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)