Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 June 2016
The Corporation of London (the local authority for the City) recently launched COLLAGE, a powerful custom-designed visual information system, whose aim is to transform public accessibility to the extensive visual collections held in its libraries and galleries. Over a period of eighteen months a dedicated team of staff photographed, digitised and indexed over 30,000 works of art as the result of an intensive data imaging project. So far the works are drawn from the Guildhall Library and Guildhall Art Gallery - collections particularly renowned for their strength in material relating to London, which is now widely and easily accessible on dedicated workstations in the City, as well as via the Internet.
1. Oliver Vicars-Harris has now left the project and is working as a freelance consultant; he is currently engaged on project development work for the Tate Gallery. He can be contacted at the address below, but further information about the development of the COLLAGE project should be requested from Cathy Pringle, Planning & Resources Librarian (tel: +44 171 332 1879; fax: +44 171 600 3384; e-mail: [email protected]
2. Workstations delivering the full COLLAGE facilities and content as well as a range of reprographics services are available for public use from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday in the Print Room at the Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London EC2P 2EJ (tel: +44 171 332 1839).
3. http://collage.nhil.com All images seen on the web site can be ordered online for personal use. Online secure credit card transactions are being developed, as is a facility for purchasing commercial reproduction rights.