Module 2: Significance, standards, and systems

Sections

Work your way through the following sections:

• Selection and significance
• Systems and standards

Portfolio checklist

Here’s a summary of all the tasks and activities you should have added to your portfolio as you worked through this module:

• What’s in a collection policy?: Using the MAVic template and the other resources linked above, I want you to assess your selected policy (in a minimum of 200 words). Think critically about what’s included and what isn’t. Give the policy a grade from A to E, and offer some suggestions for improvement.

• Assessing significance: Make sure you read at least Parts 4 and 5 of Significance 2.0. These parts walk you through the process of significance assessment. Find an object at home is important to you, work through the significant assessment process, and prepare a short statement of significance (minimum of 400 words). Remember you need to argue clearly why and how your object matters.

• Making metadata: What’s the value of metadata? Read the sources linked above and write 5 dot points on the importance of metadata to the GLAM sector. Make it convincing!

• Seeing standards: Imagine you have responsibility for a collection of recorded music (both digital and analogue). Now look through the Seeing Standards glossary for relevant standards. Write a minimum of 100 words on which standards you think would be most useful to you and why.

• Standards are not standard: How can we put holes in our metadata boxes? After reading the resources linked above, I want you to write a short (minimum of 100 words) reflection on how the development and use of standards in cultural heritage might be opened up to new forms of collaboration, to new ways of sharing power and authority. What ethical questions do we need to confront? Who do we need to involve?

• Introducing Omeka: Once you’ve created your Omeka site, include a screenshot and the url in your portfolio, and share the url on Slack.