ICT in the Ashmolean Museum

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ICT in the Ashmolean Museum
Jonathan Moffett University of Oxford Museums
ICT Manager
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A Significant Moment

• Redevelopment
• Involves demolishing the back part of the Museum
  (the early 1900s sheds) and
• Replacing it with a state of the art,
  environmentally controlled building

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The Ashmolean redevelopment

• It will almost double the display area
• It will provide a more controlled environment
• It will add an Educational activities area
• It will resolve a number of DDA issues

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The Old Ashmolean
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The New Ashmolean
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Aerial View of the Redevelopment
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For ICT an opportunity to

• Review where we have come from
• Assess where we are
• Plan where we might be going
• Principle ICT is meant to be a tool that helps
  and not hinders users

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Where have we come from (1)?

• A Changing Museum
• Staff
• Fewer curatorial but more support posts
• Two ICT staff (total staff approx. 120)
• Structure
• More centralisation of support services
• Conservation
• Design Studio
• Workshop
• Teaching Provision

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Where have we come from (2)?

• Changing Technology
• Computers
• From MS-DOS to Windows XP Pro
• Input devices
• Scanners, Digital cameras, etc.
• Storage
• Floppy disks memory sticks, etc.
• Communications
• From Modems to 100Mbit Ethernet
• Funding
• From Termly grants to a small annual budget

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Where have we come from (3)?

• Emphasis of the Museum
• From an International University teaching
  collection
• To a National Public museum serving all
• Expectations of ICT
• ICT is now a necessary part of most jobs
• Staff expect e-mail, internet, wordprocessing,
  etc.

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Where have we come from (4)?

• The Ashmolean is a Privileged Museum
• Access to University resources
• Central University Administration
• Computing services
• Expertise in Computer Applications
• Use of a variety of facilities
• Access to Academic resources
• British Academy grants
• AHRB grants
• Other Research funding bodies

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Where have we come from (5)?

• Some of our privileges
• Central Administration (esp. Finance)
• Computing services
• Site licences free or subsidised
• Networking free
• PC maintenance subsidised
• Network maintenance subsidised
• Academic Computer Development Team (ACDT) free
  or project funded

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Where are we now (1)?

• Hardware
• gt100 computers
• gt95 workstations
• Mostly Windows, some Macs
• Mostly desktops, some notebooks
• 7 servers (mixed environment)
• Novell, Linux/Samba, Solaris
• gt20 Scanners
• gt10 Digital Cameras
• Ethernet/Fibre Optic with 100Mbit Switches

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Where are we now (2)?

• Software
• WordProcessing
• From Displaywriter 2 via WordPerfect 4.2, 5.1, 6
  to Word and WordPerfect 11 ( 12)
• Databases
• Dbase III Cardbox to Microsoft Access
• With an excursion to Informix-4GL
• Spreadsheets
• Lotus 123 to Excel

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Where are we now (3)?

• Software (continued)
• Commercial Software
• Hanwell Monitoring system (Conservation)
• Aztec (Shop)
• Raisers Edge (Development Office)
• ShopperTrak (people counter)
• Vista Booking system (Education Service)

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What lessons have we learnt (1)?

• In-Gallery Touch Screen system
• Curators need to be aware that theyve got to
  update it when the gallery contents change
• Raisers Edge
• Pay for installation (not just software
  licences)
• Introducing a computer system must be thought
  through
• It does not matter how good software is, if it is
  not doing something that users already do, then
  there may well be serious problems

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What lessons have we learnt (2)?

• If it has no moving parts, it rarely breaks down
• If it isnt broken, dont fix it
• This is more the case for software upgrades
  rather than for hardware
• Decrees from above are frequently imposed despite
  ignorance of the real needs of users
• Never believe a supplier who says, Of course it
  will work on your current system!

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Where do we go from here (1)?

• The Redevelopment Timetable
• 2005 Year of the Decant (removal of objects)
• 2006 Year of the Demolition (removal of the
  building)
• 2007 Year of the Rebuilding
• 2008 Year of the Reinstallation
• Late 2008/early 2009 Re-opening

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Where do we go from here (2)?

• Communications Wireless Networking?
• Galleries Information points, in the new
  Orientation Galleries and/or main display
  galleries?
• Collections Management Go commercial?
• Online Shopping Who provides the service?
• Radio Frequency ID Tags (RFID) ?
• Securing ICT systems and their contents

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Any Answers?

• None of these experiences, problems or challenges
  are unique to the Ashmolean.
• We ALL have to contend with (metaphorically
  speaking)
• Goal posts that move and change size
• Playing fields that change size and shape
• Rules that are constantly being improved
• But then would it be as much fun if this werent
  true?

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The EndOr is it The Beginning?
Ashmolean
The
Museum of Art Archaeology