Smithsonian book on opening up collections now on Amazon

At the end of the summer, the Smithsonian released a new e-book exploring how museums, libraries and the archives world are adopting new technology and in some cases transforming approaches to education, research and engagement. The book is now available on iTunes U, Kindle, and Nook.

The Smithsonian — the world’s largest museum and research complex, with collections numbering in excess of 137 million objects and specimens—has long experimented on the digital frontier. In their research for the book, the Smithsonian interviewed many cultural heritage institutions from around the world, including Europeana.

In his book, Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age G. Wayne Clough, the Smithsonian’s 12th Secretary, surveys the efforts of many world-class institutions, including his own, to use technology to open their collections and programs to the world. He asks a fundamental question: 'How can we prepare ourselves to reach the generation of digital natives who bring a huge appetite-and aptitude-for the digital world?'

Secretary Clough’s thoughtful perspective as a museum leader, educator, and enthusiast provides invaluable insight into how digital technologies will radically alter our existing institutions, make access to their embedded knowledge widely available, and enable learning and research anytime, anywhere.

In this introductory video about the book, Secretary Wayne Clough explores the Smithsonian’s digital journey.

You can find the book on the Smithsonian website. Also available for free on iTunes U, Kindle, and Nook.