Calls for unified digital platform for cultural collections

The Towards a National Collection (TaNC) research programme is urging the UK’s cultural heritage sector to collaborate on building a unified digital collection.

The programme, which is delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, is releasing a policy document urging cultural heritage organisations and funding bodies to come together and develop a UK-wide digital collection that is “inclusive, unified, accessible, interoperable and sustainable”.

It warns that without a unified digital collection, the UK risks losing the opportunity to be a global leader in collections-based research.

“The collections held in museums, galleries, archives and libraries across the UK are one of the great assets of the world. Together they comprise an astonishing resource of knowledge,” says Sir Roly Keating, British Library chief executive and chair of TaNC’s steering committee. 

“At the moment, however, we are failing to make the most of this great national asset. Through a historic lack of investment in skills, digitisation and common infrastructure, the remarkable collections held in the UK remain fragmented and, in many cases, hard to access, even for the most dedicated researchers.”

The call to action has received contribution from over 50 organisations. It features ten recommendations, supported by case studies and training materials, presented as a series of steps for institutions and funders to take towards developing the collection.

They suggest the digital collection is broad in its inclusion and participation, features a coherent and consistent approach to data and rights management, uses new technologies to automate production and ensures all data, platform and infrastructure used are secure, accessible to everyone and preserved in the face of technological change.

The recommendations also call on the sector to “continuously and thoughtfully expose our collections to new technologies”. It says this should include undertaking early-stage technical research and development to trial new technologies for digital collections and emphasises a focus on minimising the environmental impact of a future digital collection. 

“Today’s recommendations make great strides towards unlocking the potential of our national collections,” says Tate director Maria Balshaw. “I urge leaders and practitioners across the arts and heritage sector to assist in progressing this transformative opportunity.”

TaNC is planning to publish five policy recommendations, aimed at decision-makers and funders to inform the future of UK digital collection development, on Thursday (November 21).