This document summarizes the findings of a research project on museum digital asset management and aggregation. It conducted interviews and a survey of museums. Key findings include: most museums have or are pursuing a digital asset management system, primarily to manage photographs; successful systems are targeted to specific needs rather than large and complex; museums are interested in sharing assets through external projects but lack time and have copyright concerns; and defining fair use is allowing more open sharing of digital collections.

1. Museum Digital Asset
Management and Aggregation
Research Project
Scott Sayre, Sandbox Studios
November 21, 2013
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

2. Goals
• To better understand the current internal and
external landscape of museum digital asset
management.
• Identify interest, opportunities and issues
related to participating in public facing
aggregation projects.
• Understand how ARTstor can better serve
the museum community through it’s tools
and services.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

3. Methodology
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Conducted in-person and phone interviews with 8
cultural organizations.
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Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
International Center for Photography
Minnesota Historical Society
Minnesota Digital Library
Peabody Essex Museum
Terra Foundation for American Art
Walker Art Center
Conduct online survey of museum field
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

4. Survey Respondents – type of museum
(n= 189 full)
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

5. Size of Museum - full-time staff
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

6. Survey Respondent Positions
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

7. Findings
Digital Asset Management
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

8. Finding 1
Most surveyed museums have or are actively
pursuing a digital asset management solution.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

9. Finding 2
Survey respondents see management of
collections photography to be of primary
importance.
Top Departments
1.Collections
2.Imaging
3.Visual resources
4.Curatorial
5.Exhibits
Top Media Types
1.Photography
2.Video
3.Text
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

10. Finding 2
Other museum departments and media
types were seen as a lower priority.
Other Departments
9. Education
10. New Media
11. Public Relations
12. Events
13. Administration
Other Media Types
4. Audio
5. Graphics
6. Design documents
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

11. Finding 3
Most important features of DAMS for
museums are:
1. Controlled, multi-level access
2. Derivative asset generation and
management
3. Public access options
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

12. Finding 4
Greatest perceived benefits of DAMS in
museums are:
1. Centralized storage
2. Preservation
3. Reducing redundancy
4. Controlled access
5. Managing rights
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

13. Finding 5
DAMS adoption can fail if not scoped
properly for the institution and application.
1. Large enterprise level DAMS can be too
complex for museums.
2. Simple, targeted applications are the most
likely to succeed.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

14. Finding 6
The majority of museums are using a wide
range of uncontrolled cloud-based, thirdparty solutions to share media internally
and externally.
(e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive...)
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

15. Finding 7
Many museums now how specialized
positions focusing on the digital asset
management issue, including,
• Digital asset management specialists
• Visual resource specialists
• Metadata specialists
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

16. Findings
Digital Asset
Aggregation Projects
(e.g. Digital Public Library (DPA), Google Art Project,
Flickr Commons, Library of Congress, Artsy, etc.)
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

17. Finding 9
The majority of museums are very
interested in participating in large external
aggregation projects.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

18. Finding 10
Museums interest in participating in external
aggregation projects is primarily based on:
1. Fulfills online access goals
2. Projects intended audience
3. Ease of participation
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

19. Finding 11
Greatest obstacles to participation in
external aggregation projects are:
1. Time and capacity
2. Copyright issues
Tied for number 3
• Metadata requirements
• Ease of exporting data
• Potential dilution of brand
• Locating images
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

20. Finding 12
Museums adopting a more open definition of
fair use and public sharing of digital assets.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

21. One more interesting finding
Bandwidth is still an issue.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

22. Conclusions
• Digital asset management is finally
gaining traction
• Much work remains on successful
implementation strategies.
• More focus is needed on peripheral
media assets.
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios

23. There’s much more…
Access full results @
sandboxstudios.org/2013DAMS
Add your comments by contacting:
scott@sandboxstudios.org
@zbartrout
Museum Digital Asset Management and Aggregation Research Project
Scott Sayre Sandbox Studios