Mining Intellectual Capital: Digital Assets & Virtual Communities Internet Librarian 2004 Deb Hunt and Rose Falanga Bacteria producing color
Exploratorium Rotunda at Night Hands-on science museum 800,000 visitors a year Web pioneer Interested in experimental media Innovative teacher professional development programs
Digital Assets Science, Art and Human Perception Hands-on science 11,000 assets Images, PDFs, Word files, audio and video files Medium Resolution (.25 -.5 Mpix) High Resolution (6 Mpix) Pinscreen Faces
Information Professionals Wear Many Hats Library Manager Web projects Professional Development Intranet Digital Assets Virtual Communities Eclipse Belly Dancer
Evolving Information Roles Important to reflect on both the similarities and the differences in what we are doing now and what we did in the past. Recollections
Similarities Marketing the Concept Building a Collection Centralization Safeguarding Increasing Assets Anti-Gravity Mirror
Differences Intellectual property Preservation Cataloging new media Fluidity Democratization of asset creation Audiences Dissemination Colored Shadows
Guidelines Bending Light Planning Software selection Digitization options Media Options Scanning Storage Institutional Change
Planning Needs assessment Digitization plan International standards Conceptual framework Back-up, storage, security, maintenance Duck Into Kaleidoscope
Software Selection Difference between database and DAM software Cross-platform Staff vs. external user needs Ability to configure metadata to DC or IEEE LOM standards Ability to export metadata
Digitization Options Outsourcing vs. inhouse Standards Knowing your audiences Variety of formats Salt Piece
Media Options Using different media for same content Breaking up larger asset into smaller parts Anti-Gravity Mirror
Scanning Tips Bubbles Scan once use many times Scan at highest print quality you can manage Issues: quality of scanner; time it take to scan
Storage Issues Centralize for control and preservation Ability of computers to handle large files Space for primary and backup storage Spinning Blackboard
Institutional Change Creating vs. organizing assets Staff development Supporting adoption of asset creation standards Exhibit Builder
Central vs. Departmental Catalogs Fracture in Granite Central: best quality, both high and med resolution; full indexing; available to all staff and partly to external audiences. Copyright issue. Department Catalogs: range of quality and resolution; partial indexing; limited availability. Designed to help departments control access to their material.
Virtual Communities ISEN/TEN Museum Programs: IFI and TI Snacktalk Webcasts Accidental Scientist Educator Database Project Colored Shadows
Informal Science Educator Network/Teacher Educator Network 1995 National museum educator group Supporting entry into digital world: email, website, grants, chats, fulltext articles Learning to Teach
Teacher Institute/Institute for Inquiry Shadow Activity 1997 Exploratorium professional development programs Extending learning beyond workshops: directory, listservs, websites, online library, training activities
Snacktalk Print to web Combined assets from 2 editions Created hypermail discussion so resource users could share ideas Ongoing editing of web version Teachers created new snacks that appear only on the web Snack Book Series
Eclipse Webcast 12-hour event Webcast Slumber party Live chat Multilingual email Eclipse Overnighter
Accidental Scientist Explores the science of everyday life with webcasts, web interactives, and bulletin boards Cooking, Music (Gardening is on the way) Bread Man
Educator Database Project Distorted Room Brings together participants from all educator programs Expands to new audiences Delivers resources Encourages feedback Recruits educators for resource evaluation and focus groups
Final Thoughts Webcast of Eclipse in Zambia Started out just working with stuff First virtual communities focused on shared experiences Today s efforts connect both people and digital resources
Rose Falanga and Deb Hunt rosef@exploratorium.edu dhunt@exploratorium.edu http://www.exploratorium.edu/educate This presentation can be found at: http://www.information-edge.com/