The moderator, Peggy Keeran, opened the meeting by asking for nominations for a new moderator of the computer section. Marilyn Healey, University of Georgia, volunteered and was elected by the group. Kim Collins, High Museum of Art, agreed to be the recorder for this section meeting.
Peggy began to list the goals of the computer section and the group's background. This section began with a goal of trying to gather the names of ARLIS/NA members who had particular technical expertise and then sharing this list with other members who could use the complied list to draw on the knowledge of their colleagues. This task was found to be very difficult because the members' levels of technical expertise are constantly changing. Another strategic goal for the computer section is to identify ARLIS/NA members who do not have internet access and then find ways to help these members stay informed.
Mary Graham, board liaison for the computer section, came to introduce herself and remind members of the following deadlines:
May 31, 1997 DUE: 1998 conference proposals and requests for any 1998 special funding
April 15, 1997 deadline for next issue of ARLIS Update
June 10, 1997 DUE: all changes to the membership handbook and/or requests for special membership list to be created and published
Marilyn Healey introduced herself and gave a summary of her background in relation to computers. She has experience in installing software and hardware, as well as, trouble shooting. As art bibliographer at University of Georgia, she has experience with new technology, including the new GALILEO (Georgia Libraries Learning Online) system. She recently took a very useful class from UGA about the computer and art. Her goal as this year's moderator is to find a way to help other art libraries "get a leg up" on new technologies available to them.
Then individuals began introducing themselves (see the attendance sheet). They were asked to give their name, institution, and the present status of automation and technology at their institutions.
Discussions turned to the need for a product that could act both as a collection management system and a library catalog with the ability to include digital images of works or art and to be loaded onto the world wide web. Robert, a representative from IBM, confirmed that although the technology is available to be able to create such a product, one does not currently exist.
The problem of how to enter all the copious amounts of data into a CMS (collections management system) was solved in a very curious way at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, California Palace of the Legions of Honor. The public was given $1 a file to enter the information onto a disk using their home PC. Museum staff then compiled the 60,000 automated files and proofread them for mistakes.
Martha Hall, University of Philadelphia, suggested a hands-on workshop for next year's ARLIS/NA conference that would include photoshop, digitizing images, power-point, and scanning. Scanning products, such as Clara-Word, can now read the text of scanned material.
There was also a suggestion that the computer section co-sponsor a program with the museum division about collection management systems. The CMS at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has recently come under the direction of the library. The Getty also sponsors a lot of things about standardizing humanities databases. Eleanor Fink or Jim Bower at the Getty might be good people to discuss CMS standardization. The MCN (Museum Computer Network) , a group that recently broke off from AAM (American Association of Museums), is another good source of speakers for this proposed session.
If members where interested in digital images, it was suggested that they look at the IBM digital library home page (http://www.software.ibm.com/is/dig-lib/) or the homepage of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which has some sample images from their collection.
The group concluded their introductions and adjourned at 1:00pm.
Kimberly Collins
High Museum of Art Library
COLKIM@woodruff-arts.org