Asia-Pacific Library and Information Conference 2018, 30 July - 2 August 2018 Gold Coast: Roar Leap Dare
This conference presentation (PowerPoint slides) accompanies the lightning talk which showcases the initial design principles for a new Trove, with an object-oriented approach to enabling serendipity in discovery, revealing and facilitating new connections between objects and texts.
In 2017, the Library commenced a process of redesign of the Trove user interface, branding and navigation to revitalise the service. The objectives were to:
- Ensure Trove represented a national brand, showcasing Australia rich cultural heritage held in multiple institutions;
- Bring simplicity, usability and a little beauty to the design;
- Draw new audiences in to Trove, especially from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; linguistically and culturally diverse communities; and young people.
This process involved engaging with the key stakeholder groups supporting Trove content: the GLAM sector; National and State Libraries Australasia, and the research sector. In a series of workshops, leaders in this sector mapped out the strengths and weaknesses of the current interface, and identified unrealised potentials. An ‘atlas’ of Trove was produced, mapping the content and pathways, and revealing eight key recommendations to modernise the service, expose more of the content, and allow for more visible partnerships.
Trove’s success has been in providing integrated access to a comprehensive and cohesive body of documents and objects representing our national heritage. However, Trove needs to be redesigned to engage with and meet the expectations of a 2018 internet user. Trove has been developed and will continue to be built with input from stakeholders across the GLAM, research and government sectors. Developments in establishing mechanisms for collaborative governance, and partnership, sponsorship and funding models will support Trove into the future. This presentation will also discuss the joys and frustrations of building collaborative relationships, and posit how such collaborations may allow libraries, galleries, archives and museums to balance a strong public profile with the capacity to allow users meaning and connection across institutions.