Date: Wed, 13 May 2020 08:33:04 -0500 From: russhanson <russhanson@grantsburgtelcom.net> Subject: Re: Inquiry on digital systems consultant Message-ID: <124d6bf0d620642490b2ce0176c3a139@grantsburgtelcom.net>
On 2020-05-11 11:34, Heather S. Sonntag wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am seeking advice on overhauling a computer system in a small,
> regional museum. I have conducted a needs assessment for this
> organization that operates with outdated computer equipment, and among
> the short-term priorities are technology improvements for cataloguing,
> digital storage, access and even website re-design.
>
> Has anyone on this list
>
> * hired an outside consultant to review computer systems for
> suggestions on equipment upgrades and set up?
>
> * written grants for said consultant?
> * If so, which grants? And, which consultant (friend or firm)?
> * written grants for purchasing computer and other related digital
> equipment? If so, which grants?
> * hired a web designer/manager?
>
> * written grants for said web designer/manager?
> * If so, which web designer/manager?
>
> We thank you for your suggestions in advance.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Heather Sonntag
>
> hssonntag@wisc.edu
After retiring from a careen in computers, I volunteered for four local
non-profits to do their computer support. Over the years from
2012-current, we have successfully written several small grants for
things like a video projector, laptop, negative scanner, etc as well as
some larger ones $20k and $95k for computer projects (digitization and
an equipped reasearch center).
What I have found out is
1. Web pages for small groups are not really worth the cost of
development, ongoing maintenance and ongoing online presence cost. We
just stopped our paid support for the Polk County Genealogical Society
that was about $500 per year just for the site with minor updates.
Three of the groups I help with use rootsweb's free site hosting for
historical and genealogical sites. One uses the google sites free
route. We provide static information there with links to social media
for shared files (newsletters) for timely information.
2. Using free social media is easy and fresh -- We use Facebook
pages for non-static information. No costs to us.
3. We share our images, files, videos, and newsletters though the
Google shared drive route. We upload the files, set the sharing, and
add the link in Facebook. If we have a video we think is of more
general interest, we share it on Youtube. Although 15Gb is free on
Google drive, the photo area is unlimited free. We can buy more space
if we need it.
4. One history society has a joint effort with the local
genealogical society. Sharing costs, efforts, equipment and expertise
with others makes it easy. The Luck Area Historical Society hosts the
Ravenholt Family History Center (funded by grants from a local family
foundation). With that grant we maintain printers, computers, copy
machine and consumables.
5. The Sterling Eureka and Laketown HS used the Wis H. S.
mini-grant route to buy a large format negative scanner -- something
needed by many local history societies for a few days each. We got the
grant for $700 by promising that it would be a shared resource for any
group in our area. We provided the computer from our own funds and have
used it for our own glass negatives and loaned it with training to
several other groups and continue to make it available. We applied for
a grant for a book scanner this year with the same sharing idea
6. I recommend laptops instead of desktops for most work. We
have two drop-in desktops for the genealogy users but for our staff and
volunteers, laptops are great. They take up little space, can easily be
locked away, and in this time of working from home are great.
7. Highspeed WIFI service is important!
We went the professionally built website with our own name in 2015,
but the yearly costs of updates, backups, changes, ongoing payments for
hostings etc. ended up being about $500 and then any changes were billed
at $60 per hour. Far too expensive for our small societies even with
grants to pay for them. And our web traffic was very small compared to
our Facebook page.
We are reverting all of our sites to rootsweb where we pay nothing
ongoing and do our own website changes or with volunteers. That does
give us a website although most of its traffic comes from Facebook
links.
Russ Hanson
Volunteer computer support for 5 local non-profits 2 history societies,
a genealogy society, a cemetery and a writers group