News

This section contains notices of upcoming events, funding opportunities for individuals or organisations, and any announcements of interest to NDF members. Please contact us with any suggested news items.   Past news items can be found in the news archive.

4.07.08 - NDF Partner Update

Draft Digital Strategy 2.0

The NDF Board made a submission on the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0 which located below on the News page. The Board also wrote to The Honourable David Cunliffe, Communications and Information Technology Minister, about the announcement of the formation of a Digital Development Council and broader Forum.

“Coming Home” and Digital New Zealand

Information will be sent out, and is available here on the website, about how to participate in a digital content and discovery initiative under development as part of Digital New Zealand. This initiative will have the theme of “Coming Home” to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. The NDF Board has agreed to lead this piece of work with NDF partners, with a view to launching this initiative’s outcome at the annual National Digital Forum on 27 November 2008. This is an opportunity for the cultural and heritage community to showcase new and existing digital content created by the sector and pilot a nationwide approach to collaborative digitisation. Please start thinking now about any content you may have which relates to this theme and watch out for the arrival of more information.

Digitisation Selection Work

The NDF Board would like to thank those NDF partners who commented on the Digitisation Selection Work. A summary of this feedback has been appended to the final version of the Digitisation Selection Work paper, which is available here on the NDF website as a resource for partner organisations.

2008 NDF Conference Theme Announced

Our 7th annual conference will be held in Auckland for the first time on November 27-28, 2008 at the Owen G Glen Business School in the University of Auckland. This year’s conference theme is Creating value in a digital New Zealand. We will be exploring linkages with the New Zealand Digital Strategy and its related Content strategy through a stimulating mix of international keynote speakers, participatory mini-forums, clinics, showcases and workshops. We look forward to seeing you there.

Nominations to the NDF Board

The NDF Board will have four vacancies in 2008. We will be sending partner organisations an information pack and nomination form in July. Partner organisations can nominate individuals from their own organisation or another NDF Partner organisation to the Board. In the event that there are more than four nominations received, an election will be held for all partner organisations to vote on their preferred candidates. Closing date for nominations will be 28 July. Please note: resources to attend Board meetings for any successful candidate who is nominated / elected are the responsibility of the nominating organisation, as an in-kind contribution to the running of the NDF.

NDF Website

You might have noticed two new additions to the NDF website recently. We have added a list of all partner organisations as well as a list of the Board Members to the About Us pages.

Tell Us Your News and Share Ours

Send us your news or work in the digital space! We’d like to keep the Register of Digitisation Initiatives (RODI) up to date with current projects and pass on information you think others should or would like to know about. Fill out the Project Registration Form or contact us.

The next NDF Board meeting is on 1 August 2008.

23.05.08 NDF Board submission on the Draft Digital Strategy 2.0

Comments relating to Connection section

The NDF Board supports the goal of widespread availability of fast and affordable broadband meeting the needs of all New Zealanders.

The NDF Board recommends that the significant investment in connection also needs to be supported by significant investment in content, particularly digitisation of existing analogue formats.

Comments relating to Confidence section

The NDF Board supports the new goal, particularly with regard to “strengthening national identity”.

The NDF Board is pleased to see Implementing the Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Network as one the Capability Actions with assured funding through to 2011, as this benefits some partner members of the NDF which would not otherwise be capable of building practitioner skills in their workforce or digital literacy in their local communities.

However, the NDF Board notes the dependence of public content providers in the culture and heritage sectors on volunteers, many without formal experience and qualifications. While acknowledging the significant contribution of volunteers to these sectors’ digital initiatives, this should not be viewed as a panacea for under investment in skilled professional staff or under estimating the real level of expenditure required for digitisation of New Zealand’s documentary heritage.

The NDF Board is concerned at the focus on ICT professionals in the document rather than a focus on ensuring that professional disciplines are enhanced with ICT skills to enable, for instance in a library, archival or curatorial context, that all workers can participate and add value (strengthen national identity) in the digital environment for content creation, sharing, and preservation.

The NDF Board recommends a broader approach to ICT skills and the workforce in the next edition of the Digital Strategy.

Comments relating to Content section

The NDF Board is extremely supportive of the focus on Digital Culture, and is actively engaged with the National Library of New Zealand in the action of Delivering Digital New Zealand.

The NDF Board would like to draw attention to the Register of Digital Initiatives (http://ndf.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/rodi/search) undertaken by NDF partner members that are already contributing to improving the creation, discovery, and use of New Zealand-grown content.

However the barrier to full engagement for most NDF partner members remains funding.

The NDF Board is disappointed, despite previous submissions and the Digital Strategy noting “governments, academic and commercial interests around the world are going to significant lengths to digitise and distribute vast amounts of cultural and heritage content”, that the Digital Content Strategy did not have any government funding targeted at public content creators and providers, which hold the major proportion of cultural and heritage resources in analogue form, for investment in the costly process of digitisation.

If targeted resources were available for digitisation there would be significant potential to unlock access to this content, and create opportunities for adding value to it; for example the creation of new content by government, communities, and business using the rich source materials held by New Zealand’s collecting institutions which can be purposed for creative industries, education, broadcasting, and strengthening national identity. This would bring New Zealand into line with international investment in digitisation projects by governments for ensuring large scale migration of significant cultural and heritage analogue content into digital form accessible for all New Zealanders.

The NDF Board is positioned to ensure investment targeted for public content providers would be expended on priority digitisation projects of significant New Zealand documentary heritage that are collaborative and contribute to social and economic outcomes for digital culture, and would meet best practice industry standards for creation, sharing, and preservation of content.

The NDF Board recommends a contestable fund be established for digitisation by public collecting institutions in the next edition of the Digital Strategy.

Comments relating to Collaboration section

The NDF Board endorses the addition of Collaboration as an enabler of the Digital Strategy, and the recognition of the unique role of Māori as tangata whenua.

The NDF is a collaborative body, which includes a permanent seat on its Board to ensure the integrity of mātauranga Māori is maintained in all NDF activities and are aligned with a bicultural approach. This is particularly important in relation to digitising of taonga held by public collecting institutions, and respecting the access conditions and intellectual property rights of Māori.

However collaboration is difficult without adequate resourcing. The NDF operates as a not for profit body, with free membership, and supported from within existing resources of partner members. This includes in-kind contribution for time and expertise of Board members and the organisation of an annual conference for partner members to inform and stimulate digital content development in the cultural and heritage sectors. There is will, expertise, and vision to achieve goals aligned with the Digital Strategy, only restrained by a significant lack of investment or availability of a competitive fund targeting digitisation of New Zealand’s documentary heritage.

The NDF Board notes the proposal to form an Overarching Sector Forum with significant seeding funding and annual funding in subsequent years. The NDF Board expresses its concern that public content providers have not been identified as a significant interest group in the mix of this forum; particularly given their role as repositories of New Zealand content which preserve our unique identity and strengthen communities to support Digital Inclusion. As an established body, now in its eighth year of operation, which represents this significant sub sector of stakeholders, the NDF Board would expect an invitation to provide a representative on this Overarching Sector Forum.

It is also unclear whether the purpose of this Overarching Sector Forum is to act as advisors or decision makers. Given the significant level of funding proposed, it seems an extraordinary amount to support a purely advisory role, and our assumption is this group will have some decision making influence over how this money is invested. An alternative suggestion is to identify where collaboration across sectors is already initiated but requires more resource, such as the NDF, and provide them with an ongoing annual funding to ensure Digital Strategy goals of digital inclusion are being delivered on in a cohesive framework.

The NDF Board recommends the identification of formal public content providers as an interest group in the next edition of the Digital Strategy, and their inclusion for representation in the Overarching Sector Forum.

The NDF Board recommends a clearer statement about the role and purpose of the Overarching Sector Forum and of how its funding will be used in the next edition of the Digital Strategy.

Comments relating to Achieving Our Digital Potential section

The NDF Board is very pleased to see the acknowledgement under Valued Cultural Identity of the role libraries, museums, archives, marae have in caring for the collective memories of New Zealand Aotearoa, and contributing to enriching communities and cultures and promoting our unique national identity. Given this is the core constituency of the NDF membership, it would also be welcome to see more evidence of targeted funding to these collecting institutions in the Digital Strategy.

The NDF Board notes the challenge of “how do individuals, businesses, and communities create, discover and use this valuable New Zealand content to enhance our digital potential”. Our response is that this would be achieved by recognising that collecting institutions are also major local content creators and providers and that investing in them will enable their treasures to become more accessible in the public domain. This investment would provide source material for communities and industries to add value, so enhancing a creative knowledge based economy and building prosperous communities.

The NDF Board notes the action for the Digital Communities Action Plan, led by the Economic Development Association of New Zealand and Local Government New Zealand, with timing and budget “tbc”. Given that museums, archives, public libraries and art galleries are funded primarily through local government and as such, the NDF Board would welcome dialogue to ensure financial investment through this avenue is addressed strongly in this plan.

From the perspective of the National Digital Forum Board, under investment in digitisation of content is the most significant barrier to achieving our digital potential. This under investment impacts primarily on the enabler goal of world class content creation, discovery, and use; and the Digital Strategy outcomes of Productivity and Community. Ironically the collaborative infrastructure of the NDF is already in place, if only a significant ongoing funding source was available to facilitate the outcome.

The NDF Board recommends the inclusion of targeted action plans and funding for public collecting institutions and content providers in the next edition of the Digital Strategy.

The NDF Board recommends the inclusion of information about the NDF in the Digital Strategy as an example of existing collaboration in the digital environment.

11.03.08 - NDF PARTNER UPDATE

Kaihautu Maori

The NDF Board in partnership with Te Roopu Whakahau has developed a role and position description for permanent representation of Maori on the board. The Kaihautu Māori position will ensure the integrity of mātauranga Māori is maintained in all NDF activities and is aligned with a bicultural approach. Selection for the Kaihautu Māori role will occur at least every three years. Nominations based on the role’s profile will be sought from Māori partner roopu in the NDF. If more than one nomination is received, an appropriate process involving all Māori partner roopu will be used to select the successful candidate with the best fit to the profile. The NDF’s Terms of Reference, which previously referred to a representative of Iwi, have been updated to reflect this change. Current board member Haki Tahana, with the support of Te Roopu Whakahau, has agreed to act in this role until the next NDF Board elections.

New Board Member Co-opted
Under the Terms of Reference, the NDF Board can co-opt new members. At its last meeting of 2007, it was decided to invite Phillipa Tocker, Executive Director of Museums Aotearoa, to join the Board in 2008 to increase representation of and contribute knowledge about the Museums’ sector. Phillipa joined the Board for the first time at its February meeting and will be a member until elections for the Board later in 2008. Current members of the NDF Board are:

Alison Stevenson, Andy Fenton, Brian Flaherty, Bronwyn Officer, Bruce Ralston (Deputy Chair), Dianne Macaskill, Haki Tahana, Joanna Newman, John Garraway (Chair), Penny Carnaby, Phillipa Tocker, Seddon Bennington, and Steve Knight.

Profiles of the current Board members will be made available soon on this website.

“Coming Home”
11th November 2008 will be the 90th commemoration of Armistice Day. This event offers great potential and collective leverage for digitising content around a theme to showcase our sectors’ efforts in collectively building New Zealand’s culture and heritage online. After initial discussion of “Lest We Forget” the Board has decided to follow the lead of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage and adopt the theme of “Coming Home”. This is to distinguish the 90th anniversary of the Armistice from other First World War events (such as Anzac Day), by focussing on the return of troops and the post-war impact on this country. The shift in emphasis from “war” to “peacetime” also allows more opportunity to include other significant content from this era, such as the 1918 influenza epidemic that accompanied the end of the war.

The NDF Board requests partner organisations consider now how their own existing or proposed digitisation projects in 2008 could link to this theme. The goal is to media launch a national discovery exemplar at the NDF conference in Auckland in November, which will simultaneously connect all New Zealanders to a rich digital information resource on this theme and contribute to a real example of collaborative digitisation (see Digital New Zealand below) that can support a future bid to government for targeted digitisation funding. Watch out for an invitation to participate soon.

Digital New Zealand
Digital New Zealand is a three year programme of work funded under the New Zealand Digital Content Strategy with the National Library of New Zealand as lead agency. A project manager has been appointed and a steering committee established with representation from key stakeholders including the NDF Board. In Year One the focus is on deliverables which will produce the following expected benefits:

• Improved, seamless online access to New Zealand digital content by New Zealanders
• A real-world example of how collaborative digitisation of New Zealand content contributes to New Zealand’s economic transformation and national identity
• Consistent expert advice, guidance and priority setting for digital projects and public digitisation funding
• An increased use and acceptance of open and interoperable standards for digital content creation and accessibility

There is a lot of synergy between what Digital New Zealand aims to achieve and what the NDF has been advocating for on behalf of its membership. Through the NDF Chair, the NDF is well positioned to have its voice heard on the steering committee and align NDF initiatives with the development of Digital New Zealand for mutual success. Watch out for updates on this topic.

Digitisation Selection Work Reminder

The NDF Board would like to thank those partner organisations that have sent feedback on the Digitisation Selection Work. The Digitisation Selection Work is available on this website. The paper and your feedback will inform the development of a Framework for prioritising digitisation of significant and important publicly held content, which is one of Digital New Zealand’s deliverables. For those partners who would still like to contribute, please email your feedback by Friday 15 March.

2008 Conference in Auckland

Thank you to everyone who made the 2007 NDF Conference a success. Dates for the 2008 Conference in Auckland are Thursday 27 th November and Friday 28 th November subject to confirmation of venue availability. Mark these dates now.

NDF Website

The Board is currently developing a design brief to renovate the existing website. Enhancements for the Register of Digitisation Initiatives (RoDI) are also being investigated to improve the functionality for partner organisations to register their digitisation projects.

FYI

• New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Materials recently held a conference and elections; the incoming president is Carolina Izzo, Conservator Paintings at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa .
• The Matapihi Board meeting took place 25 February 2008.
• The annual general meeting of Te Roopu Whakahau will take place in 1 - 4 April 2008.
• The Museums Aotearoa Conference will take place 8 - 11 April 2008.
• The next NDF Board meeting is on 11 April 2008.

14.12.07 - Digitisation Selection Work

On behalf of the National Digital Forum Board, I am pleased to make available for download a copy of the Digitisation Selection Work (Word Doc) (PDF). This paper is part of the NDF Board‘s endeavour to undertake projects which progress the identification, promotion and the advice on best practice in digitisation activity.

New Zealand’s efforts to date in putting digitised heritage material online have been sporadic and lacking in national oversight or coordination. The NDF Board has produced the Digitisation Selection scoping paper in order to articulate ideas about how New Zealand could prioritise material for future digitisation. The paper also considers what criteria should be taken into account when doing so. It is hoped that this paper, in combination with a redeveloped and updated the NDF Register of Digital Initiatives in 2008 will foster discussion around national priorities for digitisation.

There are of course many factors in addition to careful content selection which contribute to the success of a digitisation project. The NDF Board plans to develop other resources on best practise for digitisation, content delivery and preservation drawing on international standards and the good work already done by many NDF partners.

As a partner organisation of the NDF, your feedback will support the purpose of the Forum: to encourage, support and promote a national, cooperative, bicultural and cross-sectoral approach to enhancing access to natural and cultural heritage resources online. The Digitisation Selection Work has been sent to you for your comment and endorsement. We hope that you will engage with this work and send us your feedback.

Please email your comments to ndf@natlib.govt.nz by 1 March 2008. We will ensure all comments are compiled and considered by the Board.

02.11.07 - Communication from the NDF Board

The NDF Board would like to extend a warm greeting to all the NDF partner organisations.  This is our first formal communication with you since the Board was established.  

The NDF Board is actively working on issues relating to digitisation in the cultural sector. These include the New Zealand Digital Content Strategy, interoperability between sector groups and organisations, standards, toolkits and selection criteria.  In preparation for the upcoming National Digital Forum event on 29 & 30 November in Wellington, the NDF Board would like to update the Register of Digital Initiatives (RoDI).  The Board would also like to obtain an understanding of current expenditure being invested in digitisation projects.  This information will be used to inform a business case to the government for additional funding.  We need your assistance to do this. 

Let us know the details of current digital initiatives in your organisation that are in development or have been completed within the last three years.  Update your current entries in RoDI by emailing changes to ndf@natlib.govt.nz.   If you have any digitisation projects that haven’t been submitted to RoDI, you can send in those details via the online form. While you’re looking at the register for your projects, have a look at all the projects on RoDI to see what other organisations are currently up to. 

In order to begin to make a case for additional funding to be provided to the sectors for digitisation of heritage materials, we would like to gain a better understanding of what funds have already been spent.  If you’re happy to share your financial information for a business case to government, please email us at ndf@natlib.govt.nz before 19 November 2007 with dollar amounts for 2005, 2006 and 2007 that have been expended on digitisation projects.  Financial information will be grouped according to sector and will not be used to in reference to individual organisations.

We thank you for your contribution and look forward to seeing you at the 2007 National Digital Forum where we will update you on developments.

02.11.07 - NDF Board Response to Digital Strategy ‘Refresh’ Consultation with the GLAMs Sector

Introduction

The purpose of the National Digital Forum (NDF) is actively engaged in collectively building New Zealand’s culture and heritage online. The NDF seeks to foster best practice, and build expertise nationally across all sectors’.

The National Digital Forum Board represents the shared interests of over 100 partner organisations (see Appendix 1) which are government, business, and community based.

At its meeting on 5 October 2007 the NDF Board discussed the Digital Strategy Refresh documents presented at workshops in Wellington and Auckland.

The National Digital Forum Board agreed to formally make a response on the three discussion areas as follows

Digital Content

There is not currently a cohesive programme of work with funding, informed by a strategic and nationwide approach, which prioritises genuinely important cultural and heritage content to be unlocked and preserved for future generations of New Zealanders.

The NDF is uniquely positioned, using its partners, to identify a priority register of significant legacy New Zealand content, which is at risk of loss if additional resource is not allocated to digitise, enable and preserve access to it.

The NDF through its partners can quantify the current level of investment in digital content projects contributing to New Zealand’s economic and social capital. This effort could be doubled if a targeted fund was established to match the contribution already made. Benefits to the government and the user could be measured by use of this content, for example in education, creative industries, and research outputs.

Opportunities

1. Heritage Content Trust: a centrally resourced non-government organisation, such as the NDF, utilising the sector to identify and prioritise “at risk” formal content and administer funds to digitise and preserve it.
2. Digital Content Investment Criteria: criteria which evaluate digitisation projects on their “at risk” rating, benefits to users, and meeting prerequisite standards for sharing content.
3. National Resource Discovery: ensuring metadata from all digitisation projects funded by the Trust can be harvested and discoverable by New Zealand and international audiences.

Confidence

This is not a primary focus for the NDF.

The NDF supports user initiatives with a confidence focus such as the People’s Network.

Professional capability is seen to be the domain of professional associations in the GLAMs sector.

Connectivity

The NDF would welcome high speed and low cost internet capability, available anywhere in New Zealand from more than one provider, to enable cheap user access and quick retrieval of quality, media-rich digital content.

All publicly funded institutions should be connected to a national access grid.

Conclusion

The NDF supports the concept of Digital New Zealand.

The NDF would welcome the formal opportunity to participate at all levels in setting the agenda for Digital New Zealand.

John Garraway
Chair of the National Digital Forum Board