Remembering the cluster. Cultural memory institutions and the JISC Learning and Teaching Programme
| Published date | 01 March 2005 |
| Pages | 11-18 |
| Date | 01 March 2005 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/03055720510588407 |
| Author | William Kilbride |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
Remembering the cluster
Cultural memory institutions and the JISC
Learning and Teaching Programme
William Kilbride
Archaeology Data Service, Department of Archaeology, University of York,
York, UK
Abstract
Purpose – To look at what lessons can be learned from six projects in the museum or, more
accurately, cultural memory cluster.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a brief summary of the six projects in the
museum or, more accurately, cultural memory cluster: Digital Egypt, Learning in Museums Using
Resources (LEMUR), Rhynie Chert, Microfossils, Virtual Norfolk, Publications and Archives in
Teaching with Online Information Systems (PATOIS). It then considers some of the possible lessons to
be learned from the cluster, for strategic planners including JISC and also museums and partners.
Findings – The marked diversity of the projects reflected genuine diversity among the institutions
and stakeholders involved, and point to a range of implications including the importance of standards.
The paper points to museums’ potential contribution to digital learning arising from their
sophisticated concepts about user behaviour, methods of enabling access and knowledge of
repackaging resources for new audiences. Memory institutions’ typically long-term agenda argues
against short term project funding and superficial evaluations of value, such as simple usage statistics.
Originality/value – The paper presents valuable lessons for strategic planners learned from the
cultural memory cluster.
Keywords Information management, Organizations,Learning, Teaching, Informationsystems
Paper type Research paper
An epitome in stone
Marischal College in Aberdeen describes in granite a Victorian paradigm of
scholarship. Its solemn halls sheltered the tools of academic endeavour: on opposite
sides of a central hallway, and of equal consequence sit the library and museum. Like
many of its contemporaries, the library quickly outgrew the space available, while
most teaching has also now moved away. The museum too has prospered, but less
impressively. The architect’s vision for uniting the core tools for research learning and
teaching has fallen by the wayside. This architectural history is a miniature of the role
of museums in contemporary academic life; all too often one has the feeling that the
university museum is little more than an extended visitors’ centre; a place to amuse
parents on graduation day; a cultural venue for canape
´s and fizzy wine; but not taken
seriously by serious students or their hard-pressed lecturers.
And yet museums expect a role in research teaching and learning (e.g. Hall, 1999;
Gaimster, 1999), and see innovative use of information technology (IT) as a way to
enhance and encourage access to their collections (e.g. NMDC, 1999). University
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister www.emeraldinsight.com/0305-5728.htm
This article has been improved by the support of the following people who have commented on
an earlier draft: Lyall Anderson, Neil Curtis, Alan Lord, Stephen Quirke and Julian Richards.
Remembering
the cluster
11
VINE: The journal of information and
knowledge management systems
Vol. 35 No. 1/2, 2005
pp. 11-18
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
0305-5728
DOI 10.1108/03055720510588407
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