An Analysis of Collaboration in Three Film Archives: A Case for Collaboratories

Collaboratories are based on communication technologies such as the Internet and intended to foster increased collaboration and sharing of resources within and among organisations. This study analyses three European film archives to assess the potential of designing a collaboratory that supports, enables, and enhances the work in the archives. The analysis shows that collaboration – the focal point of collaboratories – is an intrinsic element of this work. Though all three archives have preservation, analysis, indexing, and retrieval of films as core activities there are important differences in how these activities are perceived and performed. A work analysis such as the one in this study may facilitate the archives in identifying a common ground on which to base a collaboratory, and in acknowledging the distinctiveness of each archive. The development of a firmer common ground seems a prerequisite for exploiting a collaboratory that goes beyond sharing of data. Coupling of work, readiness for collaboration, and readiness for collaboration technologies are also discussed as conditions for effective use of collaboratories.