CAMS supports digital archive development

Pauline, I don't use Facebook and never will use Facebook...

 

I don't believe I am alone in that view.

 Oscar Glaser's time (Amaroo Park Sporting Country Club, was it not?) could be in there I guess.

 

Like most such things Facebook takes getting used to but the nearly 1000 users of the JAP Engines groups (for example) continues to fascinate me with the stuff out of the woodwork that get posted from people who would never bother with the likes of TNF.

 

The problem is that the set-up Pauline has used doesn't really encourage discussion.

 

T

Terry, it's terrible...

 

If I ever attempt to log in to see something I've been notified about, all it does it put an endless list of people I'm expected to know on a page that increases exponentially. I have never yet logged into Facebook to see something and succeeded in getting to it.

 

My brother, for instance, is a Facebook user. I get notifications of him 'changing his status' with some kind of statement, I get curious about what he is saying and attempt to view it, I get the endless list. True, I have on a couple of occasions got to the statement he's made, but then I see nothing else but a bunch of weirdos 'liking' his meaningless statement.

 

Others post photos on there that sound interesting. I don't know why, but I've never seen one.

 

Therefore, I ask that this not rely on Facebook. Who cares if the inane 'likes' fill a page? This is rather more serious than that.

What is Facebook?

 

OK, until fairly recently, I thought Email was a munufacturer of electrical appliances.

The organisations you mention have much bigger and broader concerns than the minutiae of sporting history and I don't think that anything proposed that CAMS is currently supporting will be 'half-arsed' or mere 'baby steps'. The National Library declined to take any of Graham Howard's material.

Sad to hear but not unexpected, all government entities or GBEs are constrained by budget and their charter and sometimes by the agenda of the megalomaniacs near the top.

 

However, the squeaky wheel gets the most oil, so what is often needed is to rattle a few cages...e.g. lobby the pollies and ask why a sport that brings in millions of dollars, employs thousands, provides entertainment and an interest to millions of Australians and all around the world and has been part of the fabric of Australian society since the motor car first appeared, MAY be being treated badly by those charged with archiving the Nations history.

 

The other problem is the initial rebuff, a tactic often used by many departmental autocrats (like that??   ) when someone comes along with a large task.  Just like something out of Yes Minister, they wring thier hands and put all the reasons why they can't possibly take on the task....resource limitations, pressure of work (they usually trot out a large current task to humble the asker or put them in their place) etc etc ad nausem. 

 

If you think I'm making this up, try living in Can'tberra, like I have for 25 years..

 

So...whoever is driving this effort needs to sit down and form a strategy to get in the face of those who can bring about change at State and Federal level.

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 13 February 2014 - 10:15.

Terry, it's terrible...

 

If I ever attempt to log in to see something I've been notified about, all it does it put an endless list of people I'm expected to know on a page that increases exponentially. I have never yet logged into Facebook to see something and succeeded in getting to it.

 

My brother, for instance, is a Facebook user. I get notifications of him 'changing his status' with some kind of statement, I get curious about what he is saying and attempt to view it, I get the endless list. True, I have on a couple of occasions got to the statement he's made, but then I see nothing else but a bunch of weirdos 'liking' his meaningless statement.

 

Others post photos on there that sound interesting. I don't know why, but I've never seen one.

 

Therefore, I ask that this not rely on Facebook. Who cares if the inane 'likes' fill a page? This is rather more serious than that.

 

Oh yes, I agree it is terrible, but it does work in some respects.

 

It is very good for people who just want to stick up photos or an image of a document and this can bring stuff out of the woodwork.

 

However, as far as I know the present Facebook site is just a place to publish information about this initial research project. It has nothing to do with the platform that may or may not be used in the future.

 

So have no fear and prepare to be surprised how much interesting stuff is to be found on Facebook Groups so do a search and see what you get.

 

And don't be a snob

Edited by tsrwright, 15 February 2014 - 06:22.

By way of example folks, try this

 

https://www.facebook...62038688796/  (JAP Engines)

 

or

 

https://www.facebook...84768618290981/ (Sydney Showground)

 

or

 

https://www.facebook...14265595310505/ (Amaroo and Oran Park (bikes)

Edited by tsrwright, 15 February 2014 - 06:32.

Snob?

 

I don't know where you get the idea I'm a snob. I just detest Facebook and the way it wants to take over my computer and my life.

By the way, the National Library was invited to get its Loose Fillings digitally but declined.

 

T

Terry, did you approach the State Library of NSW for Loose Fillings?

 

The State Library in WA has copies of the Visor Magazine, though not a complete set. Also, has the Early Auto newsletters from the Veterans Car Club. I am discussing with them to accept other newsletters from the motor sport clubs in WA.

Just sharing the appended post I made on AMSHA's FB site today....

 

Until a central repository is identified for depositing motor sport’s information resources and archives, the Sporting Car Club of South Australia’s (SCCSA) Eric Rainsford Library has offered to accept deposits of collections from motor sport enthusiasts and their family. Here is a link to the club’s Library http://www.sportingc....au/library.php

 

The SCCSA has an online library catalogue, which is used to register new information. This catalogue can be accessed at the club’s Library only. The friendly library staff will assist with conducting searches on your behalf.

 

Michael Gasking heads the Eric Rainsford Library and can be contacted on Wednesdays and Fridays via the Front Office phone number (08) 8373 4899. Here is an email contact for the library – sccsalibrary@internode.on.net

 

Michael has a slogan to stop you from discarding motor sport information…

 

“ Don’t you throw them out, let us process them”.

 

If you have tried depositing your collections to the State Library and have no other alternative deposit options, contact the Eric Rainsford Library!

By way of example folks, try this

 

https://www.facebook...62038688796/  (JAP Engines)

 

or

 

https://www.facebook...84768618290981/ (Sydney Showground)

 

or

 

https://www.facebook...14265595310505/ (Amaroo and Oran Park (bikes)

 

Thank you for sharing these links to provide an awareness of how Groups are set up on FB and how this functions. I see how the Group functionality works like a discussion forum.

 

Having explored this option, I have decided not to use Groups for AMSHA currently. The webpage functionality on FB allows me to provide an update on the research initiative, plus share and create awareness of matters on the research. It has time stamps that are useful for keeping stakeholders informed and easy when I have to deliver presentations.

 

There is functionality to post comments to discuss on my postings on the site. People have the option to start a new discussion topic and both others and myself can respond to them. Therefore, discussion forum functionalities exists on the webpage, too.

 

Given there are 91 likes on this webpage, I do not see the point in creating another Group for AMSHA. It is likely to confuse people and I do not want the added administrative tasks of managing a webpage and a Group for AMSHA at this point.

 

I understand the timeline display setting takes a little getting used to. I will continue to cross post key points on AMSHA on this forum and others to keep the discussion going and as many people informed.

Terry, did you approach the State Library of NSW for Loose WA.

No but they declined the Graham Howard Collection and several full sets of journals which they didn't have eg Autosport so I don't bother with them now.

Just sharing the appended post I made on AMSHA's FB site today....

Until a central repository is identified for depositing motor sport’s information resources and archives, the Sporting Car Club of South Australia’s (SCCSA) Eric Rainsford Library has offered to accept deposits of collections from motor sport enthusiasts and their family. Here is a link to the club’s Library http://www.sportingc....au/library.php

[

“ Don’t you throw them out, let us process them”.

If you have tried depositing your collections to the State Library and have no other alternative deposit options, contact the Eric Rainsford Library!

Really good lot, they did take some of Graham's material.

Edited by tsrwright, 19 February 2014 - 03:20.

Really good lot, they did take some of Graham's material.

Good that they take stuff...

Bad that its sitting on the shelf...

Do they have a plan to digitise the important stuff?
Do they safeguard delicate or flimsy artefacts?
Do they have secure and good Fire Proof/Resistant storage?
Do they have a disaster recovery plan?

Do they have a solid ownership regime for the library? Could it be all lost if some key person(s) fall off the perch?
etc etc

 

These are the sort of things people need to be thinking about....in the long term...

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 19 February 2014 - 10:39.

The present program is I think an effort to assess what is "out there" (or in my case, "in here", he said, glancing around the home office.)  Then work up some short of scheme to deal with it all.

 

The sheer tonnage is daunting. There are scrapbooks, photo albums, boxes full of race programmes, magazines, negative files, video tapes, 8, 9.5, 16 and 35 mm movies, books, odds and sods of an indefinable nature (fuel tank from a 1970s BRM anyone?) and it is all held by the most heterogenous (sometimes combative, sometimes secretive) buch of people you'd every like to meet in a pub after a race meeting.  Then there's all those tons of stuff people don't even know they still have, buried in boxes in the shed.

 

The "personal photos of Australian motor racing" thread alone has turned up an enormous archive of photos, so many in glorious colour, that nobody realised existed a few years ago.  There's anough stuff about the place to keep an entire institute running at full bore for decades. And still stuff will keep turning up.

 

Lotsa luck I say, go for it. In the meantime, we old farts who have stuff should share it around as muich as possible, so it IS accessible even while it is being archived, catalogued, and all the other strange things that happen in archives systems. If that photo of grandad in his Model T speedster at Perkolilli is on the web, it is unlikely to disappear.

Absolutely on the mark, Terry.

Hi everyone,

A quick update on recent activities in Melbourne on the AMSHA project. Here is a link to the AMSHA page on FB if it interest you https://www.facebook...msha.aus?ref=hl.

CAMS has completed its records management audit and records inventory exercises. Interviews with key staff members about their records inventory was conducted including what systems they are using. We thank Keith Simpson for being our focal point and scheduling our interviews.
In summary, CAMS has introduced a CRM system in Jan 2014 and is adding electronic content to this system. There is indication that efforts are being taken to manage information at CAMS. Of course, there are improvements that can be made and it is why this research is supported by CAMS.

We took the opportunity to visit the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) and it was a worthwhile trip! To find out more about MCC go to MCC.org.au
It drove the message of what we can and need to do for motor sport's history and archives. The MCC's approach to creating a MCC Foundation to manage it's library, archives and museum collection of its 11 different sporting interests is enlightening. The MCC foundation is funded by a portion of the MCC's membership fees. The MCC library and archives are accessible to its members and the archives accepts deposits of memorabilia and collection items from its members.
What a great way to preserve the history and archives of MCC's sporting activities and interest? Can we apply this model to setting up the AMSHA Foundation for our motor sport? If we do, will the motor sport community support this initiative by CAMS?
A big thank you to the team at MCC for taking the time to show us their Library & Archives and for the friendly discussion: David Studham (Librarian), Trevor Ruddell (Assistant Librarian) and Patricia Down (Archivist).

Regards,
Pauline

Sounds like a successful serial Pauline...but hope it is but a small part of mapping the entire Oz Motorsport archive/information landscape

Thank you and yes it is a small but important aspect of this exercise

The Rolls-Royce Owners' Club of Australia is affiliated with the Sir Henry Royce Foundation in Melbourne, which is dedicated to the collection and preservation of R-R related stuff. There is a similar, older and better funded Foundation in the UK which I have visited, and which among many other things has the build sheets (production records) of all the R-R cars up to the 1990s, That sort of model can work, but it needs lotsa funding. Freehold premises for starters.

On the general topic of archives.  What is the best way to preserve them long term?

 

Initially the record is on paper.  From there, as I see it we have three options

(a) Simply archive the paper. 

This is fine until termites and other paper eating bugs or floods come along.  Also paper can deteriorate chemically.

(b) Microfilm the records either on microfiche or on rolls.

These are reasonably stable long term and can be re-photographed if necessary.

But you do need a microfilm reader and maybe a printer if you prefer hard copies

It is possible to make more than one copy - one for use and the others for back up

(c ) Scan them as, say, PDF files

These can be stored electronically and readily accessed, even via the internet. Hardcopies can be made for those

A back up can be kept somewhere safe.  Say, on the Cloud - whatever that is.

But, and it is a big but, computer formats go out of date so the archive  must be managed and transferred over as necessary

 

Whatever form the archive takes it must be indexed

Edited by D-Type, 09 March 2014 - 21:54.

On the general topic of archives.  What is the best way to preserve them long term?

 

Initially the record is on paper.  From there, as I see it we have three options

(a) Simply archive the paper. 

This is fine until termites and other paper eating bugs or floods come along.  Also paper can deteriorate chemically.

(b) Microfilm the records either on microfiche or on rolls.

These are reasonably stable long term and can be re-photographed if necessary.

But you do need a microfilm reader and maybe a printer if you prefer hard copies

It is possible to make more than one copy - one for use and the others for back up

© Scan them as, say, PDF files

These can be stored electronically and readily accessed, even via the internet. Hardcopies can be made for those

A back up can be kept somewhere safe.  Say, on the Cloud - whatever that is.

But, and it is a big but, computer formats go out of date so the archive  must be managed and transferred over as necessary

 

Whatever form the archive takes it must be indexed

 

I know of several archives that were indexed ten or more years ago using the scanning technology of the day which are now seen to be much too low resolution.  At the time, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) was too expensive and too unreliable a technology and we couldn't have predicted that as soon as 2010 Google would be applying OCR to images of text that it found on the web.  The higher the resolution, the better OCR can work.  If you are going to scan them, be prepared to scan them at very high resolution because you'll soon regret it if you don't. 

 

If you keep your backup on the Cloud (Dropbox for example), you don't have to worry about computer formats going out of date.  PDFs, JPEGs, TIFF etc aren't going to go away and it's Dropbox's problem (Amazon's actually as Dropbox uses Amazon's hardware) to worry about physical formats.

If you keep your backup on the Cloud (Dropbox for example), you don't have to worry about computer formats going out of date.  PDFs, JPEGs, TIFF etc aren't going to go away and it's Dropbox's problem (Amazon's actually as Dropbox uses Amazon's hardware) to worry about physical formats.

Nice sweep under the carpet there Alan  ...two things...."the cloud" is far from secure (which could lead to data theft, corruption or malicious tampering)...and, from an archive point of view, fad programs like Dropbox are likely to disappear in short order....(along with Farcebook maybe  )

I think I am really saying "Cover all the bases"

 

(1)  Keep the paper archive

(2)  Microfilm it and make several copies of the microfilms to store in secure cabinets

(3)  Scan them and keep a back-up and a back-up of the back-up.  And implement a rview programme to ensure you don't get overtaken by techmology

(4)  Use Optical Character Recognition for indexing - Is it possible to do this on a very high resolution scan and have lower resolution (ie fewer megabytes) scans available for general use?

 

But I'm an [almost] retired engineer who is frequently baffled and amazed by all this newfangled technology.  So ask someone who nkows!

Folks, just released this online survey with the appended message on AMSHA's FB site and sharing on this forum. Hope you will be able to take this survey and promote it to your peers.
Thank you.
Pauline

 

 

Follow the link to begin your survey - https://curtin.asia....1SamLfa0DZb0vwF

Dear Motor Sport Enthusiast,
I am seeking your participation in this online survey to find out the Information need and seeking behaviour of motor sport enthusiasts.

There are a few facets to my research and this online survey aims to find out:
• what information motor sport enthusiasts need;
• what sources are used to find the required information;
• how personal motor sport information is managed;
• how your information needs can be serviced in the future; and
• which information repository solution for archiving Australia’s motor sport history and archives you prefer.

It would take you approximately 25 mins to complete this online survey. Most of the questions require a multiple choice answer. You can start the survey at any time, pause if need be and return to the survey to complete it within a week.

Please be assured that the survey link is designed to be anonymous, hence it is not possible to identify you unless you decide to provide your email for future research on this topic. Information you provide during your participation in this survey will be confidential. I will not discuss you as an individual with fellow motor sport enthusiasts, CAMS or car clubs. It will not be possible to identify you from the aggregate data included in the reports from this research. The research data will be kept in a secure place and will not be released to a third party or used for any other purpose other than for my research. Your participation is entirely voluntary. Your consent to participate is acknowledged when you decide to complete the survey.

If you have any questions regarding this research, please contact me either by email at p.joseph@curtin.edu.au

The Ethics Committee at Curtin University has approved this research – approval number MCCA‐02‐14. You can access the full Participant Information & Consent Sheet via Dropbox by following this link: https://www.dropbox.... Survey_PJ.docx

Thank you for your time.

Hi everyone,

 

We have 94 surveys completed which demonstrates support by the motor sport community to manage its history and archives. Thank you to all who have completed the survey.

 

There is a week before the online survey closes on the deadline of 19 April. If you have not completed the survey please take 15 to 20 minutes to do so by following this link to begin your survey https://curtin.asia....1SamLfa0DZb0vwF. More responses would enable quality responses for future actions.

Here is the press release by CAMS advocating the survey http://www.cams.com....-sport-archives.

 

Thank you in advance and wish you all a Happy and safe Easter break.

 

Regards,

Pauline

Hi everyone,
 
We have 94 surveys completed which demonstrates support by the motor sport community to manage its history and archives. Thank you to all who have completed the survey.
 
There is a week before the online survey closes on the deadline of 19 April. If you have not completed the survey please take 15 to 20 minutes to do so by following this link to begin your survey https://curtin.asia....1SamLfa0DZb0vwF. More responses would enable quality responses for future actions.

Here is the press release by CAMS advocating the survey http://www.cams.com....-sport-archives.
 
Thank you in advance and wish you all a Happy and safe Easter break.
 
Regards,
Pauline

Thanks Pauline...are you not disappointed with the take-up? 94 out of thousands doesn't sound too good to me....oh well

I just finished the survey and only near the end did it become clear that this was totally Australian based and not world wide.  I am located in Ontario, Canada and much of the details did not apply.

Hi everyone,

 

Analysing the results of the online survey and will be posting segments of the results over the week.

Beginning with the demographic data from the online survey on information need & seeking behaviour of Australian motor sport enthusiasts.

* 120 participants completed the online survey: 109 males and 11 females.

* Majority of the participants are aged between 60 – 69 years old (38), followed by 50 -59 years old (25).

* 87 are motor sport competitors whilst 33 are not.

* Participants were from all 9 disciplines of motor sport: 37 from Speed; 29 from Race & Rally; 25 from Social … including representation from most categories of the motor sport disciplines.

* Participants were involved in motor sport as: volunteers; committee members; spouse/partner/family/friends of competitors and as historians researching about the sport.

* 61 participants have had an interest in motor sport for more than 30 years.

* 33 participants stated that they spend between 10 to 50 hours in a week engaged with things or matters involving motor sport.

* Participants indicated being SATISFIED with how they spend their time and money on their interest in motor sport. Also, they are SATISFIED with the membership services they receive from their various motor clubs.

 

You can download above details from: https://www.dropbox.... ABOUT YOU.docx

 

Regards,

Pauline

Edited by PaulineJ, 12 May 2014 - 15:53.

I just finished the survey and only near the end did it become clear that this was totally Australian based and not world wide.  I am located in Ontario, Canada and much of the details did not apply.

Thank you for completing the survey. Apologies for not making it clear that it is Australian based.

Hi everyone,
 
Analysing the results of the online survey and will be posting segments of the results over the week.
Beginning with the demographic data from the online survey on information need & seeking behaviour of Australian motor sport enthusiasts.

* 120 participants completed the online survey: 109 males and 11 females.
* Majority of the participants are aged between 60 – 69 years old (38), followed by 50 -59 years old (25).
* 87 are motor sport competitors whilst 33 are not.
* Participants were from all 9 disciplines of motor sport: 37 from Speed; 29 from Race & Rally; 25 from Social … including representation from most categories of the motor sport disciplines.
* Participants were involved in motor sport as: volunteers; committee members; spouse/partner/family/friends of competitors and as historians researching about the sport.
* 61 participants have had an interest in motor sport for more than 30 years.
* 33 participants stated that they spend between 10 to 50 hours in a week engaged with things or matters involving motor sport.
* Participants indicated being SATISFIED with how they spend their time and money on their interest in motor sport. Also, they are SATISFIED with the membership services they receive from their various motor clubs.
 
You can download above details from: https://www.dropbox.... ABOUT YOU.docx
 
Regards,
Pauline

I see that although the sample was relatively small, that the majority were "older heads"...hmmmm, hang on that can mean set in their ways or overawed with their own existence...but, with any luck, some good direction may come from it...

Given this is an online survey, I am pleased that the majority of the participants were aged between 60 to 69 years old. I was concerned that this age group may not be computer literate or participate in an online survey, therefore their voice may not be heard. I’m pleasantly surprised and glad to have their input 

Edited by PaulineJ, 13 May 2014 - 01:27.

I am pleased that the majority of the participants were aged between 60 to 69 years old. I was concerned that this age group may not be computer literate ....  

I resemble that remark!

The age demographic and results shown are as I anticipated. Why?

 

Because the baby boomers and their forefathers understood the need for accurate record keeping and how to do it. They have done it their whole life. Mostly in hard copy.

 

This is why they are numerically the largest group who responded to the survey and in general want the records kept for posterity.

 

Unfortunately the X and Y generations, the generations who thrive upon the instant gratification of finding the answer in the electronic world, in many ways, naively believe that the records will always be there and the ability to Google the question to get the correct answer will too.

 

Baby boomers question things, gen X and Y believe things. Whilst that's a very broad statement, its generally its true. I have 5 as living proof of the gullibility. "I read it on the net" is quite a common conversation starter in this household.

 

Of course the big challenge is to teach the next generation on how to keep proper records, we all know why and how, but we forgot to tell the next generation.

 

No problem having our motor sport records in a more modern media, but, we and generation X,Y and Z just need it to be accurate and comprehensive. If you doubt this statement try to find a lap chart for most races from 1980 to 2000. The generation X years.

 

How? give the next generation the tools to do the job and the motivation to do it. It will be a whole lot easier to do it whilst the baby boomers are still breathing and have the information.

Hi everyone,
 
Feel free to comment on the findings from the 2^nd segment of the online survey titled Your Information Need and Seeking Behaviour.
 
The top 3 information needs of motor sport enthusiasts are:

• what are the upcoming competitions – what, where, when & format of the competition (80%);
• competition information – regulations, scrutineering, when, where and time for my drivers’ briefings, safety highlights, race results (69%);
• technical information – to fix, maintain, repair, restore, upgrade, and/or modify the car (64%).

These 5 information sources are rated highly by enthusiasts to keep themselves informed and updated about motor sport.

• keep up with what is going on by reading, watching and listening about motor sport in the traditional; information sources like: newspapers; radio; television; magazines and books (68%);
• contact fellow motoring enthusiasts by email, phone, text messages, in person (61%);
• contact the event organisers for competitions by email, phone, text messages, in person (59%);
• subscribe and use social media tools like: blogs; FaceBook sites; Flickr; Printerest; Instagram, etc. (58%); and
• read relevant information from the websites; Wikipedia; YouTube, etc. (57%).

People sources rank 2^nd amongst enthusiasts to keep themselves updated and informed about their motor sport. Does this indicate a strong sense of community within motor sport?
 
96% stated that they share information about their interest in motor sport with family, friends and fellow motor sport enthusiasts. 69% share this information by email; 49% via Facebook; and 42% use SMS text messages to share this information.
 
More details on the above are at https://www.dropbox.... Behaviour.docx
 
Regards,
Pauline

Please forgive a non-Aussie butting in here, but I can't see any mention of forums such as this one in the above categories (perhaps they come under social media?). I for one would rank forums (especially this one) way above everything except 'traditional' sources and personal contact, in terms of interacting and sharing info with other enthusiasts.

Hi Tim,
You are welcome to participate in this discussion, more input is best when researching.
 
One of the options to the appended question was regarding the use of forums such as this.
 

Q) Generally how and what information sources do you use to find the information you need for your interest in motor sport? Tick as many of the options below.

• Use the online motor sport forums to post my question and get answers from there

 

44% responded using this information source. It just was not the top 5 information sources.

 

It highlights that traditional sources rank higher than social media by the participants.

 

Regards,

Pauline

Edited by PaulineJ, 17 May 2014 - 05:51.

Fair enough. Thanks, Pauline.

This is all good background for current CAMS Operation's and may be a some use to access and the dissemination methods to be made available for archive material further down the track ....but...when do we get back to discussing "CAMS supports digital archive development"

Apologies for the late reply.

Still working through the research information, analysing and writing. Currently, coding the text based survey data and writing this up. Hope to start sharing this over next week.

We will return to discuss CAMS' support for digital archive development in July when I will have all the information at hand. There are some discussions that need to be finalised, hence have to be shared later.