Several people have expressed concern about sharing images of their
collection on the Net, in terms of (A) giving up control of copyright,
and (B) making it less likely that viewers will want to visit the museum
and see the "real thing."  These are valid concerns.
Why are we so focused on providing IMAGES?
Instead of images, provide information.  Why not make our collection
databases, or subsets of them, available worldwide?  Whereas images are
nice for a few minutes, and they may even tantalize the viewer to visit
the museum, information is immediately useful in ways that images cannot
be, e.g. real research, instead of "surfing."
I know there are enormous difficulties involved in putting a database
online in this manner, but isn't this a more fruitful goal to pursue?
What do you think?
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Doug Tilghman, Assistant Director, Spencer Museum of Art
University of Kansas, Lawrence KS 66045     913-864-4710
[log in to unmask]               FAX 913-864-3112
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