Europe’s cultural institutions face a massive task in digitising their collections, according to a definitive new ENUMERATE survey. It shows that although more than three-quarters of them have a digital collection, or are involved in digitisation, only 34% have a written digitisation strategy and just 31% have a policy on use of their digital collections.

The ENUMERATE Survey Report on Digitisation in European Cultural Heritage was carried out in early 2012 by the ENUMERATE Thematic Network. It attracted almost 2,000 responses and was conducted with the assistance of national coordinators in 29 European countries.

The V&A Museum has won the Collections Trust’s inaugural Collections Practice Award, which celebrates projects that demonstrate the application of innovative practice to improve the sustainability and use of collections in arts and cultural organisations.

In a very strong field its Collections Management Project was considered the best entry because it demonstrated how collections management practice could support change and development embedded at the very heart of the organisation. It is designed to review and improve the museums’ management processes and extend support the Collections Management team offer the museum.

The greatest challenge confronting museums worldwide is that of relevance, stated Collections Trust CEO Nick Poole in his Keynote Address “Powering the museum of tomorrow” at the CIDOC Conference in Helsinki. The conference reflected CIDOC’s global reach with delegates from Saudi Arabia, China, Australia, Europe and the US.

He said: “The most fundamental question is how we preserve what is essential and unique about cultural heritage - stewardship, preservation, scholarship, interpretation and display - while presenting it in a way that connects intuitively and seamlessly with how people live their lives today”.

The University of Swansea’s Egypt Centre is the first UK institution to use the latest Modes Complete Collections Management software to connect to the Collections Trust’s Culture Grid. The Centre joins hundreds of other UK organisations who are sharing their collections through the Grid, amounting to approximately 2 million records.

CT Retail is a new brand that brings together the Collection Trust’s portfolio of commercial products and services, which deliver exclusive information, practical support and advice, partnerships and networking opportunities. Significant expansion is planned under the CT Retail brand this year, with new publications and events under development.

The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, run by the Museums Association, focuses on time-limited collections work outside the scope of an organisation’s core resources. A large number of collections activities are eligible for funding including for example research, digitisation, loans and conservation.

The second application deadline for 2011 will be Monday 31 October. Organisations can apply for sums between £20,000 and £100,000. For application forms and guidance please visit the MA website: www.museumsassociation.org/collections/18022011-esmee-fairbairn-collections-fund

Read more about the resource on this website (external link)

Publication looking at pilot collections reviews in the NW, including a methodology

Report to Manchester City Council on progress with the Manchester City Galleries Collections Rationalisation programme