Whilst hardly the zippiest title on the block, this collection of articles on virtual museums and collaborative activities “adds to our understanding of how to make effective use of the Web”.
Museums stimulate learning and complement and support the agencies of formal education, and are rich resources for the autonomous learner. Digital technology and the pervasive nature of the Web are bringing massive changes to the way both professionals and lay people view and use museums and libraries. In the vast fathomless labyrinth of the Web, well organised collaborative cataloguing systems are key locational instruments, and this book attempts to outline many of the issues and successes arising from these instruments' design and operation.
Nelson and Gemmill write lucidly on the rich resources of the Ohio Memory On‐line Scrapbook, ranging from State Archives, scrapbooks, letters through to photographs and furniture, bringing together for the Internet user many disparate and interesting topics within the broad definition of “Ohio”. The great cultural diversity of the United States is reflected in the articles on Chinese collections, and Native American and Hawaiian virtual museums. In conclusion, a worthy effort on a highly specialised subject of growing importance and interest to librarians and museum staff. It is very North American in style and comment however. Well produced and indexed, this book will probably find a specialist niche in this growing market quite easily.
