Collection vs Media, Digital vs Analogue Adrian Kingston, Digital Asset Manager Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Act 1992 combined the former National Museum and the National Art Gallery Opened in new building 14th February 1998 Averages over 1.1 million visitors annually Collections include Photography, Art, History and Pacific, Taonga Maori, Archives, and Zoological and Botanical sciences.

Wellington Picture

Previous situation: Te Kahui Photography Collection Objects and Media Assets catalogued in the same place Confusion over what was original, a copy, or whether part of the Collection or not Digital Collection Objects waiting for cataloguing No specific fields for digital information

The issues: How do we Manage Collection Objects as Collection Objects regardless of format or material? Appropriately manage Media Assets in a way that distinguishes them from Collection Objects? Record required technical information about Objects and Assets? Highlight the relationships that may exist between a Media Asset and a Collection Object?

Objects that have been collected by the Museum because of their historical, aesthetic, scientific or other significance and have been through a formal acquisition process May be analogue OR digital Collection Objects:

Records (predominantly images) created or used by the museum to support collection documentation; access and preservation; and other museum activities May be analogue OR digital Media Assets:

All digital objects in Multimedia module  Would have separated analogue Collection Objects from digital Collection Objects, analogue Media Assets from digital Media Assets Media Assets (analogue or digital) in Multimedia Module  Inadequate cataloguing capabilities  Lack of support modules (Conservation etc)  Where do digital Collection Objects go? Collection Objects and Media Assets in the catalogue, Multimedia as an “import” tool only Options:

Media Asset Scanned Digital (TIFF) Collection object Painting Collection Media Asset Colour Transparenc y Analogue Media Assets CATALOG UE Current situation; Scan of photograph of Collection Object MULTIME DIA TIFF Resolutions Metadata Image.tif

Current situation; Hierarchy

Collection object Digital Collection Media Assets CATALOG UE MULTIME DIA TIFF Resolutions ? Metadata Image.t if Current situation; Digital Collection Object

Media Asset Scanned Digital (TIFF) Collection Media Assets CATALOG UE Current situation; Media Assets of non-collection subjects MULTIME DIA TIFF Resolutions Metadata Image.t if

Current situation - Positives Collection items managed together Media Assets managed together Appropriate management modules and cataloguing tools available Ability to relate media assets to collection items

Current situation - Negatives Separation based on a single field in the catalogue Complex security and access Confusing relationship of Media Asset records to other modules Duplicate info in multimedia module record Two records required for every digital object (Collection or Media Asset record, and a Multimedia record)

Our ideal Retain hierarchical relationships between Collection records and Media Asset records. Collection and non-collection items are distinct Appropriate tools and support modules are available for describing and managing objects of any format Only one record is required per object or asset

Media Asset Scanned Digital Collection object Painting Collection Media Asset Colour Transparency Analogue Media Assets CATALOG UE Preferred situation; Scan of photograph of Collection Object Image.t if Multimedia functionality TIFF Resolutions Metadata

Collection object Digital Collection Media Assets CATALOG UE Image.t if Preferred situation; Digital Collection Object Multimedia functionality TIFF Resolutions Metadata

Media Asset Scanned Digital (TIFF) Collection Media Assets CATALOG UE Preferred situation; Media Assets of non- collection subjects Image.t if Multimedia functionality TIFF Resolutions Metadata

Conclusions – our ideal (again) Retain hierarchical relationships between Collection records and Media Asset records. Collection and non-collection items are distinct Appropriate tools and support modules are available for describing and managing objects of any format Only one record is required per object or asset