Today is a very exciting day for us because we are celebrating the 1st birthday of the Powerhouse Museum participating in the Commons on Flickr. On April 8th last year we loaded our first set of images from the Tyrrell photographic collection onto Flickr with ‘no know copyright restrictions’. We were not quite sure of what was going to happen with our images but had a bit of an idea that the Flickr community would devour them as they had done with the Library of Congress’ collection of images. This project has led us to think differently about public access to our content and we have made some invaluable connections along the way with lots of stories to tell about community, engagement, discovery, participation and amateur research.
We want to celebrate this project and share some of the stories that have happened along the way so we have made a photo book using print-on-demand service Blurb BookSmart. Called ‘Then and now: stories from the Commons’, the aim of this book is to share some of the stories and comments that Flickr members have contributed to our photostream, making it richer and more accessible. This 78-page photo book has been made with permission from the Flickr members that are featured and we sincerely thank them for their participation.
This book is now available via Blurb and any money raised from the sale will go back into digitising more collections for the Commons on Flickr.
You can choose from a softcover, or two different hardcover versions ranging from US$28.95 to US$45.95 plus shipping.
The great news is, Photo of the Day has 10 books to give away! To win a copy we want you to comment on what it means to have Powerhouse Museum content released to the Commons. 10 great answers will receive a book for free!.
Below are some of the highlights from the book.
Hmmm. I’ve enjoyed looking through the PH commons photos – particularly the ones of the White Bay powerstation. It’s fascinating to have this kind of access, since most of the things I’m interested in seeing wouldn’t be available to me otherwise!
Thanks Stealthflower for the feedback
Powerhouse on Commons means that our collective history is available freely for current and future generations to use and learn from. It’s great fun to browse or search through.
Space and budgetary concerns have meant that so much of this material has not been previously exhibited. Now we can all benefit from the collection, both from common images of famous places to obscure photos of our local area as it was so long ago.
I HATE the Powerhouse Museum Commons on Flickr.
What should be a quick second’s view, turns into a minute for the larger size photo, an hour to pore over the detail, days of research and googling, weeks of spooky time travel, months of over-stimulated imagination, and one year (so far) of addictive and frustrating fun.
Congratulations on your first year, but you can STOP NOW – I need to get a life! The beach needs combing . . .
Thanks Tim and beachcomberaustralia for your comments. I have to agree with you about the addictive nature of the Commons.
The amount of hits the Power House site has been getting is fantastic- your really ahead of other institutions in giving public access on the net for these treasured items.
And the pics are great to top it off.
Well done!
I just wanted to say thanks for being in the Commons and happy anniversary.
I would probably never have had any exposure to your collection had you not joined the Commons, since I don’t go surfing on the web to every possible museum out there. But having access to your collection at Flickr has made me visit your website often, and I plan to visit in-person when I get a chance to go to Australia.
I’m an American West history buff, and seeing your Commons images from the early 20th century has been an eye-opener — there are some nifty similarities to mull over, such as architecture, vehicles, even landscape to a degree. I’ve really enjoyed being able to browse your photos on the map and through time. It’s also fun to see what photos are similar to each other across institutions in the Commons.
Thanks!
Greg and Criz
It is great to get this feedback. Thank you!
I’m chuffed that the Powerhouse is diving into the Commons – not just because these photos will now be reaching people who never would have had access to them before, but because I’m hoping that the success of this project will inspire other public institutions and agencies, and hopefully government departments to release their own images under CClicences. Maybe it’s time for something like ‘Open images Australia’ – combine ABC’s Pool images with the Powerhouse & other cc collections from Oz.
Releasing the powerhouse content into the commons is a fantastic display of how the old is new again. Utilising the commons is a way that all museums can reinvigorate their photography collections and expose them to a wider audience and gain exposure. I wouldn’t have come into contact with the collection had it not been for the commons, so thank you.
Photography is moving forward so quickly with the age of digital, and until the commons collections we didn’t have the ability to look back online and see where photography has come from. The powerhouse’s contribution gives a greater context and history to Australian photography in the online world!
Lyndon and Miriam great comments: interesting idea ‘Open Images Australia’
Thanks for the feedback
Having the PH content on creative commons means our history is now accessible. No matter where in the country you live, you can see how the country has changed or stayed the same.
One of my favourite things to do is see if buildings and landmarks from the collection are still standing. I love being able to comment and add tags to the images and it’s great when you get a reply from the museum in the comments – this project really is a collaboration.
Aussie Gold
Thanks for sharing this.
Also: our book has made it to the ‘Staff Picks’ section on Blurb
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/featured
We are really excited about this.
For me, having Powerhouse content on the Commons is wonderful for two main reasons:
1. It inspires us to do more and better things with the Commons.. Whenever I click through a set I think of more things we have to put up!
2, It provides a wonderful opportunity for us to all share our stuff, in a way that’s searchable regardless of who uses TMS or who uses Ke EMU or any of that! It just Works.
You type in “boat” and suddenly you’re searching some of the richest collections in the world. That’s pretty neat, if you ask me :)
Thanks Ryan
Great point about searching and finding across many collections, and then being able to share them!
To be honest, I just discovered the Powerhouse Museum via the Brooklyn Museums Flickr pages. Flickr and the history of photography are both so vast, it’s a wonder I found you at all! I love that you put together a book of your (copyright free) Photo of the Day features, with comments left on Flickr. A bold step for a museum, but a necessary one in this day and age. I happen to be a museum book designer by day, amateur photographer the rest of the time. I thrive on collections like your, so immense and amazing, yet the odds to ever make it to your museum in person are low, let alone having the time to sit and flip through thousands of images once there. Online, through creative commons, here they are, ready to spark the imagination, triggering ideas that might not otherwise see the light of day. Much like the Caves collection on Flickr. Wow! I can wade through hundreds, thousands of images in a sitting and still want more. I love seeing the world through the eyes of others. One of the most difficult aspects of publishing is editing down from such huge collections to produce a ‘highlights’ or collection handbook. Often, for my taste, the more obscure and bizarre images get left behind. It’s nice to have a real book in hand, of course, but also nice to have entire collections available for viewing. Here’s to your second year! I’ve subscribed to Photo of the Day and look forward to each and every inspiring surprise.
The internet provides a lot of opportunities for collaboration, business and art; networking an huge number of people and growing expodentially. However there is a percieved lack of real shared data online. Information and data is powerful and exciting, but corporations and institutions like to hold tight onto their power, making it hard for ordinary folk to get access.
This is the reason this commons archive is truly inspiring to me. It is not simply about sharing images, or giving the people a snippet of the past. It is about giving them the freedom to use it, to soak it into their life and work and make it their own.
I hope in the future that more people understand the value of such a lasting contribution, Powerhouse is leading the pack in Australia right now.
I read the posts via rss, not interacting much with the community, but I do value it. The daily photos and comments inspire and engage me in my work, and the opportunity to have these images in hard copy is enough to lure me out to this page.
John Hubbard
I love that you have discovered us through our friends over at the Brooklyn Museum, that’s great. Thanks for the comment!
ALH
Great to hear you value the contributions, thanks also!
Congratulations
Thanks for the great comments, we really appreciate them!
The book will be in the post shortly for:
ALH
John Hubbard
Ryan Donahue
AussieGold
lyndon
Miriam Lyons
Criz
beachcomberaustralia
Tim
Stealthflower
I will email you for your postal address.