access and operations

Access and OperationsTransforming the University of

St Andrews Photographic Collection

KE EMu European User Group Meeting26 -27 April, 2012

The collectionUpon my arrival in 2008

Compartmentalised – databases– ledgers – website – finance – payment– digital storage – supporting documentation

“The Horror…”

The collectionUpon my arrival in 2008

– inefficient– repetition of data entry– inconsistent data entry– no time for collection– poor institutional

records– institutional memory– staff dependant access– exclusive– low commercial

success– poor access– low public opinion– inability to gain

momentum

• Access as strategic priority• Maximising past investment in

old resources with new technologies• An integrated system which

bridges all aspects of operations– Streamline collection

workflow– Improved statistics reporting

• Closing the books…

Our approach

The collectionThe obvious solutions

Centralising in EMu– Collection records– Acquisition records– Controlled authorities– Storage– Web presence

Specific goals• A public interface which suits the collection and

its users• Providing broad access as the priority

– Quantity over quality ensures access to full scope of collection

– Iterate in response to research trends and user demands

• Maximising the potential for interdisciplinary study

New public interface

Existing resourcesA black hole of documents and assetsPhysical text based resources Digital assets

Our solutionMining existing resources• Linking supporting documents to catalogue

– Even if they’re not perfect…• Placing dormant resources where it counts– Bring them back to life to fulfil their purpose

• Encouraging users to build on previous research– Building momentum

Managing current research / contribution• Why bother with your hard drive?– DAMS at you fingertips

Our solution

Placing collection knowledge in the system

Managing risk of institutional memory

Reducing user questions and expanding the scope of their resources

Our challengeHardwiring knowledge

Relationship Tab …augmented• Qualifying relationships by

type– Understanding the link without

clicking• Related records reverse–Why do it twice?!

Context through relationships and links

Our challengeDeveloping a dynamic resource

Our challengeManaging Email and Telephone Enquiries

Our challengeManaging Email and Telephone Enquiries

Our challengeManaging Email and Telephone Enquiries

• Commercial users– Authors, publishers, production companies sharing groups

• Teaching resource– Professors creating groups in support of curricula– Using online surrogates to plan lectures which engage

originals• Learning resource

– Selecting images for papers, presentations, theses– Engaging with groups for curatorial projects / exhibitions

• Public ownership and engagement– Creating groups for personal interests– Historic societies engaging on a community level– Facilitating dialogue by making it easy to share and view

Sharing the collectionMaking it useful, practical and easy to engage

• Increase income to garner institutional support

• Decrease hands-on client services• Improve client experience to encourage

return business• Streamline order tracking• Streamline multiple payment options• Report on client trends to refine strategy• Make the computers do the work!

Our challengeEfficient exploitation or rights and permissions

with minimal staff intervention

Our challengeSharing the collection

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

Our challengeRights and permissions

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

Our challengeRights and permissions

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

Our challengeRights and permissions

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

Our challengeRights and permissions

• Increase income• Decrease hands on client services• Streamline payment• Make the computers do the work

Our challengeRights and permissions

• Automatic email sent to staff with ID no. of Enquiry in Events Module

• Client record is created in Parties Module and linked to enquiry

• Images are linked to the enquiry within the Events Module

• Financial details, totals, VAT no. are all entered• By summer 2012 client will be directed to online

payment site

Managing Email and Telephone Enquiries

Managing Email and Telephone Enquiries

Managing Email and Telephone Enquiries

Managing Email and Telephone Enquiries

• Greater introduction of technology– iPad / Emu client interface for direct

collection work– Zoomify– Page turning– World map topographic interface– Increase dissemination by

introducing PowerPoint / Keynote export for public

• Web 2.0 user interface– Leveraging external knowledge– Empowering public ownership of

collection• Cross-departmental image

resource– Shared expenses and infrastructure– Interdisciplinary research– PAD, Art History, Astronomy, etc…

Future plans

Thank youMarc Boulay

Photographic ArchivistDepartment of Special CollectionsUniversity of St Andrews Library

mdab@st-andrews.ac.ukTel. 01334 462326

Linked .