The information management team manages the technical aspects of NCPTT’s grants and projects, website, in-office computer systems, and publications distribution.
Grants and Projects
NCPTT’s in-house PTT Grants system received positive feedback during the recently completed grants cycle. The panel review process was particularly efficient. The suggestions of grant applicants, NCPTT staff and PTT panelists have contributed to improving the technical features of each grant cycle. Each year has brought improvements that have given applicants greater flexibility in crafting applications as well as easing the task of managing the grants program for the staff.
NCPTT Website
Our website has established NCPTT as the worldwide authority for preservation technology research and training.
The online product catalog serves as the primary method for getting our products into the hands of researchers quickly and cheaply. We also use the website to promote hands-on and electronic preservation training.
Website Statistics Since Oct. 1, 2006
The NCPTT website has experienced an increase in unique visitors and a decrease in page views. Between Oct. 1 and March 15, the site received 39,633 unique visitors, an increase of 21 percent. Over the same period page views were 3,314,526, a decrease of 60 percent. Approximately 30 percent of NCPTT website visitors are repeat visitors.
The increase in visitors and decrease in page views indicates that while NCPTT has been reaching a wider audience, people are not finding substantially new content and are therefore not exploring the site as deeply. New products, training materials, and the conversion of research products from PDF documents to web-based format are being added to a newly designed NCPTT website.
The launch of this redesigned site should substantially increase both page views and visits. Visitors will find the site easier to navigate, quicker to load and easier to explore using most popular search engines.
Most Popular Pages (excluding the home page)
- Product Catalog: 153,724
- Hurricane Preservation Technical Assistance: 63,375
- Contact NCPTT & Staff Pages: 24,531
- Archeology: Prospection in Depth: 19,434
- PTT Grants: 15,005
- Heritage Education: 8,772
- Employment: 7,949
- Cemetery Monument Conservation Southwest Workshop: 7,323
- Notes Issue 40: How to Keep Your Silver Sterling: 7,035
- Notes Issue 43: Ensuring the Future of Our Past, 6,856
- Architecture & Engineering Program: 6,715
- Archeology & Collections: 6,694
- NCPTT Notes Index & Subscriptions: 6,571
- About NCPTT: 6,331
- Historic Landscapes Program: 6,214
Most Popular Print Products Downloaded
- Historic Landscape Resource Manual (2000-18): 4,139
- Historic American Timber Joinery (2004-08): 3,326
- Timber Framing: No. 73, September 2004 (2004-13): 2,774
- Protective Glazing Study (1996-06): 2,360
- Load Paths in Historic Truss Bridges (2002-20): 1,768
Most Popular Video Products Downloaded
- Cemetery Monument Conservation Promotional Video: 508
- Building Dry Stone Retaining Walls (2002-06): 270
- Culture Shock: Fire Protection for Historic and Cultural Property (1995-01): 254
- Preserving America’s Landscape (1996-02): 227
- Glass and Stained Glass Conservation (1998-28): 201
In-office Computer Systems
Information technology personnel are continually researching and updating the in-office systems to make them as efficient as possible. The Center’s IT department faces many of the same challenges that larger IT departments face. Chief concerns include security, data storage and disaster recovery. The IT staff is giving additional attention to security as security breaches at other state and national organizations have become more prevalent. The IT staff is confident that its continued diligence in these areas will continue to safeguard the Center’s electronic data.
Publication Distribution
One of the major functions of the NCPTT website is to provide a clearinghouse for professionals to find the preservation technology research they need. In the last six months, over 80 publication orders were mailed to the public by NCPTT IT staff. Nearly 90 percent of these orders were submitted via the online product catalog. Each order included an average of three research products.
NCPTT Library
Over the last six months, IT staff acquired over 30 new titles for the library. A recataloging of the NCPTT preservation library nears completion. A database of all books and periodicals will be posted via the NPS network for other offices and parks to view as a reference.
TELNPS
The Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Network allows thousands of National Park Service employees receive competency-based training at or near their work site at little or no cost to them. The Network has over 230 receiving stations across the Service spanning five time zones. The highly interactive training allows students immediate access to their instructor. This interactivity is the key component to the success of the broad and varied training opportunities.
During spring 2007, 30 participants enrolled in 12 classes at NCPTT. Some of those participating were staff from the Cane River Creole National Historical Park. The Center’s TELNPS system is scheduled for an equipment upgrade in FY2007.
NCPTT produced its first TEL class this spring entitled Essentials for Cemetery Monument Care. The class received very positive feedback and helped enormously in projecting the Center within the National Park Service and to the preservation community.