MUSEUM INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
January 18 - April 23, 1999
Distance Education Course offered through the Cultural Resource
Management Program at the University of Victoria
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Happy New Year!

This is a reminder of the registration deadline for this
internet-based distance education course for museum and heritage
professionals. We still have a couple of spaces available, so please
contact us if you would like more information or registration
materials.

MUSEUM INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

Museums and their collections hold a wealth of information that is
only fully valued as a core asset if it is effectively understood,
organized, and accessed. This unique Internet-based course explores
the multi-layered nature of museum information and goes on to provide
frameworks to support systematic and integrated organization and
management. You will develop your ability to:

*  understand the fundamental importance of information to museums
and the range of perspectives that influence its value
*  trace the philosophical, historical, and technological evolution
of museum information management and understand how this shapes how
information is gathered, structured, accessed and shared
*  recognize the complex and interrelated types of information,
using the ICOM-CIDOC model
*  understand the ways in which current and emerging technologies
enable museums to gather, manage and share this information
*  recognize the importance of integrated approaches to information
management
*   critically assess the information systems available to museums
*  access resources and professional networks which support museum
information management

Instructor: James Blackaby is Senior Information Systems Analyst,
Walker Art Center and a consultant in information management.
Dates: January 18 - April 23, 1999
Please register by: January 5
Fee: $589  (Canadian funds, approximately $390 USD, credit and non
credit options available)

You communicate with the instructor and fellow participants through a
dynamic and interactive course website. Please visit our Program
website for more information on system requirements.

DRAFT OUTLINE SUMMARY

I. Introductions
- Establishing Contact
- Introductions to People and Ideas
- Museum Information Systems Past and Present
- ICOM-CIDOC Model

II. A First Look at Five Basic Types of Information
- Objects
- People
- Places
- Events
- Concepts

III. A Second Look...
Individual pathways through Objects, People, Places, Events and
Concepts

IV. Delivery of Museum Information
- Information Formats for Sharing: metadata, sharing contextual
materials, integrating and sharing information
- The Politics of Information Sharing: controlling access, rights,
licensing access, fair use, directions
- .Providing Physical Access: making your site visible and accessible
- The Internet as Delivery System
- Alternative Approaches to Information Distribution: client-server
databases, text retrieval engines, image retrieval and management
tools, multi-media production and distribution tool

V. Tools and Trends
- An Overview of the Web
- Imaging
- Technology
- Applications

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Comments from Past Participants:
"This course exceeded all of my expectations... I worked hard, learned
a lot and brought back information to the Museum."

"I feel much more confident in the technological aspects needed in
managing museum information. … The course was paced well and led
students to more complicated issues and practices through a gradual
process."

"Reaching and surpassing technological hurdles were made much easier
within the confines of this course. Jim and the other course
participants were very helpful and encouraging."

"I attended my regional curator's roundtable yesterday, and our topic
of discussion was … computerization of collections!  It became
immediately clear to me how much I have gleaned from this course,and
how beneficial a course such as this could be for so many others out
there … I embark with confidence and insight into the perils,
pitfalls, and dilemmas that I know I will encounter on my way to that
elusive goal of fine data management."

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Joy Davis, Program Director
Brenda Weatherston, Program Coordinator
Cultural Resource Management Program
Division of Continuing Studies
University of Victoria
PO Box 3030 STN CSC
Victoria, BC CANADA V8W 3N6
Telephone (250) 721-8462  Fax: (250) 721-8774
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/crmp/
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