Plans and work programme

The 2007 Renaissance East Midlands consultation highlighted the fact that many museums in the East Midlands are experimenting with digital projects, but without the support or knowledge to make most effective use of new and existing technologies. Museums also lack hardware and there has been little support and practical training available to enable museums to develop online presences and websites to reach out to a new audience.

Most respondents to the Digital Access to Collections user survey hadn’t visited the museum they were viewing online and so it was a new opportunity for them to engage with collections and for most people the visit encouraged them to go to the site.

In 2008 - 2009, Renaissance East Midlands will seek to address these omissions through two programme strands: a collections digitisation skills and support pilot and work to identify who makes up our online audience and who the potential audience is.

The skills and support pilot will include:

• Delivery of a programme of digitisation training, skills development and support aimed at museum staff and volunteers, including hands on support, placements and digital/hardware skills sharing.
• Developing a short ‘how to digitise’ guide in clear language linked to existing advice such as Collections Link digitisation advice.
• Investigating opportunities for national or regional websites or other facilities where museums' digital content and material can be accessed. 
• Providing recommendations for the preservation of digital material.
• Offering funding to support the delivery of the Renaissance East Midlands Digital Access Framework.

Research into online audiences:

• Analysing current information on user consultations relevant to digital projects. 
• Conducting a survey into how online visitors use museum websites – what do they look for, what inspires them and what puts them off. 
• Analysing web usage statistics and recommended Performance Indicators.
• Developing a cluster group for museums working on digitisation to share information and ideas about consultation with users/non users of digital services. 
• Working with museums to enable them to carry out their own user consultation.