Income Producing Activity and the Web

The ITEM (Image Technology in Museums and art galleries) database has, since 1990 been compiled and published as a twice yearly hard copy text only reference work on subscription. In October 1996 ITEM knowledge base changed to a Web text and image site incorporating extensive search and other facilities -- on a subscription basis but with free-access sampling. The process of this transformation, the pitfalls of low (nominal) budget transfer into leading edge and rapidly evolving technology, the problems encountered in the acquisition of the image elements for use on WWW, the compilation and administrative reorganization and the response of existing and potential subscribers will be discussed. This experience of the ITEM transformation will used as a basis for considering other museum related examples of income producing activities on the Web, including reference to the topic of images and copyright and moral rights - and for open discussion.