Digital Information Access in Cultural Institutions
Case Studies
The following are projects that provide background and discussion on key problems around accessing digital information at cultural institutions. These gathered case studies arrange a basis of analysis in mitigating blocks of access to digital information.
Case Study 1: Eliminating Elitism on Museum Websites
Research Question: What barriers currently exist to meaningful engagement with museum websites for visitors of different socioeconomic backgrounds?
Example: Observations from "Art Museums Online: Building Cultural Capital Using Interactive Websites" by Wendy Quinlan-Gagnon
Case Study 3: Language and Translation
Research Question: What changes are necessary to make cultural collections accurately accessible across culture and language barriers?
Example: Asian Art not properly translated for western curation, missing the true essence of the name.
Case Study 2: Shareable Databases
Research Question: What role do databases play in the interoperability of projects and access for sharing digital information?
Example: Database Interoperability in Museums Require Standardized Metadata
Case Study 4: Accessibility
Research Question: What are best practices in designing museum websites that support accessibility for a diverse range of users? How can museums improve the accessibility of millions of previously digitized resources?
Example: Observations from "Prioritizing Image Descriptions and Digital Equity at Cooper Hewitt" by Ruth Starr
Authors: Sean H. Gao, Elly Leonard, Jesse Ludington, and Tess Porter; Editor: Ellysha Leonard, 2021