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5856 results in Facet Publishing

Page 223 of 293

  • 5 - Documentation

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 67-94

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Information is held in many different formats. Most museums have a collections database but smaller or volunteer‑led museums may use simple spreadsheets or still rely on paper records. Any form of paper records such as entry ledgers, acquisiton registers or card indexes should be retained and may have to be consulted from time to time even if most of the information has been transferred to a database. Certain functions of collections management will always require paper records, for example, contracts, receipts or title deeds, all of which require signatures and may be legally binding. In any case, all paper records can act as a back‑up to the electronic system. The guidelines for data entry, maintainance and preservation are the same whatever the format of the information.

    The responsibility of any collecting organization is not just to collect objects but to ensure that information about them is gathered, preserved and increased. Information about an object can range from as little as its title or description to a complete history, including where and when it was found, its usage and any previous owners. No matter how much or how little information is available, it is vital to record and preserve the details, usually these days in the form of an entry in a specialist database management system, or DBMS. An item separated from its information loses much of its identity and its value is greatly reduced in both cultural and financial terms. At the most basic level, any museum must maintain the following information on the objects it holds:

  • • what the object is – name or description

  • • where it came from – provenance or history

  • • how it should be cared for – materials, handling, storage, display

  • • current location – where it is at any given time.

    • The museum must be able to account for all the objects in its care and must keep records of any item entering the premises, the exit of any item and the locations of all objects that it holds. Information contributes to knowledge and enjoyment of the objects. It can help make connections between objects, classifications and entire collections, can aid research and enriches the visitor experience.

  • 11 - Access

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 229-244

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Most museums welcome the chance to share their collections as widely as possible. Access to objects that are not on display is fundamental to increasing visitors’ opportunities to enjoy and learn about cultural collections. Apart from exhibitions, museums can make their objects available to the public in other ways such as the internet, special events, publications, talks and educational programmes. Public access to stored objects can include the following:

  • • study room or reading room where the objects are brought to the visitor

  • • visits to storerooms where the visitor is escorted to the object

  • • virtual access in the museum and via the internet.

    • Most museums, and public museums in particular, have access to stored collections as part of their remit. They have a responsibility to make all objects in their care available for visitors. Information on access arrangements should be readily available. Receiving visitors to storerooms and study rooms, however, can be significant in terms of time and staff resources. It is therefore important for a museum to have a policy on access to stored collections and to be clear about the services it can provide.

    Options for providing access

    Allowing access to stored items is part of the public service of great collections and should be undertaken with the care, safety and comfort of the visitor in mind. Information on how to request a visit and on opening and closing hours should be clearly displayed on the premises, in publications and online. Access for visually impaired and disabled visitors should be part of the overall access remit and should be in line with disability access legislation and guidelines, such as those provided by the MLA.

    There is, of course, a careful balance to be achieved between care of the objects and access by the public. Close collaboration between curators and conservators is needed in order to understand, agree on and devise an access policy. If there is no in‑house expertise on collections care, advice should be taken on how to keep the stored collection safe while allowing maximum public access. Each collection is unique and has different challenges and resources. Some items may not be suitable for handling, even under supervision, while others should be kept in controlled environmental conditions or are difficult to unpack, move, or prepare for visitors.

  • Preface

  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp xi-xii

  • Summary

    Collections management is a relatively new term in museums and cultural heritage. It has grown from the need to develop professional practice in looking after culturally significant objects and their associated information. It covers a range of activities, including documentation, care, storage, movement and loan and applies to organizations ranging from national galleries to small local museums.

    Caring for cultural collections today requires knowledge of legal and ethical considerations. Recent developments in the areas of sustainability, security and economics are also part of day‑to‑day collections administration. These areas, as well as the practical aspects of collections care, are covered in this book with samples of actual documents, step‑by‑step procedures and suggestions on where to go for further reading and advice.

    It is hoped that this book, intended primarily for museum staff and museum studies students, will be of use to anyone with responsibility for caring for items of cultural significance. The information is based on fine art museum collections but represents guidelines rather than rules and can be adapted to a wide variety of collection types.

  • 4 - Practical aspects

  • from Part 1 - Collections management: overview and principles
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 43-64

  • Summary

    Fundamentals of collections care

    Care of collections is the primary duty of any collecting organization and is the shared responsibility of everyone it employs. It consists of a range of activities from providing sound premises with good environmental conditions to ensuring that all the necessary procedures are in place and are understood and followed. Collections care should be the first consideration when devising policies and when planning any operation around significant objects.

    Collections care includes the physical care of the objects: creating sound, watertight, environmentally stable buildings with suitable storage and display facilities. It also includes sustainability in the use of energy for operations and in the sourcing and use of archival‑quality materials for both buildings and interiors. Security of the objects is an essential part of collections care and includes having suitable measures and systems to prevent theft, loss or damage, as well as ensuring their

    proper environmental protection while on display, in storage and in transit. Optimum environmental conditions for temperature, relative humidity and light should be established for all objects and monitoring should be carried out to ensure that the correct conditions are maintained. Any particularly fragile or susceptible objects should be flagged and continually monitored. Light‑sensitive material should be protected by reducing light levels, the use of blinds and window screens and by a managed rotation of objects from display into storage.

    Collections care includes the operations of the organization. This means having policies and procedures that are fit for purpose and suitable to the individual characteristics of the objects and their use.

    Policy

    A good collections care policy is useful for describing the organization's intentions in caring for its objects, the methods it will use and the guarantees it will give. A collections care policy may contain the following:

  • A statement of the purpose and remit of the collection.

  • A statement that the collections will be cared for, preserved and protected from loss or damage.

  • Any legal obligations to care for and preserve the collection, either national or specific to the collection.

  • A commitment to gather, maintain and preserve information on the collections.

  • A commitment to establish and maintain a risk management programme.

  • A conservation programme with details of condition survey, research, scientific investigation, advice, remedial and preventive conservation.

  • An integrated pest management programme.

  • 6 - Movement

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 95-122

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Cultural objects can be old, fragile, valuable and often irreplaceable. Handling should be planned with care, and movement should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce the risk of damage or breakage. The necessity of any handling or movement should always be questioned.

    Objects can often be condition‑checked, studied, photographed or inven ‑ toried without being picked up. The same applies to moves. Objects are often moved from one place to another only to be moved back again, when careful inspection in situ might suffice. Museum objects are often brought from store to gallery to be selected for display, most of them being returned and only a few exhibited. This unnecessary movement may cause stress from unwrapping and handling, vibrations during movement and exposure to light. Objects are often transported to the conservation or photography studio, when it would be safer, cheaper and more sustainable for the conservator or photographer to come to the object.

    Museums should be clear about the reasons for handling or moving any object. Some items may present significant difficulties, such as very large or heavy pieces. In such cases, the time and resources required for a safe move should be considered before the decision is made to move them. It may be that the object doesn't have to be moved after all, or that it would be too costly or too risky.

    The majority of moves are, however, for good reasons: for exhibition and display, for loan, conservation, photography or study, or to re‑house an object in better facilities. Handling can be done safely with no risk to the object and a move, if carefully planned and carried out with the appropriate time and equipment, should result in a well‑executed operation and the safety and security of all concerned.

    For moves of particularly large, heavy or complex objects or of a large number of items, a museum may have in‑house expertise or it may need to contract an external fine art transport company. The principles are the same and the museum should be clear about the job to be done before negotiating the details. Be realistic about how long the move will take and the fact that the objects may be unavailable for some time.

  • 3 - Ethical considerations

  • from Part 1 - Collections management: overview and principles
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 31-42

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Museums and cultural collections operate within an environment of national and international ethical standards. They are self‑monitoring and can choose whether or not to endorse the various codes of practice. Acting in accordance with these codes, however, is essential for good faith and good reputation, particularly if an institution is in receipt of public money. It is a sign that the organization takes its role seriously as an objective research establishment, and the organization is more likely to be respected and regarded favourably in terms of loans, exhibitions and fundraising. Many museums choose to publish their endorsement of specific codes of ethics on their website or in their publications. General and specific codes are outlined below. This chapter also provides a detailed discussion of the ethics of deaccessioning and disposal, due diligence and provenance.

    General codes

    ICOM published its Code of Ethics in 1986, with amendments in 2001 and 2004. This remains the main international code on how to acquire and manage collections of cultural material and establishes a minimum standard. It lists the key principles of collections management as well as general ethical guidance. It encourages self‑regulation in accordance with high public expectations and allows individual countries to create their own professional standards. It covers all areas of ethics, including the physical protection of objects, preservation, the professional training and standing of staff, acquisition and disposal, due diligence, research and the uses of collections.

    The Washington Principles on Nazi‑confiscated Art, 1998 address the sale, purchase, possession and exchange of art looted in German‑occupied Europe between 1933 and 1945. These are non‑binding principles which are an agreement by the signatories to work together to trace the art, to research its provenance and to seek and circulate information. It calls for a flexible and just resolution of claims.

    The Terezin Declaration, 2009 is another non‑binding agreement whose signatories agree to take steps to implement national programmes addressing the issue of looted property according to best‑practice principles for restitution and compensation.

    In the UK, the Museums Association Code of Ethics, 2008 covers much of the ground of the ICOM Code and puts it into a UK context.

  • 10 - Exhibitions and displays

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 201-228

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Exhibition and display are perhaps the most crucial means of access to and enjoyment of our cultural history. They are an essential part of owning and caring for cultural collections and allowing them to be seen to their best advantage. Knowing how and when to display objects so that they can be easily accessible is an important skill. However, knowledge of best practice in handling and display methods is critical to ensuring the safety and security of items at all times. For public bodies, exhibiting as much of their collection as possible is a civic duty. For private owners, good display, safely managed and with no risk to the exhibits, contributes to the longevity of their collections.

    Displays, whether of permanent collections, temporary exhibitions or privately owned objects, all follow the same rules for careful handling, good environmental conditions and the safety and security of both people and artefacts. Sustainability should be built into the exhibition at the planning stage, with an examination of how to reuse materials and adopt low‑carbon alternatives. There are many organizations that can advise on sustainable exhibitions, such as the Sustainable Exhibitions Group.

    When objects are being selected for display, questions should be asked about each object, its position in the gallery or building, the display method, the environmental conditions required and the length of time the object will be on view. The safety and security of objects are always crucial, but when it comes to display, these have to be carefully balanced against the needs of visitors for good access, good lighting and the very best view of the exhibits. For loans in, the wishes of the lender and any stipulations from insurance or indemnity policies have to be adhered to.

    For loans into the collection or temporary exhibitions, most museums have an exhibition policy stating what they will and will not borrow and how they will exercise the highest standards of care in looking after the objects.

    Due diligence policy for loans

    Many exhibition policies also include a section on ethics, stating that the institution will not borrow any item of doubtful ownership or provenance.

  • 7 - Storage

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 123-144

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    In most collections of cultural objects there are more items in store than on display. This applies to all types and sizes of collections. The primary uses of some collections, however, such as biology or geology, are for research and study, and items in such collections rarely leave storage. Good storage is essential to the safekeeping and preservation of all types of collections. Safe and secure buildings and stable environmental conditions are essential, whatever the reasons for storage and whatever the length of time the items will be in the store.

    Storage buildings

    Cultural goods not on display are stored in many different types of building and in many different ways. Whatever the types of objects or reasons for storage, collections should be kept safely in secure buildings and stable environments.

    Most museums have storage areas close to their exhibition galleries, often in cupboards or basements. More recently, there have been moves to create new, purpose‑built storage facilities away from the museum building, often housing a variety of facilities associated with collections care, such as conservation and photography studios and workshops.

    There are also examples of museum stores adapted from former uses, such as underground military bunkers or salt mines. These can provide high security and stable internal environments but may be located in less accessible places. They are ideal for large or oversized items whose accommodation in a city might be costly per square metre of storage space and for items which are rarely used.

    The ideal site for a storage facility will be sufficiently large to allow a clear space between the building and the perimeter fence that can be easily monitored.The building should be free‑standing and have good security and good access. It should not be in a flood‑plain area or close to rivers or canals.

    A building connected to others or forming part of a larger block might be more at risk if there were to be a fire, flood or security breach in neighbouring premises. Few museums do in fact have the benefit of separate, purpose‑built storage buildings, and most museum stores are in city centres, which can pose difficulties in terms of both access and emergency response.

  • 9 - Loans

  • from Part 2 - Collections management: processes
  • Freda Matassa
  • Book:
    Museum Collections Management
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 May 2011, pp 169-200

  • Summary

    Fundamentals

    Lending objects is a fundamental aspect of collections management. For organizations that do not have their collections on display, loans can be a way of displaying them to the public for both enjoyment and scholarly interest. For those without a permanent collection, borrowing and exhibiting objects can be the main focus of their operation. Private collectors are often asked to lend works of art to public exhibitions and most museums and galleries both lend and borrow frequently as part of everyday operations.

    Sending a valuable object to another destination, however, must be carefully considered, with the safety of the object being of greatest importance. The reasons for and conditions of the loan should be clear and agreed in advance by both lender and borrower, preferably in a written contract. Risks should be considered, packing and transport must be safe and secure, and handling and installation should follow best‑practice guidelines.

    Reasons to lend include the following:

  • Contributing to an important exhibition.

  • Adding to the scholarship, research and knowledge of a particular work.

  • Putting on display a work that would normally be in storage.

  • Giving access to the work to a wider public, new audience and remote or small museums.

  • Creating educational programmes around an object or an exhibition.

  • An opportunity to conserve to exhibition standard.

  • Fostering good relationships between museums.

  • Shared and improved knowledge of museum working practices.

  • Exposure of a seldom‑seen artist or subject.

  • Introducing and interpreting other cultures.

    • Some objects should not be moved, either for conservation reasons or due to the fact that they are particularly associated with a specific site or museum. Some loans are in fact undertaken for the wrong reasons. Reasons not to lend include:

  • The object is too fragile to move or lend or has been over‑exposed to light.

  • The item is a ‘key’ object in the museum, permanently on display.

  • The work is not available because it is already reserved for another exhibition.

  • Short notice: there is no time to process the loan or the museum is already fully committed at this time.

  • 2 - Web 2.0 in healthcare information: an overview

  • from Part 1 - The basics
    • By Paula Younger, Library Manager at Weston Area Health Trust in North Somerset
  • Edited by Paula Younger, Peter Morgan
  • Book:
    Using Web 2.0 for Health Information
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 April 2011, pp 9-26

  • Summary

    In the beginning … a brief history of the internet

    Although the internet as we know it is relatively young, having existed in its current form since about 1995, the concept of a connected network of information and linked ideas has been around for at least 60 years (Bush, 1945). Physicians were highlighted, in particular, as a group who would find the ‘memex’ extremely useful. During the 1960s to the 1980s, what we now know as the world wide web continued to develop, incorporating e-mail and early webcams and, more recently, the participatory software and virtual environments that form the backbone of what can be termed ‘Web 2.0’.

    In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee and CERN implemented a hypertext system with the aim of providing efficient and timely information to the research community. Two implicit aims of the internet, linking community and improving the availability of information, were apparent in the system's creation.

    Since it first took form in the early 1960s, the internet has evolved at an exponential rate. In 1994 there were just over 20 million users worldwide; by 2009 there were over 1.5 billion (World Bank, 2010). In the mid 1990s, what we now know as the world wide web first took form, and it has since become the information tool of choice for many. In the process, the internet has changed society and the ways in which we interact beyond all recognition (Naughton, 2006).

    The mid 1990s were a clear turning point. What had been a specialized, text-based information environment became transformed into a more accessible and interactive platform. The first sale on Echo Bay's Auction Bay, precursor of eBay, occurred in 1994 (Collins, 2010). Crucially, 1996 saw the first web-based free e-mail service, Hotmail (Sharma, 2009), changing the way in which we communicate for ever. In 1994, graphical web browsers as a whole, which make the internet as we now know it so accessible and interactive, were still in their infancy: the current search engine favourite, Google, was still four years away (Boulton, 2009). Now that we live in a world of potential constant connectivity and mobile multimedia ‘on demand’, the early years of the internet seem charmingly primitive.

  • Introduction

  • Edited by Paula Younger, Peter Morgan
  • Book:
    Using Web 2.0 for Health Information
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 April 2011, pp xxv-xxvi

  • Summary

    Since the internet first became widely available in the mid 1990s, it has established itself as the major source of information worldwide in many areas, including on some aspects of healthcare.

    What has come to be occasionally termed, at least retrospectively, as Web 1.0 was the first incarnation of the internet. It was mainly text-based and very didactic, and subject experts were the only ones who made information available. A high level of technical skills was required to compose web pages, and access to the internet was only available from a limited number of wired connections and often very expensive.

    The world in which we live now is very different. Anyone with a mobile device and a mobile internet connection can access the world wide web at any time. Content is more flexible and personalized, and no special skills are required to create a very effective wiki or blog, beyond a basic ability with ICT applications such as word processing.

    Since it was first coined at the end of the 1990s, the term Web 2.0 has come, in certain circles, to provide a convenient umbrella term for a much more interactive and collaborative evolution of the internet.

    In healthcare, Web 2.0 applications are just beginning to come into their own as a potential way to improve and maintain education and healthcare information in a wide range of situations, for caregivers and consumers alike. This book concentrates on the provision of healthcare to humans, and the theme of supporting clinical practice underpins many of the contributions.

    The book is not intended as a manual, but rather as a snapshot overview of how some health organizations and professionals are using what are sometimes currently termed Web 2.0 applications and methods of working.

    After an introductory overview to Web 2.0 and healthcare information, Part 2 of the book looks at some of the longer-range implications for the development of healthcare information. The investigations here incorporate case studies to illustrate the effective use and implementation of Web 2.0 applications. These range from wikis and blogs to RSS feeds and Twitter.

    Part 3 includes case studies from a very practical point of view in a range of environments, and Part 4 aims to look into the future, where the Semantic Web, or Web 3.0, is already apparent as the next development of the internet.

  • 1 - Health information: an overview

  • from Part 1 - The basics
    • By Peter Morgan, Head of Medical and Science Libraries, based in the Medical Library at Cambridge University Library, Paula Younger, Library Manager at Weston Area Health Trust in North Somerset
  • Edited by Paula Younger, Peter Morgan
  • Book:
    Using Web 2.0 for Health Information
    Published by:
    Facet
    Published online:
    08 June 2018
    Print publication:
    23 April 2011, pp 3-8

  • Summary

    What is health information?

    Healthcare and medical information professionals have always been quick to adopt new technology (Kumar and Rawat, 2010; McKnight, 2005). This is, in part, due to the nature of their users: healthcare professionals require their information to be as up to date and accurate as possible. The consequences of not having such information to hand are laid out starkly by HIFA2015:

    Every day, tens of thousands of children, women and men die needlessly for want of simple, low-cost interventions – interventions that are often already locally available. A major contributing factor is that the mother, family caregiver or health worker does not have access to the information and knowledge they need, when they need it, to make appropriate decisions and save lives. (HIFA2015, c2010)

    Lack of access to information remains a major barrier to knowledge-based healthcare in developing countries. The development of reliable, relevant, usable information can be represented as a system that requires co-operation among a wide range of professionals, including healthcare providers, policy makers, researchers, publishers, information professionals, indexers and systematic reviewers (Godlee et al., 2004).

    Before we look in more detail at the potential for Web 2.0 to influence healthcare and medical information, it is pertinent to establish just what is meant by health information.

    Broadly, health information consumers divide into two groups: those who deliver care, and those who receive it. Healthcare deliverers divide into two further broad groups: those who have direct contact with patients and those who make a difference to patient care indirectly. Medics, nurses and patient information professionals fall into the first group; librarians, managers, information professionals (including researchers) and health informatics professionals fall into the second group, in the majority of cases.

    The direct deliverers subdivide into many further groups: qualified physicians and nurses, medical and nursing students, and allied health professionals are just some. Each group requires a different type of information: the qualified medics and nurses may require information to enable them to treat a patient, to enhance their own continuing professional development or to prepare a presentation, ward meeting, training session or board paper. Students, on the other hand, may simply require a brief overview of a condition or intervention in order to pass an assignment and build a foundation for their further career development.

Page 223 of 293