Smithsonian Archives: Fast, Cheap

& In Control

Effie Kapsalis

Head of Web & New Media

Smithsonian Archives

@digitaleffie

#MWmetrics

Flickr user Rachel Ford James

Target Audiences

Researchers (interns, fellows, academic researchers)

Serious online researchers (Wikipedians, Collections mystery solvers on Flickr Commons etc)

General public enthusiasts (Lifelong Learners, DIYer looking for information and help)

Smithsonian record creators

Broad Organizational Mission

“The Archives’ mission is to document the goals and activities of the whole Smithsonian in its pursuit of increasing and diffusing knowledge, and exciting learning in everyone. The Archives is also responsible for ensuring institutional accountability, and for enhancing access to the rich and diverse resources in its care. ”

Step 1: Identify Goals

Credit: Avinash Kaushik, “Digital Marketing and Measurement Model,” http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/digital-marketing-and-measurement-model/

Step 2: Identify Strategies/Tactics

Credit: Avinash Kaushik, “Digital Marketing and Measurement Model,” http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/digital-marketing-and-measurement-model/

Step 3: Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Credit: Avinash Kaushik, “Digital Marketing and Measurement Model,” http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/digital-marketing-and-measurement-model/

Strategy: Tell Stories Highlighting Smithsonian as Research & Education

Catalyst

Blog KPI – Low Frequency Visits are trending down + High Frequency Visits are trending up!

Strategy: Increase Representation of Archives’ Collections on Popular Research

Websites

Wikipedia Page Views: BaGLAMa

GLAM/Wikipedia Tools - https://outreach.wikimedia.org/wiki/GLAM/Resources/Tools

Wikipedia Page Views: BaGLAMa

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Outcomes

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon Outcomes

http://stats.grok.se/

Strategy: Increase Share & Quality of Conversation around SIA Collections &

Resources

Strategy: Increase Share & Quality of Conversation around SIA Collections

& Resources

Strategy: Increase Share & Quality of Conversation around SIA Collections

& Resources

Improve Collections Findability

Improve Collections Findability

Improve Collections Findability

Improve Collections Findability

Foresee Open Ended: Did not find looking for

• Collections (30)

• Of 30 responses, only 4 were searching for items we DO have. • “list of architectural styles of the Smithsonian buildings”

• “Mary Henry's complete diary”

• “Electronic version of the Smithsonian Annual Report 1895.”

• “http:// siarchives.si.edu/history/exhibits/historicpicturessmithsonian but got AFRICAN MUSEUM”

• Photos/Digitized Collections (3)

• In general, people were looking for more.

Foresee Open Ended: What ways can we improve search?

Want “Google” resultsMany of the titles are unclear about what they

containI wish audio were availableNeed greater clarity on what can be accessed

electronically.Access to records, picturesWho to contact for help, live chat

Improve Collections Findability

Improve Collections Findability

Improve Collections Findability

Website Satisfaction Survey On the Cheap

Keep Learning

Know your bone (Colleen Dilenschneider) - http://colleendilen.com/

Beth Kanter – How Connected Non-Profits Leverage Networks & Data for Social Change- http://www.bethkanter.org/

Avinash Kaushik - http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/

@digitaleffie