They have provided training in the methods needed to place the terms in thesaural formats and to map name forms so that cultural resources have become enriched cultural knowledge bases. Far beyond the tools available in 1997 such as AltaVista and Infoseek, in 2005 we can use these cultural knowledge bases as filters to locate resources, overcoming linguistic differences, spelling variations, and vernacular preferences. Fourth, intellectual property rights issues have been largely resolved. By 2005, encryption standards have eased the concerns of museum directors that their works will be misappropriated in digital form. Fifth, universal guidelines and practices have emerged for gathering, digitizing, storing, and distributing images and textual information.
Technical standards allow images to be distributed via networks at better quality and higher speeds.
At the Museums and the Web conference in 2005 we find ourselves examining models and discussing how we can integrate our cultural heritage more fully. We're addressing the sociological changes brought about through community networks, which have become catalysts for expressing the creativity of cities, regions, and nations. They have become gateways to creating and experiencing art and culture. They provide a voice for cultural groups, empowering small arts organizations as well as large, from the street artist to the grandest museum. By 2005, the community network I envision has opened up classrooms to curricula based on cultural resources that enhance the creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills essential to the modern workforce.