The Invisible History of Museum Computing: The Behind-The-Scenes Magic of Museum Technology Professionals

The Invisible History of Museum Computing uses engaging quotes from a one-of-a-kind collection of oral histories gathered by the authors from more than fifty current and former museum technology professionals working in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia to shine a light on the invisible, behind-the-scenes work of museum computing.

This book provides a critical analysis of key trends in museum computing that collectively drove the museum technology profession forward from the 1960s to the present day, and offers an "annotated history" of museum computing that shares engaging quotes from the museum technology professionals who participated in this oral history project, places their memories in the appropriate historical context, and uses their personal stories to tell the history of museum computing from the perspective of the very people who lived through it.

Filled with a positive spirit of inspiration, innovation, and boundless enthusiasm, this book brings to life the history of museum computing in a way that has never been done before as it explores the overarching trends that influenced the field of museum computing over the past sixty years and explains why that history continues to matter today as museums move forward into their digital future.

Paul Marty is professor in the School of Information in the College of Communication and Information at Florida State University. His research and teaching interests include museum informatics; technology, innovation, and culture; experience design; and the information society. He has worked with museums, and in the field of museum informatics, since the mid-1990s.

Dr. Marty studies the sociotechnical interactions that take place between people, information, and technology in museums, and his publications explore the invisible work of museum computing, the evolving roles of technology professionals in museums, and the use of digital museum resources. He has served on the editorial boards and committees of national and international organizations including Museum Management and Curatorship, Museums and the Web, and the Museum Computer Network.

Dr. Marty has a background in ancient history and computer science engineering, and his PhD is from the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At Florida State University, he has served on a wide range of university committees, including serving as chair of the Honors Program Policy Committee, chair of the Innovation Hub Steering Committee, chair of the Undergraduate Program in Information Technology, and chair of the Milton S. Carothers Faculty Lecture Series.

Katherine Jones is program director for the Museum Studies program at the Harvard University Extension School. She has taught in the Museum Studies program at the Harvard Extension School since 1997 and has served as the Research Advisor since 2004.

Ms. Jones was assistant dean for Information Technology and Media Services at the Harvard Divinity School for nine years. Prior to that, she was assistant director at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology from 1994 to 2000 where she introduced the importance of websites and multimedia to all of the Harvard museums. She was responsible for raising funds for the various public-facing technology projects that were carried out during the time including the virtual exhibit: "Against the Winds: American Indian Running Traditions."

Her current research interests focus on applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing to museum databases in order to address challenges involving deaccessioning, visitor engagement, analyzing language used to describe collections to make it more accessible and less derogatory, and leveraging museum data to provide insights about climate change. Ms. Jones is editor of and contributor to two books on the use of technology in museums: The Wired Museum (1997) published by the American Association of Museums, and Museum Informatics: People, Information, and Technology in Museums (with Paul F. Marty, in 2008) published by Routledge. In addition, she has authored numerous articles on topics related to museum technology, and given presentations at international, national and regional museum conferences for the last three decades.