DAM at the Smithsonian Institution

Host Chris Lacinak is joined by Isabel Meyer, Director of Digital Platforms at the Smithsonian Institution. Isabel has been at the helm of digital asset management for the Smithsonian for over two decades. She has driven major transformation and evolution of the DAM operation in her time at the Smithsonian.

This episode is a must watch/listen for anyone who wants a behind the scenes peak at the digital asset management operation of the world's largest museum.

We talk about Isabel's career before hearing exactly what the DAM operation looks like, who it serves, and how it functions. We talk about an amazing collaboration between the Smithsonian and the Getty focused on The Johnson Publishing Company's archive.

It's a fun an interesting episode with a pioneer in the field of digital asset management who also happens to be a delightful person to chat with.

Guest Bio:

Isabel Meyer is the Director for Digital Platforms in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) at the Smithsonian Institution. Since joining the Smithsonian’s OCIO in 2003, Isabel has brought over 20 years of distinguished leadership and experience in technology and digital media systems. Her career encompasses leadership roles in both public and private sectors, including work with government agencies, cultural heritage organizations, and Fortune 500 corporations both domestically and internationally. Isabel has been at the forefront of the explosive growth and evolution of multi-media digital collections, amassing a wealth of knowledge in systems and digital media technologies. She is also experienced in digital preservation and metadata standards. Isabel leverages her technical knowledge and relationship-building abilities to achieve consensus and develop innovative solutions in complex system environments. Her commitment to fostering collaboration and driving technological advancement continues to benefit the Smithsonian Institution and the broader digital collections, archives, and libraries community.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• DAM Right Soundtrack - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ZzCabPS7up3thnq5uwdKs
• ISO 16363 - https://www.iso.org/standard/87472.html 
• National Museum of African American History and Culture - https://nmaahc.si.edu/
• The Getty - https://www.getty.edu/
• Johnson Publishing Company - https://www.johnsonpublishing.com/
• Open Text - https://www.opentext.com/ 
• ArchivesSpace - https://archivesspace.org/ 
• Qumulo - https://qumulo.com/ 
• CC0 rights - https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/cc0/ 

Topics discussed in the episode:

• Introduction and work history of Isabel Meyer
• Making a DAM system work for 20+ years
• Quantifying the scale
• The DAM Operation
• Stakeholder engagement, roles and responsibilities
• Use of the DAM for digital preservation
• Defining users of the DAM
• Mission, goals, and objectives of the DAM operation
• Leadership engagement and support
• DAM in a museum environment
• The Johnson Publishing Company Project with the Getty
• Future vision for the DAM Operation
• Isabel’s favorite song

Engage:

🆓 Download the DAM Operational Model & other free resources from the best DAM consultants in the business at http