future collections

The Future for Collections

Nick Poole, Collections Trust

04.12.08

Curriculum Vitae

Jobs:

Chief Executive, Collections Trust

Regional Policy Adviser, MLA

National ICT Adviser, MLA

Client Liaison, UBS Warburg

Education:

History & Philosophy of Science, UCL

Fine Art Foundation, St Martins

Languages, Cambridge

Synopsis...

A new pragmatism

A new balance

A new Social Contract

The death of Documentation

The Digital Economy

Shop culture

We can’t stop time | We acquired too much too fast | We are hoarding | The problem wasn’t money after all | Our core proposition is strong | A project culture is not the best way of achieving change | A performance culture is about ticking boxes | We can’t afford it...

Welcome to the ‘austerity’ museum

The new balance...

Once every 4-5 years, the pendulum swings between collections and access, conservation and learning, ‘front of house’ and ‘back office’.

The new balance says that they are one and the same thing. It’s about creating integrated organisations.

We have a dream...

A Service to Commemorate the passing of

Museum Documentation

04.12.08

It’s no longer about specialism & databases...

It’s about:

• Understanding the connections

• Managing programmes & resources

• Taking people with you

Collections Management gives you stability,confidence, creative freedom, the ability to be open with your Collections.

Technology has made publishers of us all

The consumer expects to be able to plan a visit, look at a map...

Every indication is that there is no demand for collections on the Web

The age of Digitisation is at an end

The age of projects and pilots and demonstrators will soon be at an end

The Internet economy is built on search & advertising. Both require critical mass. We have to go where the people are.

How will your kidsConsume culture?

And their kids...?How will your kids consume culture?

The new economy is creating many strange new alliances. Where are the boundaries beyond which we stop being museums and start being something else? Can we continue to justify uneconomic behaviour on the basis that culture is an intrinsic public good? How do we feel about selling our brand, and putting the public trust in museums up to the highest bidder?

No matter what excites, interests or motivates you about working with museums, libraries or archives, if you don’t understand Collections Management, the interplay of disciplines and the underlying models of how these places work, you won’t achieve anything.

Our sector is changing fast...

At stake is the opportunity to articulate a new kind of museums sector for a new kind of audience.

Your opportunity is to build on 30 years ofknowledge about how to create, manageand share collections so that they reallycan change peoples lives.

Have fun!

We’re looking for a placement student!

Nick PooleChief ExecutiveCollections Trust

www.collectionstrust.org.ukwww.collectionslink.org.ukwww.openculture.collectionstrustblogs.org.uk

nick@collectionstrust.org.uk

01223 316 028