In our first year we will be concentrating on the following projects:
Baseline Study - We will be facilitating an extensive survey and inventory of existing technology in our member institutions. A comprehensive understanding of the IT capability within the park will allow us to share resources more effectively and in ways that benefit the most member institutions as possible.
Knowledge Expansion - Through classes, training, and conference support the Balboa Park Online Collaborative will invest significant time and resources into cultivating a self-supporting capability in (and between) institutions so that their web technology may continue to thrive. This includes education and training of curators, educators, and directors in addition to traditional technology staff.
Infrastructure Projects – essential projects that must be completed before the collaborative can move on to other projects
Content Management - We will encourage broad adaptation of Drupal, an open source content management system, a tool that allows non-technical people to edit websites (once created). Implementing a common CMS across institutions will:
• Allow institutions to have dynamic, flexible websites that are easy to update and, if desired, easy to moderate
• Cultivate expertise within the park community
• Reduce redevelopment time and labor by sharing custom features (such as joint calendaring, translation services, and intranet/extranet features)
We will begin this transition by working with institutions that need help redeveloping their websites, such as the Museum of Man, the Japanese Friendship Garden, and 2 sites for the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership: a public website as well as an extranet that will provide members with a collaborative space to share calendars, have discussions, and post documents.
Network and Wireless – We will be working to create network links between institutions, enabling them to share a very large connection to the internet as well as easily backup their data to other buildings.
Collections Management Systems - BPOC will look for commonalities between collecting institutions and find a solution that will work for the most members possible. BPOC can provide training and consulting and help interested institutions develop joint RFP, conduct joint vendor review, and get volume cost reductions, although the actual cost of the software will have to be paid for by each institution. If a collaborative decision is made, the BPOC can also assist institutions in implementation of the system and develop a method for connecting that information to members’ websites.
Collection and Archive Digitization – We will be borrowing digitization equipment for a month and encourage shared use of existing digitization studios to create a sample of the potential power of digitization using a collaborative model. We will then use that sample to seek additional funding for the project.
Driving Museum Visits – We will be working with educators to develop a creative, innovative, interactive gaming experience to link multiple institutions and encourage the public to visit several institutions during each visit to the park.
Social Media – We will be supporting seminars and workshops and providing guidance to member institutions about social media: what it is, how it is best applied for cultural institutions, and whether it is worth the investment.
Funding Opportunities – Finally, we will be leveraging our successes in these areas to seek additional funding for future projects.
Questions? Please contact hhart (at) balboaparkonline.org.