Hack the Archive! Hackathon to Increase Accessibility to the African Rock Art Image Project at the British Museum

[mozfest-bot]

[ UUID ] 79dd4e17-4819-44bd-a7c4-c7011b19b72f

[ Session Name ] Hack the Archive! Hackathon to Increase Accessibility to the African Rock Art Image Project at the British Museum [ Primary Space ] Digital Inclusion [ Secondary Space ] Open Innovation

[ Submitter's Name ] Jennifer Wexler [ Submitter's Affiliated Organisation ] British Museum

[ Additional facilitators ] Elizabeth Galvin

What will happen in your session?

The African Rock Art Image Project at the British Museum (www.britishmuseum.org/africanrockart) was launched in 2013 to catalogue, curate and make publicly accessible a collection of 24,000 images from 19 countries across Africa. As the BM's first research project dealing primarily with digital collections, the project has been experimenting with a series of innovative digital tools, including 3D modeling, 3D printing, and interactive VR experiences, to order to develop new and inventive ways of engaging with the rock art data. This session will focus on what we have learned in the 4 years of running a major digital heritage project in a museum environment, and how we can use digital technology to ensure ongoing, global open access to the archive.

What is the goal or outcome of your session?

Since the central remit of the project is to ensure global open access to our archival data, we propose a session to look at developing new and innovative ways of engaging with the archive, with emphasis on finding low-cost solutions to increase accessibility in low-bandwidth regions and on mobile devices. We will enable access to 'hack' our collections data, and to create fun and innovative solutions. How can we use archival data to innovate and engage? Experimentation, digital inclusion, and open access tools will be central themes we will be looking at.

This could either be via a single session or through a weekend long installation as either works well with what we can demonstrate and teach.

If your session requires additional materials or electronic equipment, please outline your needs.

Projector and office supplies, power points, whiteboards, wifi access, and personal devices.

Time needed

All weekend, as an installation, exhibit or drop-in session

[sedgwickkm]

@Saallen this strikes me as a fringe event candidate!

[kenyatta1]

Unfortunately we didn't think this session was quite right for the Digital Inclusion space this year. I'm removing the milestone to allow other spaces to consider your proposal.

[Saallen]

Loving this session- would be open to having this as a science fair table. Jennifer, you are already based in London??

[JWexlerBM]

Thanks! Yes we're London-based (at the British Museum), what would a science fair table entail?

[Saallen]

@JWexlerBM The science fari showcases interesting projects, individuals and prototypes that are not sessions over the weekend. Its a networking event on the Friday night from 6-9pm and we give you a table, screen, wifi and power outlets. You could share what you have been working on as people pass through the space. How does that sound?

[JWexlerBM]

Sad to not be a session, but otherwise that sounds great! We do have lots of awesome 3D prints and VR stuff we can bring along : )

[Saallen]

Cool we will take this as the science fair table if @KirstieJane and open innovation don't want it as a session

[JWexlerBM]

Thanks!

[kaodro]

Hi @JWexlerBM , my name is Kasia and I work on Mozilla’s Internet Health Report. At Mozfest we will be present with an “Internet Research Hub” #618 (last comment) - an easy-going, cozy space for discussions and networking both with us about Internet Health and among researchers themselves.

We also invite anyone who does work in an Internet research field to sign up and present their work at a couple of open display tables we will have in the hub. If you would like to present something in the Hub in addition to your official session, let me know! We will promote these sessions throughout the festival. You can sign up spontaneously with pen and paper on site or if you would like to save a spot beforehand, drop me an email at kasia@mozillafoundation.org with a short description of the session.

In any case, I would like to invite you to pass by the Hub and say hi. We will start with an informal "Research and coffee grinder” get-together at the beginning of the festival where people can get to know each other. Space and exact schedule for the Hub are still being decided and I will update you once we know the details. Hope to see you there!

[Saallen]

hello @JWexlerBM we sent the team an invitation to the science fair but have heard nothing back as of yet- can you confirm you are still interested?

[JWexlerBM]

Apologies, I didn't receive the invite! Yes, we are definitely still interested -- 3 of us will attend, how can we sign up? Thanks!

[Saallen]

Hey - can you email me via sarah@mozillafoundation.org?

[JWexlerBM]

Cool, will do!