OUTLINE PROPOSALS - FIRST DRAFTS

1. Federated Visual Collection

Objectives

• To create a model for collaborative work and resource sharing in the cultural heritage sector.

• To produce, through this collaboration, a repository of visual and multimedia materials, related data and tools for research and pedagogy that would be widely accessible and free of charge.

Means to the End

This project is based on a federated model that involves not only inter-institutional / interdisciplinary collaboration but also the incorporation of at least three different kinds of existing repositories from different kinds of institutions (e.g. library, archive, museum). Built into the process will be continuous evaluation of users and uses of the resulting resources.

Using state of the art information technology and internationally accepted data standards, this project will produce the following resources:

• A dynamic “virtual database” of sourced, reliable, high quality visual materials and related data.

• A set of interpretative or curated resources based on the materials in the database reflecting the viewpoints of several different disciplines (e.g. art history, social science, history)

Suggested Partners and Personnel

Repositories: Databases/repositories: SAH/AIC; curated: MIT book Kidder-Smith book on American Architecture(digitized in part); LC collection on American Memory; Chicago Historical Society; International?; American Antiquarian Society; Eastman House (photos/films); UC Berkeley (architecture slide library)

Needed People Expertise: faculty, tech staff, curators, catalogers (metadata, standards), archivists, CS people; information architects, user interface, image processing, intellectual property experts, evaluation, Disciplinary societies

Technology Centers: Maryland Institute for Technology in Humanities; ETC; IATH?; more... Getty?

Investigators and consultants: entire Visual and Media Studies Field Group

Characteristics of contributing repositories

• Collaboration

• Content that fits together

• Permits interdisciplinary use

• Content includes various types of media

• Pedagogical utility

• Include Sourced high quality content (working with originals)

Envisioned related tools

• slide table,

• ability to “quote” db image and data into a user document

• identify details (e.g I-note )

• sophisticated, resource assisted searching

• comment on record

• virtual reality

2. Pooling Technology Resources

Objective:

To strengthen the network of existing institutional resources such as humanities technology centers by fostering communication and sharing of competencies and facilities. Applying new funding resources, we will enable people in the humanities from a wide range of institutions to better exploit the potentials of digital technologies and networked environments. Constituencies will be expanded and better served.

Means to the end:

We will seek to devise inter-institutional programs such as:

• Building better tools for collaboration among IT centers
• Information Technology sabbaticals
• Workshops for faculty and center staff
• Release time
• Long- and short-term training
• Partnering of Competencies
• Consultation in cross-institutional project development: identifying technologies, finding support, funding and partners

Partners:

Existing IT centers serving the humanities such as:

MITH, U. Maryland

ETC, Princeton U.

IATH, U. Virginia