Bringing Science to the World Museum Victoria Natural Science Collections Online 2008 EMu Users’...

Bringing Science to the World

Museum VictoriaNatural Science Collections Online2008 EMu Users’ Meeting, Wellington, New ZealandAlex Chubaty, Collection Information Systems

Introduction

• 2006 – collections on Intranet (‘Musenet’)

• History and Technology collectionData preparationField mapping

• Features:Keyword and Advanced SearchesTaggingRecently viewed imagesSearch filtersRelated records based on Classification,Subjects/Keywords, Collection Name

• Over 385,000 records

Advanced Search interface (partial) for MV History & Technology collections on ‘Musenet’, with search term

Natural Sciences on Musenet

• Field MappingSearch and DisplayFields and Records

• Data preparationConsistency (Taxonomy module)Format standardisationData validationCommon names

• Basic FeaturesKeyword and Advanced SearchesTaggingRecently viewed images

Advanced Search interface (partial) for MV Natural Sciences collections on ‘Musenet’

Search returns and display

• Individual records plus links via scientific name

• Custom made ‘summary data’

• Search filtersTaxonomyLocality

• Mapping facilitySpecies Specimen

Mapping Functionality

• Google Maps vs KE MapsInstallation and supportPublic familiarityGoogle technology improvements

• Google Earth/Google Maps

Natural Sciences live on the web

• On Musenet - Oct 2007

• Live from MV website – Nov 2007

• 11 disciplines

• Over 883,000 records

• Example searches

Later Features Added

• Mapping at single specimen level

• Browse function – 3 broad levels

• Vernacular names added

• Search engine optimisation

• Improved search speed and search matching

Features To Be Released or Tested

• Species level results as first results

• Location based searches

• Display vernacular names more frequently

• Image browser

Statistics from Google Analytics1 Jan – 30 Aug 2008• 27,427 visits from 147 countries

• 21,408 visitors

• 4.77 pages per visit

• Average of 2.04 minutes spent

• Popular keywords: kunatitepaxillosida: luidiidaeaustronomia

Source of Traffic

• Google – 80%

• Referring sites – 10%

• Direct traffic – 10%

Conclusions

• Genuine interest in MV’s scientific collections

• Increased public awareness of MV as a holder and custodian of legacy data sets

• Increased public awareness of the scope and size of our collections

The Future

• History and Technology’s ‘Web Readiness’ project

• Indigenous Cultures discussing strategies

• Major part of MV’s online strategyDigitisationPublic accessStorage

Where?

• http://collections.museumvictoria.com.au

• http://museumvictoria.com.au/

• http://www.collectionsaustralia.net

• http://www.google.com

Acknowledgements

• Craig ChurchillCollection System SpecialistOnline Development

• Ken WalkerDeputy Head Sciences (Terrestrial Zoology)