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Further Information
MEET THE TEAM NIGEL RUDYARD - Project Manager Nigel has worked in Manchester Central Library for more years than he will admit to, and after a brief period at the North West Museums Service in 2001, he returned to Manchester Central Library to take on the challenge of Spinning the Web. This is his second (and he says, final!) project on the cotton industry, the first having been the publication of Cotton: A Select Bibliography with Terry Wyke, in 1996. He notes that, like Crompton and Kay before them, the STW team has known both the highs and lows of technical development, although he is at least thankful that angry machine breakers have not yet besieged the STW office. Nigel hopes that Spinning the Web will add to people's understanding of Cottonopolis and the North West as a whole, and the key role the cotton industry played in the development of the region and its communities. He also hopes that the project has highlighted the possibilities of using the World Wide Web to disseminate unique source materials held locally in museums, archives and libraries to a global audience. GLYNIS GREENMAN - Researcher Glynis has a dual background in archaeology and librarianship, being qualified in both professions. What they have in common, says Glynis, is that you have dig for information. During the last fifteen years Glynis has researched, written and published over a dozen local history books and one novel. Her most recent publication, 'Illustrated History of the Manchester Suburbs (Breedon Books, 2000), was produced in partnership with Manchester Central Libraries who allowed over 200 images from their on-line Local Studies Collection to be reproduced in the book.. Spinning the Web has proved a challenge for Glynis. She was asked to manage the digitisation programme of digitising 22,000 images from a dozen different partners within an eight month timescale. It was, she says, a steep learning curve. She has also written text for the website, including most of the narratives under the People and Clothing and Products themes. BARBARA BRAYSHAY - Researcher Barbara is an experienced primary and secondary researcher with specialist interest in information and interface design. Prior to Spinning the Web Barbara worked at the Universities of Manchester and Sheffield and found that four years archaeological research in the Outer Hebrides was almost enough preparation for the rigours of her work as a researcher for Spinning the Web. Barbara worked to discover the hidden histories of communities and individuals who's voices are frequently excluded from traditional accounts of the past. The most exciting part of the project for her was discovering a wealth of first hand accounts written by reformers, factory inspectors and mill hands. These accounts counterbalanced the dazzling inventions and social transformations of the age with the daily reality of the lives of women, children and immigrant workers toiling in the mills. Discovering that these accounts still find resonance in the lives of textile workers in the developing world today gave the project a sense of modern day relevance. SUE DOYLE - Indexer I began working in Manchester Public Libraries in 1969, (as an apprentice on a penny a week, scavenging under the desks to retrieve lost scratters and quill pens). I have worked mainly in cataloguing and interlending, and have recently finished nine very happy years as Senior Interlending Officer with the North Western Regional Library System. As Indexer on the project I see all the items as they go onto the web site, and have learned a lot about the industry and history of the region. (Anyone out there starting up a cotton mill next March, I'll be looking for a job!) I hope that the site will prove useful to users of all ages and levels of interest. Most of all I hope you can find what you search for - that's my job. LINDA DAWES - Project Sponsor Linda Dawes joined Manchester Libraries in 1986 as a Team Librarian based at a community library. This helped her gain invaluable experience in all aspects of library work - including her role as Santa's fairy (no photo available). Since then she has had the opportunity to move on and become involved in developing and shaping a number of diverse services across the city, including planning library services to the Vietnamese community and to Manchester Prison. In 1997 Linda moved to the post of Principal Officer: Humanities in the Central Library and among her responsibilities was management of the Archives and Local Studies service. She developed her project management skills by working on a major project to digitise the Local Studies Print Collection. Linda is delighted to be working on Spinning the Web as it opens up access to the rich collections of material held in Manchester and the North West, and she is sure it will become a cotton industry source which will be used across the world. LORENZO P. GALIETTA - Project Manager (Information Technology) Lorenzo started his path to a career in IT in the nascent days of home computers (ZX80, Commodore, Acorn, etc.) as a young teenager. He borrowed machines wherever he could - as he'd spent all his savings buying a bass guitar! Computers and programming were a natural step for him given his interests in Maths and dismantling all things electronic. After attending Manchester University, and then a real-time programming course at the Control Data Institute, he joined Manchester City Council as an analyst/developer. Since then, he has worked on a variety of platforms and operating systems, and a number of large systems. He helped build the Council's intranet and internet web sites, providing consultancy and support, and continues to be involved in the on-going redevelopment. As well as his internet-related work, he has been developing Lotus Domino applications since 1998, including the Council's Jobs Update Online web site, for which he received an Innovation Award in 2003. Lorenzo was pleased to be asked to project manage many of the technical aspects of implementing the Spinning the Web project's collection and web site at Manchester City Council. He immediately saw the value of building such an archive and publishing it on the internet. (As well as having some "interesting" technical elements!) He is happy to be associated with such a great educational resource, which works for both the academic researcher and the younger student. He would like to congratulate all those involved for having produced such an outstanding collection. "It seems appropriate that the collection should find a home in a medium that owes its existence to advances in loom technology." ---- Lorenzo KE SOFTWARE TEAM - CMS developers The project team from KE Software comprises: CHRIS DANCE BSc. BEng. - UK Manager and Head Web Developer. Chris has been involved in several large projects, including data migration for the Smithsonian Institute and revamping the core web interface for KE EMu. When he is not programming, which is very rare, Chris enjoys fine coffee and terrorising the North West radio control yachting community with an Aussie accent and a boat that just keeps winning. BEN SULLIVAN BBus.- UK Account Manager Initially, Ben was installed in the UK to oversee the UK office and Manchester Clients. Ben was the initial project manager for KE Software's involvement with Spinning the Web. He has since moved back to Melbourne for a few seasons more of serious rowing. ALEX FELL BSc.(Hons) - Software Developer Alex has been heavily involved in the later stages of the project, developing some of the finer technical aspects of the site. He a year optimising his programming skills with FWL technologies in Manchester before moving to the KE UK team, in March 2003. Alex enjoys programming and the occasional stint on the X-box. DOUG BELFORD BA (Hons), MSc. - Systems Support Manager Doug worked closely with Atticmedia and the Spinning the Web team on the initial integration of the design and functionality of the site. Two demanding daughters requisition any time spent away from the office. ATTICMEDIA - Web development CAROLYN ROYSTON - Head of eLearning Carolyn has been closely involved with the NOF-Digitisation programme from the beginning, delivering seminars to project managers on how to incorporate learning into collections-based resources. Atticmedia have since designed and developed 7 different NOF-Digi projects. We have enjoyed working closely with Nigel and his team as well as the team at KE Software and are delighted to have been involved in the design and development of this project. Although Atticmedia is based in London, Carolyn is a born and bred Mancunian on the red side, and as a Manchester United season ticket holder has particularly enjoyed lengthy conversations with Nigel on Alex Ferguson's team selection, the Beckham saga, and of course our Championship winning year in general. MATTHEW POLLARD - Lead Programmer My background is in design having completed a BA(Hons) in Ceramics and Glass. Having worked as glassblower for two and half years I made a major career change and started working in mulitmedia. This gradually focused into web development as offline mulitmedia lost its shine. I have now been working in the industry for about 5 years, having survived the dotcom boom unscathed - at least physically. During this time my major claim to fame was one project I worked on being shortlisted for the Revolution awards in 2000 and attending the do at the Albert Hall and having to push past Stelios (Haji-Ioannou, founder of easyJet,) on the way out. DESIGN HOUSE NORTH WEST - Digitisation Firstly, congratulations to everyone in the team for the creation of an excellent learning and research resource! Design House, a locally based web design and digitisation consultancy, is proud to have been involved with the STW project and would especially like to thank Glynis (who managed the digitisation on behalf of StW) and all the partners involved for their continued support, during our whirl wind, non-stop tour around 17 of the Northwest's most valuable archives. Over a period of 8 months, we visited all the partners involved and digitised over 22,000 items on route! We have made many new friends along the way and we have had many laughs with the partners whilst working on site, an experience, I am sure no one will forget! (and we promise on Glynis's behalf not to mention toasters, crumpets or Michael Wood on any future visits!). |
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