2003 National Consultation with Large Institutions

Fall 2003

Summary of Discussions

Background

In an effort to strengthen its ties with large heritage institutions, CHIN undertook a series of consultations with executives from 27 museums nation-wide. These meetings were held in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax from November to December 2003, opening lines of communication with and among members while identifying common information technology issues and challenges as they apply to digital heritage.

CHIN took this opportunity to discuss the priorities set for the next three years and to reiterate the important role that large heritage institutions play in advancing knowledge and developing innovative digital heritage projects. Only ongoing focussed, active cooperation will secure the leadership position Canada currently enjoys on the international stage.

Current Concerns of Institutions

Of the questions raised by members, the following were of particular concern:

• The difficulty some members have in understanding CHIN’s role, and how to develop a cooperative framework for working together.

• The lack of financial and human resources to produce virtual exhibitions. Some museums are still feeling the repercussions of CHIN’s 1995 decision to decentralize responsibility for collections management, and are still at the stage of automating their collections management.

• CHIN has not been successful in increasing museums’ comfort level in using information technology. Instead of asking museums to develop digital content, CHIN should act as a support organization that helps members fulfil their mandate.

• Even though Web presence is a credible direction to move in, finding money to bring about change is difficult to justify in an environment where the primary goal is to attract on-site visitors.

• Some museums are often limited to developing an information management plan that they will not realistically be able to implement due to a lack of resources and the inability to keep up-to-date with constantly evolving technology.

• Expertise, skills, and competence in the field of information technology are very limited or altogether lacking and are often restricted to technical aspects.

• The Web sites of the institutions are often static and behind the times.

• The production of virtual exhibitions is not always seen as a priority, and in some cases the administration of copyright and royalties requires a process that is too costly given the available human and financial resources.

• Museums would like to have access to research studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of the Internet in order to justify it as a priority. Virtual exhibitions should complement the real exhibitions and encourage on-site visits to enrich the visitor’s experience.

• The preservation of digital information is becoming more of a concern and a priority.

Issues Raised by CHIN

Fee/Free Digital Rights Management
Given the rapid evolution of the Internet – its pitfalls and threats – it is wise to take a step back and ask whether the cultural industry should continue to provide digital content free of charge. What business models should we consider in order to avoid the problems currently experienced by the recording and film industries? What precautions could we take to manage copyright?

Technical Benchmark
There might be an opportunity to cooperate on a comparative benchmark study on the use of information technology in the Canadian heritage community. This study could serve as a strategic tool to obtain government funding (for example: Industry Canada or Human Resources Development Canada) that would allow the heritage community to improve (or enhance) its IT capacity.

Sustainability

• How to ensure that information technology is an integral part of daily operations and is not perceived as a luxury that some museums simply cannot afford.

• How to create a viable business plan that encourages the development of digital content and meets the museum’s goals of ensuring perfect synergy between content, technology, and communication.

Partnership and Business Opportunities

Thanks to the quantity and the diversity of its digital content, the Virtual Museum of Canada (VMC) has acquired an enviable reputation and level of public exposure over the last three years that enables it to negotiate agreements with high profile partners for the benefit of the museum community and members of the Network (see attached PowerPoint presentation). As an illustration, here are a few suggestions put forward by CHIN:

• Development of a nation-wide computing capability to host high resolution digital content in a secure environment, for commercial and archival purposes.

• E-commerce opportunities through the Canada Post portal, which is capable of providing the necessary infrastructure.

• Shooting an “Antiques Road Show” TV series on museum premises (agreement with CBC cancelled in March 2004).

• Opportunity to use virtual exhibition content to develop feature articles that would run in Rogers Media magazines, and co-production of complementary material.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The meetings allowed CHIN to acquire a better understanding of the realities faced by large institutions in the realm of information management, information technology and new content creation. The meetings also facilitated the discussion of the means of communication that would allow the managers of large member institutions to exchange and develop solutions to common challenges. Finally, the large institutions have a better understanding of CHIN’s approach to reinforcing its members’ ability to create, manage, exhibit and preserve heritage content in a digital environment (see attached PP presentation).

All agreed that we need more opportunities to discuss common concerns, explore new opportunities and share information in general. In person annual meetings, in conjunction with other conferences or meetings sponsored by CHIN, were more desirable than online discussions. A detailed agenda would allow executives to bring the appropriate staff member to join in the discussions.

Over the next few months, specific business opportunities will be submitted to the management of large institutions in order to advance the ideas put forward during the meetings.

Large Heritage Institutions Consulted

WINNIPEG, November 12th, 2003
1. The Manitoba Museum
2. Winnipeg Art Gallery
3. Saskatchewan Western Development Museum
4. Provincial Museum of Alberta
5. Glenbow Museum
6. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

VANCOUVER, November 13th, 2003
7. Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre
8. Royal BC Museum
9. Vancouver Art Gallery

TORONTO, November 18th, 2003
10. Royal Ontario Museum
11. Art Gallery of Ontario (ABSENT)
12. Royal Botanical Garden

OTTAWA, November 27th, 2003
13. Canadian Museum of Nature
14. Canadian Museum of Civilization
15. National Gallery of Canada
16. Canada Museum of Science and Technology (ABSENT)

MONTRÉAL, December 2nd, 2003
17. Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal
18. Musée de la civilization
19. Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal
20. Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec
21. Centre canadien d’architecture
22. Centre des sciences de Montréal
23. Direction des institutions scientifiques

HALIFAX, December 16th, 2003
24. Nova Scotia Museum
25. Provincial Museum of Newfoundland (ABSENT)
26. New Brunswick Museum
27. Prince Edward Island Museum And Heritage Foundation (ABSENT)