NOTE: This is a discussion document for the purposes of helping the MDL plan its FY2009. Elements of this proposal may well change before we move ahead.
The Minnesota Reflections site brings together a rich set of resources from institutions across the state. Each institution must not only provide images and documents, but also the metadata to describe these items. Providing even basic metadata is a challenge, full descriptions of each item are nearly impossible to generate. For a number of years planners of the Minnesota Digital Library Coalition (MDLC) have wondered whether it would not be possible to open up the description of items to public input. The Social Side of Reflections (SSR) project has demonstrated that, indeed, the public is interested in leaving generally helpful and interesting commentary about our holdings. The challenge now is how to grow and develop this opportunity for public commentary.
We have at least two options for a next-stage SSR:
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Option A... We can massage the current SSR system by integrating the commentary more closely with the Reflections database, for example allowing cross-searching, and providing a greater variety of commentary mechanisms, for example tying the commentary closely to the Steve-based tagging. This would maintain the control MDLC has over the content of the commentary but provide for some growth in the way we use the data.
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Option B... We could push the commentary out into the "mainstream" of the web's social networks by putting versions of our images on a major image site and encouraging commentary there. This would make it much more likely that the masses would stumble upon MDL content and be inspired to leave their ideas attached. By careful design of our use of the mainstream site, we could also turn each posted image into a conduit of patrons back to the institutions which hold those images.
The MDL has asked that I develop a preliminary proposal that combines elements of both options. In this case I propose doing some of the simplest things we can do to the existing system in order to make it more functional while engaging in a 400-image pilot of sharing MDL images with a mainstream website, namely Flickr Commons.
Deliverables
With regard to massaging the existing system I would include:
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Continued consulting and system administration effort equivalent to one day per month. ($9,600)
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Develop new functionality ($2,400)
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Upgrade PmWiki to allow improved RSS feeds
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Develop button that indicates existing comments
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Add "contact us" link
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Add request for (hidden) user email addresses
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Note, one major SSR improvement left out of this proposal is the "bullet-proofing" of the Reflections/SSR connection by fixing the MDL ID and developing an XML "view" of the data in Reflections.
Also not included is coordination with the "steve" project.
With regard to a mainstreaming pilot I would include:
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Assist in conversations with key MDL participants to identify a c. 400 image pilot for mainstreaming. ($500)
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Contact those responsible for Flickr Commons to get MDL data considered for inclusion. Develop alternative regular Flickr option. ($1,000)
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Develop a special-case workflow for moving pilot items into the mainstream. ($2,000)
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Track viewership and comments on mainstream site, compiling monthly statistics. ($3,000)
With regard to both agendas I would include:
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Writing up an assessment report of the project. ($2,400)
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Overhead costs of consultant. (+10%)
Putting the picture together
As a consultant, I do not charge by the hour. The estimates above are made to help me understand the costs of a project, but I would not bill the project or justify my time in these ways. I find projects require much more fluid application of time and effort that such a picture allows. Still, these estimates are helpful in understanding the likely cost of the effort.
Altogether these costs come to $23,000.
That's the ballpark for now. I would be happy to review this with you further and to consider some sort of discounts if the MDL cannot, in the end, afford this cost.