Open a GLAM Lab Poster

In the age of digital production and transformation, Labs are one of the most significant and disruptive influences on organisations such as Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAMs). All over the world, cultural heritage institutions are witnessing the value and dynamism Labs bring to their collections, making them more accessible, used, shared and enjoyed by their users, embracing innovation, development, experimentation, new ideas through disruptive thinking, and generating opportunities. Labs are living, progressive and transformational. They push boundaries, open up new perspectives, create content and encourage engagement with communities.
This poster will present a new book on GLAM Labs. The book is a collective outcome with contributions from 16 people from 14 cultural heritage organisations and universities around the world. The themes reflected in this book, such as being open to experimentation, risk-taking, iteration and innovation, also capture the methodology of the book, which was written in a collective process during five days.
The book describes what an Innovation Lab is in the GLAM context, what an Innovation Lab is for, and, how to make one happen. The book addresses characteristics, aims and objectives, processes and prospects, tools and services, as well as legal, financial and operational issues. Significantly, the book addresses how libraries, archives, museums, heritage institutions and users can operate and benefit from Innovation Labs.
More specifically, the following themes are covered in the book:
Introducing GLAM Labs
A Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) Lab is a place for experimenting with digital collections and data. It is where researchers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators and the interested public can collaborate with an engaged group of partners to create new collections, tools, and services that will help transform the future ways in which knowledge and culture are disseminated. The exchange and experimentation in a Lab are open, iterative and shared widely.
Building a GLAM Lab
Building a GLAM Lab involves defining its core values to guide future work, fostering a culture that is open, transparent, generous, collaborative, creative, inclusive, bold, ethical, accessible and encourages a mindset of exploration. The Lab should be grounded in user-centred and participatory design processes and its staff should be able to clearly communicate what the Lab is about. It's important to think big but start small and establish quick wins to get up and running. This chapter describes why and how to open a GLAM Lab and encourages participation in a movement that can transform organisations and the communities they partner with.
GLAM Lab teams
There are recommendations for the qualities and skills to look for in Labs teams, how to go about finding allies within and outside the institution, and ideas on how to create a nurturing environment for teams to thrive in. Labs teams have no optimal size or composition, and its team members can come from all walks of life. Teams need a healthy culture to ensure a well-functioning Lab which might be augmented intermittently by fellows, interns or researchers-in-residence. For a Lab to have lasting impact it must be integrated into the parent organisation and have the support of staff at all levels.
User communities
GLAM Labs will need to engage and connect with potential users and partners. This means rethinking these relationships to help establish clear and targeted messages for specific communities. In turn, this enables Labs to adjust their tools, services and collections to establish deeper partnerships based on co-creation, and open and equal dialogue.
Rethinking collections and Data
This chapter discusses the digital collections which are an integral part of Labs. It provides insights on how to share the collections as data, and how to identify, assess, describe, access, and reuse the collections. In addition, there is information about messy and curated data, digitisation, metadata, rights and preservation.
Transformation
Experimentation is the core of the Lab's process. Insights about how to transform tools to operational services are demonstrated. It shows that experimentation can prepare the organisational culture and services for transformation. There is an examination of funding and the advantages and disadvantages of various models through discussion of the different mechanisms and options that an organisation can apply to Lab set-ups.
Funding and Sustainability
This chapter provides insights on how to plan for a Lab's sustainability as well as a step-by-step guide for when an organisation is retiring or decommissioning a Lab.
Curious? Come and see our poster or get involved!