Online browsers, linked open data, open access data, federated data - the museum field is being bombarded with opportunities to get our collections information out there, but is our data ready for the big time? This class will walk through the elements of a collections data management project plan, focusing on data availability, usability, consistency, and integrity.
Following along with an example project, attendees will learn how to sequence a data management project, from initial problem identification through data gathering, profiling, and cleaning, on to a shareable output.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this class, students will be able to:
Understand the common tasks and activities carried out during a data management project
Learn how to evaluate and improve existing data and existing data practices
Identify stakeholders affected by data management changes, and learn communication strategies to get buy-in and support
Instructor:
Megan Forbes provides strategic management for CollectionSpace, an open source, web-based collection information management system for museums. She leads the day-to-day operations of the CollectionSpace organizational home, including release planning, community outreach, and coordination with other LYRASIS programs. Megan has been a part of the CollectionSpace team since its inception in 2008 and holds deep knowledge of the system and its functional design. Megan also serves as the Co-Director of the It Takes a Village: OSS Sustainability Models of Collaboration & Sustainability project. She has an MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a BA in Economics and History from Emory University.
