Innovative By Design (Revised)

Innovative by Design

Evolution of Technology at the Canadian Music Centre

A little bit about us…Elisabeth Bihl

Founded in 1959, the CANADIAN MUSIC CENTRE is Canada’s only organization mandated to house and actively promote and disseminate the music of Canada’s classical music composers within Canada and internationally.

As a primary resource for scores, parts, recordings and information about Canadian composition, the CMC is an essential body in the cultural landscape.

Business Functions

• Archival Collections all works (approx. 500-600 yr.) upon arrival are digitized along with sound/score samples

• Library Services above works are catalogued, made accessible to public via online database for loan

• Music Publishing Services prints unpublished scores for sales and parts for orchestral rentals to customers around world

• Communications and Product developmentCMC e-newsletter,press releases, marketplace outreach

• Recording and Distributions Centrediscs label, and Indie Distributor

IN 1999 CMC HAD A VISION Digitization - the beginning

• 1999 - CMC became Xerox beta testing site for score scanning software • 2000 – Digitization begins of music score and audio collections • 2002 – Development of a comprehensive web strategy with web

design company Ecentricarts• 2003 – www.musiccentre.ca

– new interactive, e-commerce enabled website – fully searchable library database, – digital score and sound clips, – composer bios, extensive links, – dedicated Associate Services section, – CMC Boutique (sample and buy), – digital submissions of composer works – interactive and interconnected tools,

• 2003 - Re-alignment of CMC staff to match our new digital reality. Significant changes to operational and organizational

structures make delivery of our services more accessible, relevant to a broad range of user groups.

Web 2.0 Environment: A new Roadmap

• 2005 – Awarded best website design at World Expo in Aichi Japan

• 2006 - AV Trust Audio Digitization conversion of entire 9000 plus archival recordings

• 2007 - Online Audio Gallery on website (full recordings and video)

• 2007 - Downloadable repertoire guides• 2007 - New online model for Interactive

Composer profiles (Influences of Many Musics)• 2007 - CMC new Strategic/ Business Plan and

Stakeholder Survey (Digital Library)

In progress 2008 and beyond

• Centediscs label• Podcasts • Online Downloads

• Website: Improved interactivity through user communities • User Accounts • Online order Processing • More interactive contributions, feedback, and connectivity

• Library:• Full audio streaming • Online perusal of full scores and other musical artifacts • Online listings of Associate non-collection materials from bios • Digitization of composer vertical files • Online Exhibitions and enriched composer profiles

• Music Publishing:• Digital score transfer / download sales

How can we help you?User Access

Michelle Arbuckle

Where are we now?

Online Catalogue

Automated Request System

User Access Challenge

How do we give our users

digital access to our collection?

Ie. Scores and recordings

User Access:The Audio Response

Online Streaming

• Grant money received from AV Trust to deliver audio archive through streaming

• Work flow:• Conversion of .wav files to .mp3• Metadata clean-up – tied to scores• Mental challenge of rethinking “collection”.

Ann Southam Digital Audio Archive

• Includes all tracks from audio archive.

• Password protected, available to library patrons.

• Will not include commercial recordings – these must still be purchased from Centrediscs or listened to in library.

User Access: Scores

Pdf On-Screen Viewer

• Scores were already digitized

• Debate over how to present them to users• Completely free/downloadable vs. View only vs. Commercial

loaning software

• Unpublished collection can be viewed online in tandem with archived recording.

• Ultimately will assist in programming decisions.

Ensuring User Access

Steven & Greg talk eCommerce

Steven Foster

Gregory Newsome

eCommerceWhere We Are Now

Audio - Centrediscs & CMCDS• Physical product available through regional offices and online boutique.

• Few opportunities for distribution to “traditional” vendors (ie. HMV). New vendor models (big box stores) ill-suited to classical music.

• CMC is an “arts service” organization” – few marketing resources• Dwindling broadcast options – the “new CBC Radio 2”

eCommerce Challenge

How do we leverage online resources to broadly distribute our products – in the most efficient manner?

• Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) – www.iodalliance.com

1) Network of digital retail partners includes all the major distributors (iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Puretracks, etc.) as well as newly emerging outlets.

2) Over 300 online and mobile retailers around the world. 3) Claim to have the most efficient delivery and content management systems

in the business.

• MaGaDa

1) Provides export services for physical product to e-retailers worldwide – current focusing on France & Germany

2) Maintains relationships with suppliers and retailers through an online interface

eCommerce Response - IODA

CMC Music ServicesBalancing Mandate Fulfillment

and Revenue Generation

Gregory Newsome

CMC Music ServicesOverview

Acquire• Manuscript, PDF

Digitize• Scan, Clean

Reproduce• Specialized Print Shop

Sell

(Redirect)

CMC Music ServicesWhere We Are Now

Starts with CMC Catalogue: a Shared Resource• Library• Music Services

Conversion: Visitor to Customer• Passive

Fill Order or Redirect• Semi-automated

CMC Music ServicesFuture Directions

Targeted Marketing• Active Visitor Conversion• Long Tail Theory• “Packaging” Content

Increased Automation• Integrated Shipping• Public Pricing

Online Partnerships• Redirect Commission

Greg talks Internal Infrastructure

Internal InfrastructureWhere We Are Now

CMC’s internal organization is now largely technology or web-based, i.e.

• Interlibrary loan• Royalty payments• Scanning

CMC catalogue represents most internal workflows, i.e.

• From acquisition to library shelf• From order to delivery

Internal Infrastructure

Case Studies

Internal Infrastructure

Music Services Order Queue– Custom web-based tool that manages the life

cycle of an order– Integrated with user side of CMC website and

Simply Accounting– We programmed the internal workflow, and

transformed a staff position– Point

• Automate wherever possible• Build a custom software solution if necessary

Internal Infrastructure

Influences of Many Musics Project– Explores the lives and works of forty

internationally-born Canadian composers– Primary goals

• Education• Promotion

– Built a scalable, custom content management system into CMC catalogue

– Point• Leverage special projects for long-term gain

Internal Infrastructure

Simply Accounting– Network-based accounting software– Different accounting software in different

departments led to complex account reconciliation, royalty payment process

– Switched to Simply Accounting last year• Web integration with Music Services Order Queue

– Point• Centralize and standardize wherever possible

Internal Infrastructure

Summary

– Automate wherever possible– Build a custom software solution if necessary– Leverage special projects for long-term gain– Centralize and standardize wherever possible

Steven Communicates

Communications Where We Are Now

• Newsletters – e-mail & physical format• Regional e-blasts• Regularly updated web content – press

releases, news, event information, etc.• CBC Radio 2 has functioned as a

communications partner

Communications Challenges

• How can we engage users and provide exposure for specific “products” as well as the collection in general?

• How can we convert users to purchasers once they have been exposed to our music?

• How can we personalize our communications strategies and target specific user groups?

Communication Response – Exposure Podcast – Sounds New Online Education Projects

Audio Heritage Project External Web Radio

Blogs & Social Networking

Communication Response

Personalized / Targeted Communications

Zookoda User Accounts

Conversion• Take advantage of every opportunity to move user from discovery to action – ie.

direct access to item listing in database from podcast page, provide options for further exploration of similar materials.

• Establish internal links within the collection - ie. works that appear in multiple format (study score, rental parts, archival audio, commercial recording, etc.)

Future Directions

Future Web Strategy

• CONTENT: Make more primary content accessible.

• USABILITY: Make it easier to discover new music.

• COMMUNITY: Foster a participatory community of users that contribute new forms of content.

Thank You