Karen Pavelka (lecturer, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information)
\nVirginia Luehrsen (phD student, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information) *presenter
\nCollection Complexities of the Goodwill Computer Museum<\/p>\n
The Goodwill Computer Museum in Austin, TX, was opened in 2005 and presents educational exhibits in computer technology. \u00a0The museum also provides information and support on the appropriate disposal and recycling of computers. \u00a0The museum is staffed by a director and twelve volunteers from UTexas, a collaboration that started in 2009, which now supports students doing surveys, creating databases, restoration, and cataloging. \u00a0Trying to gain better intellectual control over materials. \u00a0Challenges include building and facilities at the GCM. \u00a0The museum is split into four main areas, with an additional resale shop. \u00a0Computers in the museum are not kept plugged in and running because of the cost. \u00a0The archive contains manuals, documentation, and relative software. \u00a0Computer materials are processed in the same space as the rest of goodwill donations, which causes problems. \u00a0Moving between the four storage areas is difficult, which is an issue they are trying to address in grant applications. \u00a0Major donations have come in but space for storage is limited. \u00a0Light is fluorescent so visible and UV light levels are high. \u00a0Biggest problem is the generation of dust that accumulates on al, the equipment. \u00a0Loading bays introduce a high RH, pests, and dirt into the space. \u00a0There are no clear guidelines yet for storage and handling of the electronics, implementation is problematic, staff is inadequate, and there is yet to be a clear development plan.<\/p>\n
The museum is a functioning museum, conservation is important and has been incorporated from the beginning. \u00a0Conservation at the GCM is about preserving the artifact, and the experience of using the machine. \u00a0The current museum director is an important resource to the museum, and has a background in software engineering. \u00a0Cleaning of the electronics is performed but mainly concerns dusting exteriors.<\/p>\n
The preservation team is developing a machine called the “ditto”, which saves information from discs on bit stream. \u00a0They are also recreating an early computer.<\/p>\n
The paper collection has conservation needs mainly in the area of rehousing, but in some cases greater intervention is needed. \u00a0They are currently using distance education tools to learn about appropriate conservation practices, often using Skype in a setup time frame for each project. \u00a0They were surprised by how effective the Skpye system is, and how much time is saved. \u00a0The technicians are working on site at the GCM, and Skyping with conservator Karen Pavelka at UT, which about 10 miles away. \u00a0They are exploring the applications of this remote training technique for situations such as emergency response after disasters. \u00a0Considering use of telephone lines rather than wifi in areas where that service is more reliable (ie Haiti). \u00a0Also transferring images via smart phones. \u00a0Looking forward to developing these projects with the UT partnership.<\/p>\n
Questions: has Skype technique gone to CERT? \u00a0Yes, in coordination. \u00a0How do you get people interested in the collection if the machines don’t run? \u00a0Do scheduled demonstrations now, in the future want to employ docents to monitor the systems so people can use the machines. \u00a0Did have a problem with vandalism, so require more employees. \u00a0Suggestion to set up a calendar for different days spent on particular and popular technology, which may help draw interest and visitors. \u00a0Suggestion about dust accumulation to tent the area with plastic and pressurize it. \u00a0How is the software being dealt with? \u00a0One problem is law against retaining machines with personal information, which includes systems that have been modified. \u00a0Have a store of software they can reinstall on good machines, but most info is on the original carrier. \u00a0What would the ideal storage conditions be? \u00a0Address biggest concerns such as dust, reallocating space, increasing security in the galleries, possibly move to a new space. \u00a0Ideal would be 45-50% RH and 65 degrees. \u00a0Hard to define ideal because so many different media, so really need separate storage spaces. \u00a0What is the community around the museum? \u00a0Lots of retired engineers and currently working engineers, recent engineering and IT grads, and current students in the same disciplines.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Karen Pavelka (lecturer, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information) Virginia Luehrsen (phD student, University of Texas at Austin, School of Information) *presenter Collection Complexities of the Goodwill Computer Museum The Goodwill Computer Museum in Austin, TX, was opened in 2005 and presents educational exhibits in computer technology. \u00a0The museum also provides information and … Continue reading “39th Annual Meeting – Electronic Media Afternoon Session 6\/3\/11, Equipment Obsolescence, Collection Complexities of the Goodwill Computer Museum, Virginia Luerhsen”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,28,16],"tags":[70],"class_list":["post-387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-annual-meeting","category-electronic-media","category-specialty-sessions","tag-aics-39th-annual-meeting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=387"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=387"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=387"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=387"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}