Elizabeth Vallance wrote

>Remember too that random-access audiotours really function very much like
object labels and wall >text: good info, in varying quantities and levels of
detail, but each autonomous, very difficult to >build a theme or a story
line...

Some thoughts on the question of theme building using random access
technology.

The freedom that random access offers for the visitor to choose their own
geographical route through the exhibition is self evident and highly
acceptable to the visitor. Giving them the opportunity to choose their own
intellectual route through the exhibition, as their time and interests
dictate, represents an equally significant departure from the conventional
tape tour, and one that is also enthusiastically received by the user. Our
experience to date suggests that this can also be achieved without
sacrificing the ability to build a theme or follow a story line.

In the last six months, we have created random access audio programs for use
with our digital audio wand system for two --widely different -- temporary
exhibitions, Creating French Culture:Treasures from the Bibliotheque
nationale at the Library of Congress and the Georg Baselitz retrospective
presented by the Gugenheim Musem and currently at LACMA.

I would be happy to share with anyone our experiences in the program making
involved, because in both exhibitions the curatorial theme acts as a motif
that runs throughout the program--even as it is assumed that no visitor will
listen to every audio segment.  I might add that for those who want it, a
linear tour can be added as an option (a layer), telling a 40-minute story
just as the cassette tours do. I think however once the richness of the
combined layered and linear approach is experienced,only cost factors would
drive you back to the cassette type system.

In any case, we appreciate Elizabeths encouragement to consider software
issues along with the examination of hardware developments, and very much
look forward to hearing other thoughts on this subject.


Michael McLoughlin
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