Happy day all.

Leaving the specifics of relevancy aside, the discussion between Cheryl and Tom bout the art films touches on what I believe to be an untapped income potential for educational institutions -  i.e. the concept of more usage of streaming media, visual or audio, on museum websites.   I spend a good amount of time in virtual museum visits (albeit, I'd much rather have the luxury of reality), and I honestly believe the impact of this technology, as income or an advertising tool for exhibits, is not being used to it fullest capacity on most.

Perhaps I'm going to places you have already been conceptually, so please enlighten me with your experiences.   But here are my thoughts.  

Facilities with archives of film footage and audio tapes of historical significance could provide access to those for a nominal fee, or perhaps create a one time charge for downloading - in essence, charging the user a licensing fee.  And, since so many of you offer extraordinary workshops that have physical limitations in attendance, filming those workshops, then  offering excerpts and ordering capability thru a website would allow many to benefit who cannot attend  - not to mention boost the kitty of the institution.

As an advertising medium, I am quite sure it is obvious to you all.  But perhaps many of you didn't realize how simple it would be to take any  visual or audio presentations currently used in your exhibits and translate them to your websites.  For those with interactive computer displays and wand tours in existance, the media is already a compatible format and can be translated with ease. 

No doubt there are a myriad of legal issues to sort through on the access to archives, but I can't help but wonder if those of you who are museum educators have utilized this concept for added income successfully, or checked out it's possibilites?

Terri Fiyalko

-- 
1650 NW Front Ave - Suite 110
Portland, OR  97209
(503) 273-2273
http://newtonbard.com/nbtours.html

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