going outside to get inside

9 December 2008

Diane M. ZorichCultural Heritage Consultant

Going Outside to Get InsideLibrary, Archive, and Museum Collaboration

DEN Annual Conference

Rotterdam

Our journey starts with….Our journey starts with….

In the Beginning: Cabinets of CuriosityIn the Beginning: Cabinets of Curiosity

Less democratic • Less economic • More integrated

Then: Libraries, Archives and MuseumsThen: Libraries, Archives and Museums

More democratic • More economic • Less integrated

Now: One for AllNow: One for All

Most democratic • Most economic • Most integrated

Now: One for All?Now: One for All?

Collaboration Among Libraries, Archives and Museums (LAMs)Collaboration Among Libraries, Archives and Museums (LAMs)

www.oclc.org/programs/publications/reports/2008-05.pdf

AssumptionsAssumptions

• LAMs have commonalities

• Collections …..Needs…..Functions

• LAMs housed in a larger parent organization more likely to collaborate

• The online world is a driving factor

• Time for action!

GoalsGoals

• To explore the nature of LAM collaborations• How are they created and sustained?

• To help LAMs be more productive• What common functions could be integrated to achieve greater

efficiencies?

• To help LAMs create environments more in line with user expectations

Collaboration ContinuumCollaboration Continuum

Additive Transformative

Qualitative MethodologyQualitative Methodology

• Background research

• Discussions with thought leaders

• Discussions with LAMs who are at the beginning of the Collaboration Continuum

• Workshops with LAMs who are at the midpoint of the Collaboration Continuum

WorkshopsWorkshops

Princeton University

Smithsonian Institution

Yale University

University of Edinburgh

Victoria and Albert Museum

Their VisionTheir Vision

Boundaries blendExperimentation sandboxes

Ubiquitous access

Centralized services

Cultural commonsSingle search

Pooled expertise

Digital work environment

Some of the ProjectsSome of the Projects

• Comprehensive digitization of photograph collections

• A “Federation of Collections”

• Exploration of federated search models (“single search” across collections)

• “One Store” for digital assets

Will these projects succeed?

Collaboration CatalystsCollaboration Catalysts

Factors and circumstances that make it more likely for collaborations to succeed

Vision --- Mandate --- Incentives --- Change Agents Mooring --- Resources --- Flexibility

External Catalysts --- Trust

Catalyst: VisionCatalyst: Vision

Collaborations must be embedded in a larger vision shared by all

Vision of St Bridget Late 14th century. MS. M.498, f.4v.�

Catalyst: MandateCatalyst: Mandate

“I’m… looking for a few really good ideas that will help us advance the mission and take [us] forward. [If you] come up with a really, creative innovative vision that is at the intersection of these institutions and will help our mission, and you help me frame it, I’m more than ready to … carry it forward.”

- Senior official RLG LAM workshop site

Catalyst: IncentivesCatalyst: Incentives

Some examples:

• Promotion

• Salaries

• Public and peer recognition

Catalyst: MooringCatalyst: Mooring

© Michael Maggs

A home base, such as ..

• Administrative unit

• Committee

• Integrated department

Catalyst: FlexibilityCatalyst: Flexibility

Professionals who understand collections issues in libraries, archives and museums…

Possible Next StepsPossible Next Steps

• Longitudinal study of projects proposed at the workshop sites

• Collaborations among “standalone” LAMs

• Comparative studies

• the sciences, academic humanities

Going OutsideGoing Outside

You are here

Your users are here

and here

Transformational Change through CollaborationTransformational Change through Collaboration

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• RLG Programs/OCLC

Especially my colleagues and co-authors:

• Günter Waibel, Program Officer

• Ricky Erway, Senior Program Officer

• The many professionals who participated in the RLG LAM workshops and discussions