david and i are completing an article for the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science .... it's got me wondering about what the 'general, intelligent reader' might want to know about museums and the web.
i'm thinking we need to answer the following questions:
- what is the history of museums on the web?
- what are the basic elements of a museum web site?
[like opening times, location, program information agrees paulwalk ... what else?]
- why do museums use the web / what are their goals?
and here nate's [@homebrewer's] Education / Exploration / Community come in.
- are museum collections on the web?
[which is what andy powell and mike ellis want museums to feature]
- how does a museum site differ from a library site?
- how is museums' use of the web unique?
are there other things? Is approaching this in terms of what people do with museum web sites a useful tack?
thanks for your thoughts... as always.
/jt
Comments
museums , libraries and the web
Interesting question with no simple answer. Reflecting on the differences and similarities of the two types of institutions, I think that both are repositories of data, objects and knowledge. Both promote learning, serendipitous browsing and directed research. Both can contain books and objects and both can have exhibitions and displays. Usually though, a physical library can display more of it's collection. Sometimes I think that the web is really a content equalizer for curators and educators. I think that part of the web's unique strength is that it allows the visitor to join a community and be an active participant in sharing the experience, data and knowledge What is lacks in a physical, tactile presence for browsing, and local experience it makes up i by providing a global, dynamic and rich digital community.
responses
richard urban - musebrarian - responded 'what do people do with museums stuff on the web'.
unfortunately, that's something we don't know a lot about... i wish there was more hard evidence about what people do, more articles that study paths through sites, more user studies (of real users), in depth on particular sites, as well as across sites.
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