A. Partnerships
Digital collaboration across museums, libraries and archives is essential if open access
to the knowledge and inspiration physically housed in museums, libraries and archives is to be a reality.
There are some simple actions which it is advisable to take if embarking on a partnership as well as areas
to avoid. Checklist A provides a simple way of ensuring you are approaching a partnership in an effective way.
For more detailed advice refer to the CALIMERA Guidelines on
Cooperation and Partnership. The guidelines cover
all types of partnership from same domain to cross-domain and from specific sectoral partnerships to strategic
partnerships.
B. Management of digital projects
Project management is a tool by which a project is defined, work programmes set out,
and those involved clear who is doing what by when. Many models exist for project management.
Checklist B provides a useful summary. Checklists are a useful way of tracking your progress in project
management and define ways of monitoring progress from your initial partnership agreement to strategies
for managing the work. Two additional valuable sources of advice on project management and definitions
of terms are run by the Washington State Government website in their
project management framework and
through a site called tutor2u which provides
resources for teachers and students which
are equally applicable to the museum, library and archive environment.
Working on digital projects requires some specific issues to be addressed in the context of general
project management. One example of these policy areas is described in the report
Our Cultural Heritage:
A Strategy for Action for Public Libraries developed by the Library Council of Ireland
(case study 4).
For other examples across Europe refer to
Good Practices in Digitisation provided by the Minerva project. Minerva has
also produced practical guidelines for managing digital projects which cover the specific needs of a digital
project. Minerva supports the co-ordination of digitisation programmes across Europe.
Also at a European level the Socrates programme has developed a
survival kit for European Project
Management from which valuable lessons can be drawn for project management at a local, regional or national
level.
C. Communication strategies
To ensure commitment and support for the project, it is vital that both internal (i.e. between the partners)
and external (i.e. to outside stakeholders and audiences) communications are effective and
timely. Internal communications will be effective if the project management works well.
Checklist C set outs some ways of keeping your external communications on track. Communications should
form an integrated part of the overall project plan (see Checklist B).
Case study 1 and 9
show that continuous consultation with target audiences is seen as an important key to
success in cross-domain policy-making in the UK.
A key element in communications is advocacy to win local support for your project from those who
can influence its impact on the community and encourage cross-domain working in all policy areas.
The Museums Libraries and Archives Council (MLA, case study 1) in the UK has developed a programme
which transforms the way in which museums, archives and libraries deliver and engage users in learning.
Inspiring Learning for All
(case study 9) provides guidance on advocacy and communication to support
learning. It has developed resources for creatively
presenting the case for the project as well as links to
web-based advocacy resources.
The lessons gained here for learning are equally valid for all cross-domain
policy agendas.
Language for communication is important. Each domain has a
certain way of describing key concepts for digitisation projects. These differences are understandable and
born of different traditions and training. Partners need to ensure that the same terminology is agreed on
in advance and used in all aspects of the project and its communication. External advocacy will be damaged
if the partners do not appear to be giving the same messages in the same way.
(Case Studies 2, 3, 4 and
9).
The Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC)
Communications Toolkit provides guidance and checklists
for effective communications. The Washington State Government website also has a useful guide to
Communications Planning.
D. Workforce development
MLA's
Learning for Change states that "workforce development must enable museums, libraries and archives
to become learning organisations which develop a motivated, appropriately skilled, diverse and outward-looking
workforce capable of delivering high-quality services to all users."
MLA recently commissioned the Tavistock Institute to study best practice in ICT training for library
staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The resultant report
Competencies and Capabilities: New Paradigms for Workforce Development in the 21st Century Library looks at all
aspects of ICT training and examines the
challenges which moves policy makers from strategies for individual staff competencies to
an overall examination of organisational performance and ability.
Checklist D provides some pointers to developing a workforce development strategy.
There are many sources of guidance on this issue.
The CALIMERA Guidelines section on Staffing
includes a listing of the wide range of
skills required by those working in the cultural sphere. Page six of the Staffing section also includes
information on training and continuing professional development (cpd) which set out some
of the barriers that museums, libraries and archives face when trying to encourage a
culture of change within the
organisation. Page 52 of the report from
Our Cultural Heritage: a Strategy for Action for Public Libraries (Case Study 4) sets out some simple procedures
for training and team building for digital collaboration of value to all policy makers.
The importance of workforce development in the information society is set out by the
European Commission in
A Skilled European Workforce for the
Knowledge-based economy with links to the
relevant European policy documents. The European Commission's e-skills summit
in Copenhagen in October 2002 set out the issues in a European context. The European Commission commissioned Graham Attwell to consider
e-learning in small and medium-sized enterprises.
In his article he gives seven pointers to delivery of
e-learning within institutions which are useful from cross-domain projects in the cultural sphere.
E. Standards and guidelines
There are large number of relevant standards and guidelines available to policy makers developing
cross-domain strategies. CALIMERA has developed guidelines for
social policy, management and technical issues. Within that there are a number of relevant standards mentioned. These include:
In addition policy-makers should be aware of:
- The international metadata standard
Dublin Core;
- EPOCH (Excellence in Processing Open Cultural Heritage) which is a network of university departments,
research centres, heritage institutions and commercial enterprises working together to improve the
quality and effectiveness of the use of ICT in the cultural heritage field.
The point is made in the Guidelines that museums, libraries and archives need to be up-to-date
in current technologies and standards to avoid using inappropriate methodologies and to plan and
prioritise their work. The Guidelines give explanations of the main
technologies which underlie services in the cultural heritage sector.
Some of the case studies in this tool-kit demonstrate that the aspiration to establish common standards
for the three domains is an important point of departure for many cross-domain collaboration projects
(see case studies
4,
5,
6,
7,
8).
At a European level policy-makers should be aware of the digitisation guidelines
and the
quality criteria for cultural web sites both listed by Minerva. Other relevant information
is included in the
e-Europe Action Plan
and the Lund Principles.
F. Funding strategies
Applying successfully for local, regional or national funding is closely related to advocacy
activities; see section C on communication strategies.
Each country, region and community has its own specific funding infrastructure to support cross-domain
and domain specific activities. The case studies show that in most cases cross-domain
projects are funded by a combination of national, regional and municipal money
(see case studies
3,
5,
6,
10,
12). National governments that take far-reaching responsibility to
endorse national cross-domain strategies are scarce
(see case studies 1,
2,
3,
4,
7).
The CALIMERA Guidelines section on
co-operation and partnership include information on funding for
partnerships which headlines some of the areas of funding available for cross-domain collaboration.
To this can be added sponsorship which can be used for inward investment opportunities as well as building
advocates for your services within the community and / or region. This is also relevant for public-private
partnerships where in-kind or financial support can bring additional opportunities for a digital collaboration
project. (Case Study 11). Case studies
3,
6,
7,
10 show that cultural tourism can be boosted by cross-domain collaboration. As places for
interpretation of local, national and international heritage, museums, archives and libraries are a key
factor in cultural tourism, the fastest growing tourism in Europe.
Checklist F provides some pointers for successful fundraising strategies. It will be helpful
in ensuring fundraising activities are consistent with other policy areas.
European funding enhances cross-domain digital projects, not only by providing additional funds,
but also by encouraging the exchange of professional ideas through European partnerships.
Case study 12
about the Ename Centre in Belgium shows how international learning and research partnerships benefit both
knowledge and skills development.
For specific guidance on a funding application it is sensible to discuss the application with the
relevant cultural
or IST contact points. More detailed information on European funding schemes is available
by navigating through three European information portals:
- The Gateway to the European Union (Europa);
- Community Research and Development Information Service (Cordis)
- The European Culture Portal