John Coburn- E-Collections OfficerTyne & Wear Archives & Museums

@newcastle_libraries

Testing the water with the Culture Grid API

• 15,000 TWAM records (500k)

• 30,000 NE Renaissance-funded

• 55,000 NE records

“ People are over-optimistic about future commercial value (of our data) and not excited enough about present public value.”

‘Encouraging Digital Access to Culture’DCMS, March 2010

…relationships!

60 signed up - 40 attended

28 coders - 12 “non-coders”

5 working prototypes and 2 concepts developed in 8 hours

Funding awarded to 2 projects after the event

@m

artin

_88

Data visualisations

Content integrated into virtual worlds

Map search tools

Object palette generator

Simple QR code generator for exhibitions

Distributes Grid content to Facebook networks

@ja

nete

davis

The good bits

Knowing what’s possible (most ideas weren’t developed)2 usable (inexpensive) ideas

Good will shown to cultural orgs publishing dataNew relationships- ongoing support and guidance

Things we learnt

• Ideas/coding time balance• On the day collaborations

between coders and non-coders

• Only 1 project realistic in 8 hrs• Integrate the ideas session• Competition compromises

collaboration?• Keep it social

‘Broadening Hack Days’ on http://museum-api.pbworks.com

“If the data isn’t in a format that someone can easily access then it’s going to lie fallow, unused and unexplored…the more accessible the data is, regardless of how interesting or controversial it is, the more people will make something out of it. Ease of access is paramount”.

A blogger after attending a Culture Grid demo, June 2010.

Hunt down and embrace your local open data geeks

@alistair_uk

Alistair

What’s next?

john.coburn@twmuseums.org.uk @j0hncoburn