#11 The light at the end of the tunnel?
What’s the role of digital in the post-pandemic GLAM world (if there’s ever going to be one)?
First of all: Welcome back after the summer break! Sorry for disappearing without a word, but we simply needed time off to recover, relax and get some inspiration. We hope you found some quiet hours, days, or weeks as well!
In our parts of the world, societies and politicians are discussing “roads to recovery” and when we’ll finally be returning to some kind of new normal. The pandemic has been going on for more than a year now and it has reshaped what digital practice looks like in so many GLAM institutions across the world. At the same time, it sometimes feels like that the changes are sometimes only superficial and that some are longing to go back to “the physical visitor is king*queen”.
How will digital in GLAMs adapt to a post-pandemic world? How will our workplaces change, how will digital interactions with the audience change? What’s our wish list and what should we try to avoid as a sector?
And then we are also inviting you to meet us and exchange ideas, find out more about that at the end of this newsletter!
In this issue, we’ll wonder how GLAMs will set priorities when it comes to digital in the future, we discuss the expectations places on digital GLAM staff, the gap between national and smaller institutions, and what GLAM workplaces could look like after the pandemic.
1. Let’s talk about… the role of digital in GLAM in “the new normal”
Medhavi: It is no secret that during the first months of the pandemic, digital media use increased exponentially as people stayed home, and shifted their lives online. For many GLAMs, this period also marked their digital debut. From educational sessions to virtual tours and social media activity - there have been many diverse, new experiences (as well as Zoom-fatigue!) that audiences were exposed to, and surely, some of these are here to stay as places begin to welcome visitors. What I cannot miss mentioning here is how promptly several GLAMs responded to the situation as remote working became the norm almost overnight.
However, I was recently speaking with a colleague from a small-sized, but important museum in India that has really boosted their social media efforts in the last year. I realized that the management recognized these efforts as the extent of their digital transformation. I, therefore, wondered if other GLAMs, too, were positioning their digital efforts towards a similar direction. As GLAMs begin to open their doors to the public again, what will their digital priorities be like?
Larissa: I feel like there are a couple of things to unpack, and one of them is how the cultural heritage and arts sector wants to envision themselves in the future, how they want to set their priorities, and how they perceive themselves in competition to other sectors when trying to attract audiences and qualified workers.
Essentially, in my view, the question is about the social role of GLAMs and how they prioritize their audiences. What kind of profile do they want to build, how do they want to balance their physical, seemingly more traditional role with diverse offers to their communities? I still get questions around if digital activities want to replace the object, the original. As long as GLAMs see digital and physical practice as two different aspects of their activities instead of focusing on the different audiences they could serve with both as a spectrum of tools, their struggle to find their role and relevance in nowadays societies will only increase.
One of my main concerns right now is how the skills divide that has become more apparent during the pandemic is going to increase the gap between the stars in the sector from regional and small museums. When I look into conference programs right now, I see the big players getting all the attention for their work, the internationally renowned institutions with a lot of money in their pockets. And yes, of course, we need to see the trailblazers and get inspired by them. But I also want to see (because I know that they exist) the volunteer-led museums and how they come up with creative digital ideas that are sometimes so much more audience-centered and mission-driven.
And then there is the need for GLAMs to hire skilled staff if they really want to go on and invest in digital, whether that means digital access to collections, social media, or digital experiences. And create the positions that actually allow people to sustain a living, not only for the time of a few months. I am increasingly alarmed that museums in Germany for example seem to try to staff digital roles with the candidates they can pay as little money as possible, especially in trainee positions. There are great hopes and expectations on the one hand, and low appreciation, systemic issues, and precarious employment on the other hand. As Lori Byrd-McDevitt brilliantly summarized the intersections of challenges in the whole sector:
“If museum boards and leadership hope to prevent the flood of resignations, they will need to act big and act fast. But honestly, the solutions aren’t that difficult to come by.”
Medhavi: I know exactly what you mean about the increasing gap between regional museums and larger ones, and personally for me, I have been thinking of the role umbrella organizations, and aggregators can play in: a) increasing visibility, b) building participation, c) building connections or dialogue between museums.
Also, your point about hiring skilled staff to meet digital goals makes me think of upskilling existing staff, which is unfortunately still not a mandate at GLAMs in many parts of the world.
We want to hear about your experiences! As old barriers to digital transformation have been torn down by the pandemic, will we actually start to re-think existing (or non-existent) digital infrastructure? Are you also thinking about new revenue models that account for digital activities, how to increase digital capacity in your institution and how to invest the existing budget right?
Share your views by taking this quick survey, so we can collectively navigate through this period of restructuring. We would like to get your feedback and experiences before taking up this topic in our next edition.
2. The written word
Larissa: I’ve recently rediscovered this article by Verity Burke, Dolly Jørgensen & Finn Arne Jørgensen on “Museums at Home: Digital Initiatives in Response to COVID-19”. It was published already last year, looking at the digital activities museums came up with during the pandemic. The interesting aspect in the article was for me the categories they have come up with to look at different initiatives, from “attempts to replicate the museum visit experience, to alternative replacements making use of online platforms, to initiatives that envision radically different relationships to their audiences.”
In their conclusion, they make a valid point:
“Pre-lockdown digital engagement has been proven to drive audiences to seek out the “real deal”, but such initiatives require the investment not just of staff time, but also of appropriate funding. Museums which prior to COVID-19 had invested in their digital and social media presence have had the value of their efforts confirmed. Once doors are reopened and audiences invited back inside, we should remember that our online audiences should not be neglected.”
Medhavi: I completely agree with that view, and to be honest, it has been one of my biggest fears where small, under-resourced museums are concerned. Even at bigger institutions, I wonder if there would be a separate budget allocated for digital programming, or if there would be a social-media specific job-role. More than anything, I am looking forward to seeing if GLAMs will develop a unique strategy for digital audiences or how they’d continue to nurture the communities they have created over the past year.
Larissa: I share your worries. I love seeing people at the museum, but it’s sad to see that as a society, we opened up access to online experiences, but are now starting to shift investments again to the physical realm, leaving all those behind who maybe can’t or won’t come to the physical venue.
3. Start digging
One of the most regular misconceptions about digital in the cultural heritage sector is that it will help you to reach everyone, all the audience out there. Quite a lot of GLAMs have very vague ideas about who they are actually trying to reach online, who they are designing for. Dr. Karin Glasemann (Nationalmuseum, Sweden) recently summarized in a brilliant article how they started their process of developing a clear picture of their target groups by getting to know themselves. It is part of the NEO Collections project exploring “ new ways of working with the museum collections”. Great read featuring a couple of recommendations on how to start that process yourself!
4. And now for something completely different
How are you feeling while working from home? Relieved to skip the commute? Or starting to miss clear boundaries?
“[Shamsi] Iqbal, the Microsoft researcher, said that this was the same idea behind a ‘virtual commute’ that her company has just released. An onscreen tap on the shoulder—‘Ready to leave for the day?’—signals that it’s time to knock off. The shutdown sequence has you bookmark what you were working on. It invites you to ‘take a minute to breathe and reset,’ in sync, if you like, with a calming meditation video. Because work is done.”
Jerry Useem: The Psychological Benefits of Commuting to Work. The Atlantic, 29 July 2021. Link.
Larissa: Something that became so apparent to me when starting my first job in the cultural heritage sector is that a lot of people are incredibly intrinsically motivated in their work, they burn for their jobs. And in too many cases, I’ve seen the system and organizations abusing that, putting more workload on their shoulders than healthy - because we are supposed to just be happy to have a job in this field.
In COVID times, this has increased, especially with a financial crisis that impacts the heritage sector as well. And this is especially true for digital folks, as we never need to leave our tools at the office like conservators do (please don’t start taking those artifacts home). I see social media people working on weekends and long into the nights because they have their tools always within reach. The same goes for database managers, content creators… What new rituals does our field need to help create boundaries? There are always some that don’t need any boundaries. But your organization should know that they exist.
Medhavi: Artist, designer, and author, Adam J. Kurtz, in his guide “How to Begin Again” suggests we ‘disappear (with intent)’:
“Nobody actually reinvents themselves overnight. There isn’t a magic switch. You’re already out of the game, might as well take the time you need to catch you breath. Plan your next steps. Put all the pieces together.”
Last week, I received an email from a fellow professional at 11:30 pm (same time zone as me). When does the workday end for her, I wondered. Unreal expectations from staff are one thing, but “digital” work often comes with a 24x7 responsibility - which is when I think we should disappear with intent ;) That’s also why I loved seeing this tweet:
5. Shout-out to:
6. Let’s meet up!
We want to meet you! We have something to celebrate: Dig It! exists for a bit more than a year now and we’ve published more than ten issues. And we want to party with you!
Meet us in a Twitter space, just follow us on Twitter and you’ll see us there on 13 September at 4 pm CET. The theme is: Let’s build bridges of inspiration! We both have felt some inspirational numbness the last months, with so many meetings being canceled and voices that inspire us to be lost in Zoom marathons. So we want to focus on exchange. No presentations, no agenda. Just people digging it. Bring your ideas, wishes, and your favorite beverage. Some of the questions we’d like discuss with you (but please feel free to bring your own!):
How will GLAMs fit into their roles when transforming into hybrid institutions?
When will we start talking more about the goals and less about the means?
What would the (digital) workplace look like that we would actually like to work at?
Thank you for your support throughout this first year!
See you soon,
7. Upcoming
🗓 Since 1 September: Wiki Loves Monuments
The global photography contest about cultural heritage is back! Get your camera out and document cultural heritage in your environment, upload it openly licensed on Commons, or use your institutional platforms to engage people with history and culture nearby.
🗓 12 September 2021: Deadline for the Europeana 2021 Call for Proposals
This year’s conference is focused on finding ways for a “sustainable, responsible and inspiring cultural heritage sector for today and tomorrow”. There are different themes in the Call for Proposals: Diversity & Inclusion, Participation, Collaboration, Digital Public Sphere and Data Spaces, and Climate Action. The conference itself takes place online on 10, 11 & 12 November 2021.
🗓 20-24 September 2021: Creative Commons Summit 2021
Registration is now open for this year’s edition of the CC Summit! There are highlights to participate in like Hack4OpenGLAM and a great conference program to attend. Find out more here!