technology at the University of Glasgow has advertised for a
Research Assistant in the above program, a European-funded project for the
development of network technologies for the dissemination of Opera and Music
Theatre via the new interactive digital media.
Further details at: http://markov.music.gla.ac.uk/CMT/Opendramajob.html
AusStage
The
AusStage national performing arts database is expected to be launched in March
or April 2002, after further data entry and testing.
At the end of December 2001, the database had nearly 5000 records
including events from January 2001, information
in the printed Australian and New Zealand Theatre Record (1987-1996) and
indexing of programs in the National Library of Australia and in the Dennis
Wolanski collection at the University of NSW Library.
Australian
Literature Gateway
The
National Library of Australia has launched the Australian Literature Gateway,
with information on theatre and drama, at http://www.austlit.edu.au.
For a brief review of the Gateway, see Digital Resources for Research in the
Humanities.
Birmingham
Repertory Theatre Archive Database
The
Performing Arts Data Service has announced that the database of archive
holdings of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre is available at: http://www.pads.ahds.ac.uk/BirminghamRepIntro
The database provides information about the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
company's performances (including full cast lists) as well as finding aids to
objects such as playbills, prompt scripts and other ephemera preserved at
Birmingham Central Library. [Source Performing Arts Data Service].
National Library
of Australia
A
project to list all the files in the National Library's PROMPT collection is
nearing completion and will be made available via the Library's home page in
2002 at http://www.nla.gov.au . The
PROMPT collection comprises the Australian theatre programs and theatre
ephemera arranged under a variety of headings in one sequence - main headings
used include companies, entrepreneurs, solo performers, touring productions,
playwrights.. [Source Richard Stone, PASIG].
State
Library of Victoria
The
State Library of Victoria has completed minimal level records for all the
program files in its collection. The records may be searched via the Library's
online catalogue at http://www.slv.vic.gov.au [Source, Richard Stone, PASIG]
ALIA
Review
The Australian Library and information
Association has embarked on the LISEKA, a review of Library and Information
Science Education for the Knowledge Age. The project kicked off with a
national forum in Melbourne on 16 November 2001. Consultations will continue
in 2002 with the aim of creating
an agreed national framework and approach for the provision of effective
career-long education and professional development opportunities for
information workers, particularly those working in libraries.
Website: http://www.alia.org.au
CREATE
Review
The Museum & Library/Information Services
Industry Training Package is the set of national qualifications that can be
awarded in the Museums and Libraries industry by TAFE and other registered
training providers. The qualifications are made up of groups of competencies
that relate to real work functions in museums and libraries.
The Package was endorsed by the Australian
National Training Authority (ANTA) for national implementation in 1999 with a
condition that it be reviewed within three years. CREATE Australia, the
national industry training advisory body for the cultural industries is now
undertaking a comprehensive review of the package to make sure it better meets
the needs of industry, apprentices, trainees and registered training
providers.
Phase One of the review will involve
consultation with users and a survey seeking the views of a wide cross-section
of people affected by the Training Package. Data gathered from consultations,
surveys responses and other research will be analysed to develop an agreed set
of recommendations for the redevelopment of the Training Package. Timeframe:
Nov 2001-July 2002]
Phase Two of the review involves the
redevelopment and submission for endorsement of the Training Package based
upon the recommendations from Phase One. Timeframe: Late 2002
To
register interest in participating contact CREATE Australia phone 02 8399
2655, fax 02 8399 2677 or email create@createaust.com.au
[Source Australian Museums Forum]
This
issue of Cross Currents compiled by Paul Bentley
The
Wolanski Foundation would be grateful for feedback
on the scope, format and content of this bulletin..
