On 11/14/06, Leslie Meyer <leslieann.meyer at gmail.com> wrote: > Hello all! > > I'm currently enrolled in the Museum Technologies class at my graduate > program at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. For the semester term > paper, I have elected to write about Information Technology (IT) and how it > fits within the museum organization. While I have some information into > possible solutions (outsourcing, internal, etc.), I would really like to > include my own research about the subject. That's where I need your help! > > Please answer the following questions, as best you can, so that I can gain > better insight into this subject. I hope everyone can respond to me > personally (leslieann.meyer at gmail.com) by Tuesday, November 28, 2006. > Answers will only be used for this class project. I really appreciate your > assistance! > 1. What is the name of your museum? The Historic new Orleans Collection > > 2. Where are you located? New Orleans, LA (big surprise there) > > 3. How (and why) would you define the size of your museum? Medium - 65 employees, 2 locations. > > 4. Does your museum have a separate Information Technology (IT) > department? If so, where is it located in the organizational structure, i.e. > to whom does it report? Yes, called the "Systems" department. We have four employees: Director, Data Standards Administrator, Network Manager and Web Master (a very recent addition). As director of the department I report to the museum director. The department is very large for an institution of our size but that is because we encompass many activities that are typically incorporated in other departments of other institutions. The department was created in the mid- 1980s to design and implement a collections management system. Since then it has traditionally been heavily involved in collections management/collections information. > > 5. Does your museum outsource for its information technology? If so, what > sort of relationship do you have with these vendors? To whom do they > report? Very little outsourcing. Primarily web hosting and recently the use of various web services, though describing that as outsourcing is a bit of a stretch. Development and customization of our collections information software is done by the vendor. Outsource vendors report to me.
> > 6. If you do not outsource or have an internal IT department, what solution > does your museum have for its information technology needs? > > 7. What are some of the benefits of the IT solution within your museum? The ability to provide a more nuanced solution to problems and to identify institutional goals where IT can provide services that other members of the institution might not be able to envision. > > 8. What are some of the downfalls of the IT solution within your museum? The lack of a "back-bench". I'm not a techno-geek, nor is our data standards admin. The lion's share of technical expertise lies with our network manager and web master. Particularly complex networking, programing, or even scripting projects force us to contract outside the institution. Likewise the provision of enterprise level storage and networking solutions is more difficult to purchase, configure and maintain on our own. > 9. What other information about your institution regarding Information > Technology should I be aware? We're a combination of a museum, library and manuscripts repository with a history of these units operating with great independence. Our tech issues really center around providing integrated information retrieval services to these disparate professionals and as a result, while other institutions have concentrated on building out web sites and large digital asset portfolios, we have had to hunker down with content issues like data integration, metadata schemes vocabulary development. Our big project for almost 7 years has been the co-development of the Mint system with Minisis Inc. > > 10. Tell me about yourself: name, title and general job description within > your museum. Chuck Patch, director of systems, I oversee all information systems development and implementation as well as handle phones, sigh. At the moment this includes wiring-up a new building. > > Again, I really appreciate any insight you can provide into Information > Technology within the museum structure. I'm looking forward to hearing back > from you! > > Thank you, > Leslie Meyer > > -- > Leslie Meyer > > Seton Hall University > Museum Professions Masters' Program > Graduate Assistant, PC Support Services > 400 South Orange Avenue > South Orange, New Jersey 07081 > _______________________________________________ > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l >
