Museum Computer Network (MCN) conference 2011 schedule

Saturday 19th November 2011

• Knowledge Sharing 2: What Museums Can Learn From Libraries and Archives

  by Karen Weiss, Jim Ridolfo, Trilce Navarrete Hernández, Paul Marty and William Hart-Davidson

  Room: Cairo
  Part two of the panel discussion on What Museums Can Learn From Libraries and Archives is moderated by Paul Marty.

  We will investigate this phrase by discussing a variety of methodologies used by libraries and archives to share knowledge: between collections, between institutions, and between collections/institutions and users. We will also include examples that aim to broaden and optimize communities' collections access use.

  Part two speakers include:

  William Hart-Davidson, Mike McLeod, and Jim Ridolfo (Michigan State University & University of Cincinnati): "Balancing Stakeholder Needs: Imagining the Michigan State University Israelite Samaritan Collection as the Foundation for a Thriving Social Network"

  Trilce Navarette (University of Amsterdam): "Knowledge sharing: a history of museums and libraries"

  Karen Weiss (Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution): "Taking An Archival Approach to Digitization"

  At 2:00pm to 3:30pm, Saturday 19th November

• Video Production for Museums

  by Andy Underwood-Bultmann and Jesse Heinzen

  Room: Montreal
  Museums are facing a media-hungry world and are looking for ways to produce and deliver more video and audio content. Although production tools are getting more approachable, there are numerous details an organization must take into account. This session will cover both creative and technical considerations when planning for video production.

  At 2:00pm to 3:30pm, Saturday 19th November

• The Great Debate 2011

  Room: International North
  This year’s closing plenary session will reprise last year’s popular “Great Debate” which brings together the museum community’s best and brightest—as well as some of its most charismatic and endearing personalities—to cross words over controversial subjects in the museum technology realm. This year, Rosanna Flouty, Mia Ridge, Rob Stein, and Bruce Wyman will consider the proposition, “There are too many museums.” As before, audience members will participate in the cross-examination—providing questions for extemporaneous responses by the contestants—and will select winners of the debate by show-of-hands voting at the conclusion of the session.

  Last year’s topics, “Museums that are not run as businesses will ultimately fail,” and “Engagement with online-only visitors is as important as engagement with those onsite” produced two hard-fought arguments that many in the museum community are still discussing today. This year’s topic is expected to raise responses covering a range of matters of interest to the museum technology community, including the impact of the networked environment on museum practice, the different values embodied in different kinds of museums, and the value of the museum as a distinct, individual, physical entity.

  At 4:00pm to 5:30pm, Saturday 19th November