Open a Glam Lab

This book has been inspired by the International GLAM Labs Community, that was born in 2018 at the event on global 'Library Labs' held by the British Library. The event was attended by over 70 people from 43 institutions and 20 countries and followed up by a second global GLAM Labs meeting at the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen in Spring 2019. The community has now grown to 250 people, from more than 60 institutions, in over 30 countries. Based on the huge interest and need for sharing knowledge about growing Labs at GLAM institutions, a Book Sprint was planned. It took place in September 2019. You are now looking at the results.

Forewords

by Dr Georgios Papaioannou

Foreword: GLAMs and Labs

by Patrice Landry

Foreword: Qatar National Library

by Judith Broady-Preston

Foreword: Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)

by Dr. Talal Al-Emadi

Foreword: QU Press

Chapters

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Introducing GLAM Labs

Cultural heritage institutions need a digital shift. Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) Labs will make that shift happen. Operating at the intersection of digital cultural heritage, innovation, technology and creativity, they provide significant benefit.

Building a GLAM Lab

Formulating values is an important early step for Labs and this chapter helps generate ideas on how to do this. It also advocates for defining design principles for Labs as a way of working in an experimental environment and suggests tips on positioning and starting a Lab.

GLAM Lab Teams

There is no Lab without people. This chapter discusses the qualities to look for in the Labs team and how to go about finding allies within and outside the institution. Furthermore, it offers ideas on how to create a nurturing environment for teams to thrive in.

User Communities

This chapter discusses existing and potential relationships with users. Rethinking relationships with users and partners can help create clear and targeted messages, tools and services.

Rethinking Collections as Data

This chapter covers identifying collections and assessing their suitability for Labs, how to describe them, make them accessible and reusable. It also touches on strategies for dealing with messy data as well as some useful basic concepts.

Transformation

This chapter discusses how Labs bring about change, both on an institutional level and within services. It includes information on how tools are developed and a case study on how a bespoke tool was moved to an operational service.

Funding and Sustainability

Labs can't work without money. This chapter discusses the various funding options and their pros and cons, and how to plan for a Lab's sustainability.

Into the Future with GLAM Labs

Labs are the missing link between technology, people and communities. If Labs are supported and empowered, GLAMs and their communities will benefit from a more connected, open, innovative and inclusive future. Open a GLAM Lab!

Annexes

Bibliography and further reading

Acronyms

Data Formats

Book Sprints

The authors have waived all copyright and related or neighbouring rights to Open a GLAM Lab.

However, we would appreciate it if you cite our work. Here is a proposed citation:

Mahey, M., Al-Abdulla, A., Ames, S., Bray, P., Candela, G., Chambers, S., Derven, C., Dobreva-McPherson, M., Gasser, K., Karner, S., Kokegei, K., Laursen, D., Potter, A., Straube, A., Wagner, S-C. and Wilms, L. with forewords by: Al-Emadi, T. A., Broady-Preston, J., Landry, P. and Papaioannou, G. (2019) Open a GLAM Lab. Digital Cultural Heritage Innovation Labs, Book Sprint, Doha, Qatar, 23-27 September 2019.

University College London (UCL) Qatar is dedicating this book to the 100th anniversary of library education at UCL – the first academic programme for library professionals in Great Britain and, fittingly, started by a University that has been bringing forward disruptive thinking since 1826. What could be a greater celebration of this spirit than the combination of an innovative process used to create a pioneering book on GLAM Labs that act as disruptors in the heritage sectors? UCL Qatar also marks its 10th anniversary and final year of operation and sees this book as one of its living legacies not only in Qatar, but for the world.

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