Title Museum Publications

Title Museum Publications

1. Introduction

International Council of Museums (ICOM) defined museums in 2007 as, “a non-profit,

permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which

acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible

heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and

enjoyment.”

The definition cited above clearly demarcates the basic museum functions that can be easily

expressed by 3 Cs, i.e.,

 Collection

o Acquisition

o Research

 Care

o Documentation

o Conservation

 Communication

o Exhibition

o Docent Services

o Publication

So, publication assumes one of the very important functions of the museum, especially in

relation with the learning, research, marketing and public relations.

2. Museum Publication

Publication constitutes one of the fundamental aspects of museum education programs.

Museum publications must not in any case extend beyond the direct responsibility of making

the museum’s collection intelligently assessed or reviewed. It must not be thought that

museums should take up the responsibility of a publishing firm. At the present age

publications assume one of the most important aspects of museum work. Every notable

museum has its publications that are made available to the public at a no-profit basis.

In every major museum, throughout the world, a special section is provided near the main

entrance of the museum building, which is called Museum Publications Sales Counter,

where adequate arrangements are sometimes provided for readers’ consultation of the

items.

Generally publications of a museum are brought out by the Education Department, usually

kept under the charge of a Publication Officer. In some museums, this post is called the

Editor of Museum Publications.

Museum publications can be divided into four groups:

a) Popular Publications: generally include different kind of picture cards, posters,

folders, gallery guides, game sheets and children literature.

b) Advanced Publications: monographs, descriptive catalogues, survey reports,

dissertations and research publications are included in this category.

c) Serialised Publications: these comprise publications with stated periodicities that

means, published at regular interval, like newsletters, bulletins and journals.

d) Administrative Publications: all publications relating to the administrative, financial

and organisational matters of the museum, like the annual reports, statutes, mission

statements, etc., fall under this category. These have limited circulations.

Besides the above, museums sometimes publish illustrative and descriptive materials during

holding of important temporary and travelling exhibitions.

2.1 Popular Publications

1) Poster:

A poster is a single sheet publication that gives definite information about the collection

or the activity of a museum or an exhibition. The basic aim of a successful poster is to

attract attention of the viewer instantaneously. This is done either by catchy one-liners or

novelty of lettering and typography or by introducing a kind of illustration that dramatises

the message of the poster or by sharp visual contrast. A poster must not be

overburdened with words & visuals and usually contains bare necessary information.

Posters essentially serve to attract immediate attention of a potential museum visitor to

evoke an urge to visit the museum or the particular exhibition or programme. The aim

might be achieved by using contrasting bright colours between the background & the

lettering, or the images. Selecting typography, colour and other visuals are extremely

important for designing a good poster. Nowadays digitally printed multi-coloured posters

on A-3 glossy papers are very popular as these are cost-effective and can be produced

in numbers in short period. Large posters on vinyl sheets are also popular too as these

are easy to install and can be moved away in a short notice.

Posters must give the minimum essential information like the museum/ exhibition/ object,

duration/ timings, venue and accessibility. Too much visuals or words mar the efficacy of

a poster.

2) Picture Card:

It is the most popular type of museum publications throughout the world. In these

publications authentic pictures or reproductions of the museums’ more valuable items

are provided. The visitors usually buy these as a kind of memento or souvenir of the visit

to the museum. They are also sent far and near as gift. Size of picture cards is usually

12.5 cm x 7.5 cm, i.e., approximately the size of a postal card. These are usually

available in sets of six, ten or twelve cards. Almost all the major museums produce

several such sets on different categories of collections, like sculpture, wood carving,

paintings, craft items, folk art objects, etc.

Earlier these were called picture post cards as the visitors from places outside the

location of the museums used to send these to near & dear ones by post. On the

reverse, the half of the space used to be kept blank for scribing few words by the

senders; the other half used to be kept reserved for fixing the postal stamps and writing

the address of the recipients. Many museums used to have sets of such cards bound or

stapled together in duplicate with perforations in the middle so to enable the visitors to

retain a copy for himself / herself as mementos.

As the use of surface mails is in the wane, presently most of such cards use the reverse

space for giving the detail identification of the object displayed. These cards are usually

priced very cheap so as to keep within reach of common visitors’ affordability on no profit

no loss basis.

3) Art Album:

Some museums bring out art albums, either of works of different renowned artists or

famous art works. Quality prints of few selective or representative works of art are

published in a cover along with introductory write-ups. These are larger than the picture

cards. The prices are kept in a higher side to cover up the cost of printing. The Indian

Museum, Kolkata, the National Museum, New Delhi and the National Gallery of Modern

Art, New Delhi, have several such sets to be collected by the interested visitors.

Art museums, like the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, also produce quality

reproductions of the works of famous artists on good papers in authentic colour

rendering and in high quality printing. Such reproductions satisfy the aesthetic urge of

the visitors, who cannot afford to collect original paintings in an affordable cost.

4) Folder:

It is a cheaper variety of museum publication, usually distributed to the interested visitors

free of cost, though currently some museums started charging minimum prices for the

folders.

As the name suggests, folder is such a publication that can be folded and can be taken

away. These can be one-fold, two-fold, three-fold or manifold. A folder could be devoted

to the whole museum or to individual galleries or to a temporary exhibition. This should

provide all relevant information at a glance on the museum/ gallery/ exhibition. It is a

general practice to include a lay-out; a gist of other attractions in the museum; extra

mural activities, general information like, address, access, opening hours, entry fee, etc.,

in the folder. Some folders also suggest the visitors on the exhibits to be seen in limited

period of visit they can afford to – one hour, two hours or four hours, etc.

5) Pamphlet:

It is a publication that often called booklet. There is very little difference between an 8/10

pages booklet and a folder. Only difference is that printed booklets are slightly costlier as

they require some kind of binding. These are often priced and are more elaborate than a

folder.

Pamphlets or booklets are published to give idea on a topic of exhibitions or a group of

exhibits in a very lucid manner. Science museums/ centres frequently use such

publications to drive-in the principles behind the concept-based exhibitions generally

they resort to.

6) Leaflet:

Very cheap mode of publication, single paged, often used as publicity material and press

handouts. The Birla Industrial & Technological Museum, Kolkata, extensively distributed

leaflets along different important places of Kolkata, where many people congregate, such

as markets, bus stands, railway stations, etc., through their bicycle-rider employees

before inauguration the museum in 1959.

7) Guidebook:

In large multipurpose museums, guidebooks are published in two different categories. In

one, a general account of the museums’ collections is given; in other, description of

single subject galleries is given. All standard museum guidebooks include within its

purview, an account of more important materials accompanied by few pictures.

It must be remembered that a guidebook is not a list of objects; it is rather a book giving

a general description about the collection in the form of a readable story. It is very

important to note that a guidebook must be written in a lucid language.

A guidebook is for the common visitor and it must be able to enliven their interest in the

museum. The guidebook should be self-sufficient in its contents. Guidebooks are usually

priced publications.

In modern museums, guidebooks generally provide a competently labelled ground plan

of the museum or a particular gallery showing exact locations of different subjects

treated in the museum.

The multi-storied museums include plans of each floor separately or in a common

isometric drawing. Additional information like, visitor amenities, opening & closing times,

schedules of guide service, etc., and the ground plan are given in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th

cover of the guidebook.

The photographs in a guidebook include three types of information:

i. more important types of objects

ii. general view of the gallery/ galleries

iii. themost imposing picture of the entrance to the museum or the

museum building itself.

8) Game Sheet:

Few museums publish games for the children based on their collection. These are also

called Activity Sheet. Different types of Game Sheet/ Activity Sheets are designed.

Some may have printed half-drawn sketches of any exhibited objects that are to be

completed by the child. Some may encourage board games using the displayed objects.

Innovative activity sheets use participatory games like ‘Treasure Hunt’ to find out

particular objects in the museum/ exhibition. These are highly effective for induce

curiosity among the children and facilitate cognition.

2.2 Advanced Publications

1) Catalogue:

This contains detailed information on the collections of the museum, on display, or in

storage. Catalogues may be general or classified according to material, style, school of

art, compositions, etc. Catalogues contain photographs of the objects. Very competent

museum professionals compile catalogues after thorough research. One must remember

that catalogues are not mere list of objects/ exhibits; must be compiled meticulously and

completed with all scientific/ elaborate information regarding the objects. Care must be

taken to avoid controversial or doubtful views in the catalogues. These are generally

priced and serve the requirement of scholars, researchers and serious museum visitors.

2) Monograph:

As the name suggests, monographs deal with single subjects. These are usually brought

out in the form of books. Monographs may deal with the collections of the museums, a

particular programme/ seminar/ conference/ symposium, a topic of concern to the

museum or anything that comes under the ambit of a singular objective. Monographs

have limited circulation meant for a specific target group and are generally priced.

2.3 Serialised Publications

Publications that appear at regular intervals and have limited circulation meant for

specific target groups are categorised under serialised publications, e.g.,

Newsletters, Bulletins, Journals, etc.

1) Newsletter:

Newsletter gives important information like, new acquisition, upcoming programmes, new

appointments, visit by dignitaries and related miscellaneous others. These have very

limited circulation and sent regularly to a list of people considered important to the

museums.

2) Bulletin:

Bulletins, in stricter sense, contain in brief the relevant information regarding the

programmes, acquisitions, future plans, developments, etc., and are mailed to the

intended persons. It is more elaborate in nature than the Newsletters. These are

generally thin and can be easily mailed at a reasonable cost.

3) Journal:

Journals are results of serious academic pursuits. Articles of high standards are

published in museum journals. Results of research conducted in the museum or outside

with the help of museum collections are published in it. Subjects may be linked directly or

indirectly to the museum collections, have museological relevance, or of any frontier of

knowledge that may contribute to the advancement of learning or society. Journals are

aimed to the scholastic audience.

2.4 Administrative Publications

Museums, being public institutions, having accountability towards the society, need its aims,

policies and achievements to be known to the people at large. Few publications are there to

cater to such needs:

1) Statute:

It is a legal document defining the organisation of the museum. This may include

Memorandum of Association, Rules & Regulations, Bye-Laws, etc.

2) Mission Statement:

A written document of museums’ purpose – policy, scope & limitations, etc., known as

mission statement, is also a document to clearly define principal focus of the museum.

3) Forward Plan:

It is a written document of a museum’s future development plan over a certain period of

time. It is also known as management plan. Sometimes these are called vision

statement.

4) Annual Report:

These are the accounts of the achievements, activities, number of visitors, finances, etc.,

of a museum, during the just preceding financial year. This is a testimonial of the

development of a museum. As the name suggests, this is published annually. Publication

of Annual Report is statutory obligation of a museum, and is necessary for several

administrative & financial procedures.

5) Activity Report:

It gives relevant information other than the statutory facts needed to be given in the

annual report. Activity Reports are targeted to underline specialized competence at the

museums’ disposal. It helps in garnering sponsors/ support for developmental activities.

3. Importance of Museum Publication

Publication plays very important role in the museums in various ways, such as:

a) An effective education tool:

Publication, as such, does have direct bearings on learning. Museums, being a place for

informal education, above publications serve as effective tools for dissemination of

knowledge in informal ways.

b) Means for marketing:

Most of the above publications portray the collections in the possession of the particular

museum, on display or in the storage. The information imparted through the museum

publication directly helps in marketing the museum for increasing footfall as well as

potential agencies who might be interested in utilising the museums’ resources for

various purposes.

c) Good publicity material.

Publications, like posters, folders, leaflets, etc., are very useful means for public relations

and give good publicity of the museum, collections, display/ exhibition or programmes.

d) Satisfies visitor curiosity & thirst for knowledge:

Museum Publications, particularly the advanced ones, often address to different

curiosities of the visitors, generally remain unanswered in the display/ exhibitions for

various reasons.

e) Invokes interest for repeat visit:

Intelligently produced publications may invoke visitors’ interest for repeat visit/s to

experience the exhibition or programme again and again from time to time.

f) Helps in getting feedback:

Museums can utilise publications of different kinds for getting feedback on display,

programmes, activities, etc., which might be useful in future planning.

g) Augments earning:

Good publications are really means for increasing earnings for the museums and

revenue generation. Many museums throughout the world earn a sizeable portion of their

sustenance from their quality publications of different kinds,

h) Helps in resource mobilisation:

Many Indian museums, especially the science museums, utilize publications, like the

Activity Report or Annual Report, to mobilise resources from the sponsors, besides direct

benefits from selling the publications.

i) Fulfils statutory obligations:

Publications like the Annual Reports, Mission/ Vision Statement, etc., are mandatory

instruments for the museums. Every museum, being public institutions, and many of

them run by public money, are accountable to the public. The records relating to footfall,

revenues, expenditure, plans & programmes, etc., need to be communicated publicly at

regular intervals.

Challenges before Museum Publication

Despite being so important, museum publications, of late, are facing lots of challenges due

to several factors, like:

ICT Revolution

The great advancement in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is

perhaps one of the major challenges for not only the museums but also for most of the visual

media. Advancements in the space research gave rise to geostationary communication

satellites, which in turn, along with growing computer technology, created the Internet and

World Wide Web (www). Developments in electronics, especially the transistors, integrated

circuits (ICs), microprocessors, large scale and very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits

made tremendous progress in data & information management, i.e., storage, retrieval and

dissemination. Laptop/ palmtop computer, digital organizer, cell phone, digital camera, digital

camcorder, pen-drive, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc., make information management

and communication instant, handy and highly flexible – turning the entire world into a global

village – posing a great threat to the museums and museum visit of becoming redundant.

Technological Advancements in Museums

Apart from the information & communication, there have been many technological

developments in other spheres also. Say for example, LASER technology, which is being

used as cutting-edge tool in various industries for production, machining, cleaning, mapping,

replication, labelling, lighting, entertainment, film shows, etc.; many of which might have

direct bearings on different aspects of museum functioning. It is not true that museums at

large remained oblivious to the spurt of technological developments. Many such

developments did make their forays into the domains of museum functioning, particularly in

the exhibit fabrication, replication, security of objects, documentation, conservation and

communication. Animated talking heads, animatronics, multi-screen projection systems,

embedded chip for security, infra-red ray guided audio-aids, 3-D shows, context pick up

mode information retrieval systems, are some of the relevant examples. But the uses are

mostly confined to the more resourceful museums.

To attract more audience and to keep them coming back

With the rapid developments particularly in the field of information and communication

technology, created major problem for the museums. Having alternative and easily

accessible media, both for education and entertainment, at hand, certain sections of

potential museum visitors have grown reluctance for museum visit. Being able to directly

compare with other such institutions, it has become very difficult to encourage repeat visits.

To understand how people perceive, receive & respond to information in museum

It’s getting more and tougher, for many reasons, like, the shift in public expectations – new

and different expectations emerged as a result of infotainment and edutainment

competitions. Young generation has an unprecedented attachment to information &

communication technology – a global phenomenon as a result of the Internet and cell

phones. The basic characteristics of the young generation, who are born in the 1990s or

later, are individualist, personalized, remote, connected and instantaneous,. They are very

curious and adept at effectively using technology, expect to be connected to the world, want

to see themselves in the bigger picture, want to be in the driver-seat – to manipulate, remix

& share content, wants to create content, more importantly want to become content, create

the culture they want to consume, which is evident from the fact that there have been more

than 4 billion users per day on YouTube, 2 billion active monthly users of Facebook, 328

million active monthly users of twitter, 600 million active monthly users of Instagram and 1.2

billion active monthly users of WhatsApp. In India also the available figures show that in

October 2016, there were 24.52 million telephone mainline users (roughly 19.3 per 1,000

people); whereas the figures for cellular phone subscribers and Internet users were 1102.94

million (86.84 per 1000 people) and 218.42 million(171.98 per 1000 people) respectively.

What the Future Holds?

In the year 1965, Henry Moore, one of the co-founders of the Intel Corporation, the largest

chip producers, made a prophetic prediction – came to be known as ‘Moore’s Law’ – which

the processing power of computer chip will double approximately every 18 months. Quite

understandably it would definitely result in more mobility – access to information will be even

quicker; ‘my media’ will catch up to; may even surpass ‘mass media’; and ultimately the

content creation will explode; all leading to greater hurdles for the museums.

4. Summary

All the above developments have direct bearings with the publication in general, museum

publication in particular. There has been definite dislike particularly among the young

generation for reading non-text published materials. Even published texts are getting

replaced by the electronic media. A large numbers of urban students have minimized library

visit by on-line web search for reference study. Many examinations can be appeared on-line

and the answer scripts (!) can be corrected so. Numerous search engines are there, which

can cater to all sorts of queries within seconds just with a click on the mouse. Naturally,

barring the statutory obligation, most of the museum publications are facing the brunt. So

what should be done? Should we leave here? Or explore the way out! One must remember

that despite technological advancements, multimedia could not replace publication,

especially for the serious visitors of the museums, who comprise a handsome number and

for whom museum publications are source of primary information. Museums cannot shirk off

responsibilities towards such visitors. Museum publication must embrace multi-media &

become complementary to the technological applications. It is now urgently needed that

museums go on-line. Popular publications should be published in e-format too along with the

traditional ways. As museums need the visitors, they must adept themselves to the changes

to reach out in the forms the potential clientele, the visitors, would like. All is not lost – only

innovation and inclusion are the absolute necessity.