Te Papa’s rights guru Victoria Leachman runs through some of her favourite recent comments from people downloading images from our Collections Online database.
People are continuing to download and use the free high resolution images of collection items from Te Papa’s Collections Online. In the quarter October to December 2016 there were 2898 downloads.
When people download images we ask them to let us know what they are using the images for.
Here are some of my favourite comments:
People engaging with art
His dramatic contrasts in the Otira and West coast paintings give me inspiration for dramatic charcoal drawings that my students can be inspired to try i.e. ‘After Van der Velden’ His was not the romantic European version of the New Zealand landscape. Plus I visit Otira via West Coast most years for the reasons Petrus loved – the wildness!
I’m an artist and I’m using this as a reference! (Not Moana-related, no no–okay it is.)
Practising sketching. Love butterflies.
Helping people with disabilities
I could not see the image very well, and was hoping the download would be larger.
People connecting with their culture
I am learning to Matai chiefly language and it is a requirement to know the faalupega…
I am a Fiji from Bau, and I would like to show my kids how their forefathers used to travel. Vinaka
Te Papa’s sponsors and stakeholders
Parliamentary Services downloaded open images to promote the Commemoration of Cook Islands Soldiers From World War One that happened on 16 November 2016.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage staff found an image perfect for their Today in History section of their New Zealand History website.
Students and parents of students
I am E. P. Cox’s great granddaughter, and using his picture for my own daughter’s school project on Veterans.
Other Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums
To help interpret a depot boat in our collection that was from Auckland Islands
Auckland Museum: Exhibition Being Chinese in Aotearoa opening Feb 2017. Cheers Lucy
In a blog post by a librarian at Christchurch Libraries reviewing a book on Crinolines.
Researchers and citizen scientists
I am on Macquarie Island, and looking for reliably identified moss images.
invasive species research presentation
People connecting with their ancestors
My great grandfather was a trimmer on this ship, engaged in Dunedin 1905
Enabling free download of collection images (where rights allow) has seen Te Papa collections appear in ways we hadn’t anticipated, supported relationships with key stakeholders and sponsors with minimum investment of staff time, raised the profile of Te Papa’s work and collections with our target audiences, and given joy and pleasure to users.
I’m looking forward to reading next quarter’s comments.
Great blog, Victoria, and a wonderful vindication of Collections Online. I love the ‘Protect New Zealand’ and the 3% interest bonds poster. If only people had the opportunity to do so today and at that sky-high interest rate!