Knygotyra (Dec 2006)
DEVELOPMENT OF MUSEUMS, ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES IN E-EUROPE: PROJECT OF EC CALIMERA
Abstract
Over the last decade, the social role of local cultural institutions of all kinds has changed. A shift from the use of information on traditional paper-based carriers to electronic formats has takenplace. The implementation of technology has brought about the modernisation of basic work processes and widened the range of services and channels of access. There is closer intra- and interdomain co-operation both at national and international level. It is no longer easy to draw clear boundaries between archives, libraries and museums in terms of digital content provision.Memory institutions such as libraries, museums and archives are adjusting themselves to the digital age. Web-based services have been expanded, remote use of online catalogues and the accessibility of digitised heritage have all been improved. The task now is to create and promote new services which reach and motivate more people. New services require new tools, many of them ICT-based – and above all a new attitude.CALIMERA (Cultural Applications: Local Institutions Mediating Electronics Resource Access) Co-ordination Action, funded under Information Society Technologies Sixth Framework Programme has set out to help ordinary citizens right across Europe to join e-Europe through the digital services provided by their local cultural institutions. CALIMERA has continued to contribute to the sharing of best practice, producing guidelines and roadmaps with a special focus of local archives and museums and addressing the needs of the end user.The aim of CALIMERA Best Practice Guidelines is to provide policy makers and professionals working in cultural institutions at the local level with a concise and relevant summary of the state of the art in the use of new technologies. These Guidelines are intended to explain in a readable way how these technologies can be deployed to develop digital services designed to meet real user needs – social, cultural and economics – to stimulate wider take-up and creativity among the professional community. They are also intended to support a clearer understanding of the way in which local cultural services can play a key role in the fulfilment of major policy goals in Europe,including those of the e-Europe Action Plan.There are 23 separate Guidelines in all structured as three main roups covering Social, Management and Technical issues. Life-long learning, social disjuncture, cultural diversity, egovernment,social and economical development are the main problems discussed in the Social Policy Guidelines. In Management Guidelines one can meet the same problems discussed form another point. Strategic planning, co-operation and partnership, business models, new challenges forthe employees, activity and evaluation, legal and juridical aspects are tightly connected to the problems mentioned above and can help successfully resolve them. Technical aspects of resolving the problems are described in the third part – Technological Guidelines. Each section of the Guidelines ends up with the list of references to the library, museums and archives as well as other cultural and political organizations best practice examples from all over the world.
