In examining the use of the CN Images of Canada Gallery, an on-line archival collection, this paper explores the practical application of analytical approaches that may be broadly applicable to on-line collections as a whole. Making use of common data sources, the case study creates a rounded picture of how a collection is actually used by visitors. The findings should be broadly usable as a basis of comparison with other collections and their use, as institutions prepare for the next iteration of their on-line offerings. For more information, please see the paper here: http://www.archimuse.com/mw2009/papers/dawson/dawson.html

1. Collection effects examining the actual use of on-line archival images Brian Dawson Marc Ladouceur Marcia Rak

3. Three 6400-class steam locomotives posed for a photo 1936 Subject: 4-8-4 (Locomotive) / 6400 (Locomotive) / Steam locomotives CN000519

4. Women assembling aircraft parts Subject: Airplanes -- Design and construction / Women in war / World War, 1939-1945 -- Participation, Female CN001863

5. A fishing village between the cliffs and the sea François, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Subject: Mooring of ships / Cities and towns -- Canada / Landforms / Ships / Dwellings / Ocean CN003678

6. A farmer inspects his crop of oats Loon Lake/Loon River area, Saskatchewan, Canada July 1951 Photographer: Ken H. Hand Subject: Oats / Farmers CN001746

7. Portrait of Blackfoot Chief High Eagle Canada ca. 1926 Subject: Blackfoot Indians / Indians -- Kings and rulers / Elders (Aboriginal peoples) / Indians of North America -- Alberta / Beadwork / Aboriginal arts CN000596

8. The Web site

9. The Web site

10. Web visits 2000-2008 What is really going on behind these numbers?

12. Analytical framework

18. Sources of data

20. Who and Why

21. Who: visits by country GA

22. Who: visits within Canada GA

23. Who: identity & motivation Photo requests and survey; n=50

24. How

25. How: engagement GA 1:50 4:18 Average Duration 2.87 15.67 Pages / Visit CSTM CN

26. How: browsing vs. searching Survey

27. How: advanced search Survey

28. How: search strategies Survey

29. How: search engine keywords 9 musée des sciences et de la technologie 9 canadian museum of science and technology 10 mv william carson 10 mv bonavista 10 musée des sciences et technologies 10 history of canadian technology 10 cn ""science and technology"" 10 canadian technology history 10 canada science and technology museum gallery 11 canadian railway history 12 history of technology in canada 13 turcot roundhouse 13 ojibwa 14 mv ambrose shea 16 musée des sciences et de la technologie du canada 17 canadian technology 22 cn images of canada 30 science and technology museum 31 museum of science and technology 43 canada science and technology museum 5 m.v. william carson 5 m.v. ambrose shea 5 great western railway+ontario+locomotive 5 champlain and st. lawrence railroad 5 canada science & technology museum 6 science & technology museum 6 scenic views 6 m.v. marine nautica 6 images of canada 6 canadian science and technology museum 6 canadian science and technology 6 canadian museum of science and technology archive cn collection 6 '1927 and canada' 7 www.imagescn.technomuses 7 railways in canada 7 museum of science and tech 7 moose mountain mine 7 canada images 8 science and tech museum 8 museum science and technology

30. How: searching on-site

31. Categorizing search terms CN Gallery, CN Image Gallery, imagescn Variations on "CN Images of Canada Gallery" Web site name industry, agriculture, fishing, lightning, mountain, steel, The Great Depression, World War Two Curatorial area, activities, phenomenon, geographic features, materials, events, etc. Subject list of trains at the science and tech museum, article on the technological development in Canada in the 1850s A search string that was phrased as a question or expression of specific information sought Question / info Calgary, Fort Garry, St. Lawrence River City, province, landmark, fort, park, or proper name of a geographic feature Place women, youth, Ojibwa, Canadian, firefighters, Churchill, Bing Crosby A person, a people, a nation, a race, demographic categories, profession People locomotive, canoe, streetcars, MV Bluenose Tangible things, articles that could be museum collection artifacts (may be a proper name) Object National Science and Technology Museum, Canadian Museum of Science and Technology Variations on “Canada Science and Technology Museum” Museum Name photo, drawing, painting, video, jpg, tiff, image, essay The type of resource being sought Media 1930’s, 50’s, 1939, Pioneer days, The Great Depression, World War Two Dates or periods of time, including events that definitively mark a given period Date Canadian National, Kodak, CBC Names of companies, often manufacturers or operating companies Company CN005007 The number assigned by CSTM when cataloguing the image Catalogue No Nonsense, garbled, cannot determine Ambiguous Examples Definition Category

32. Types of searches Off-site searches On-site searches Place

33. Interest in user contributed content

34. Impacts

35. Impact: Facilitators “ My husband and I are from the MS Gulf Coast and work with youth in our city. We are hosting a retreat in a few months and have been looking for images to utilize as illustrations in our teaching. I ran across this picture in the gallery and it really caught my attention.” Farmer sowing seeds Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada ca. 1920 CN003942

36. Impact: Explorers “ Found good pictures and history. Discovered that there is a lot on line that I must make time to explore." View of a Cape Breton fishing fleet Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada 1926 Subject: Fishers / Fishing boats CN000602

37. Impact: Professionals University of Toronto, building Toronto, Ontario, Canada Subject: University of Toronto (Toronto, Ont.) / Toronto (Ont.) / Trees / College buildings CN005890 “ Our intent is to frame them and hang them inside a Starbucks that I am renovating on College Street. We are trying to incorporate more locally relevant art into our stores. I think these prints would look fantastic.“

38. Impact: Hobbyists “ I am interested in learning more about photo number CN002614 in your CN Collection on your website. I was wondering if you had any information regarding the actual train in the photo... Any information would be greatly appreciated, as I am attempting to build a prototypical CNR passenger train for my model railroad.” A Canadian National Railways passenger train crosses the Cove Bridge London, Ontario, Canada Subject: Canadian National Railways / Steam locomotives / Railroad bridges / Railroads -- Passenger-cars / Coal / London (Ont.) CN002614

39. Impact: Spiritual Pilgrims “ My grandfather was a CNSS Capt of Canadian Cruiser in 1937, the ships Official Number: 150463 This ship was Sunk by German pocket battleship Admiral Scheer 21 Feb 1941 06-36S 47-18E Indian Ocean All of the 36 crew were taken prisoner. One man later escaped from the POW camp to Spain. The date your photo was taken says 1947, but ship was sunk 1941. Any info on this would be appreciated.” Cargo ship MV Canadian Cruiser unloading molasses Montréal, Québec, Canada 1947 Subject: Cargo ships / Molasses / Canadian National Steamship Company, Limited CN001563

40. What next?