Dynamic Changes in Organizational Motivations to Crowdsourcing for GLAMs

Crowdsourcing has gained popularity as a form of outsourcing. Outsourcing researchers have extensively studied the motivations to outsource IT, but very few have studied the motivations of organizations to crowdsourcing, in particular for GLAMs (galleries, libraries, archives, museums). GLAM institutions are increasingly adopting crowdsourcing technologies due to budgetary constraints and to stay relevant. In this study, findings from an examination of the organizational motivations for crowdsourcing by the National Library of Australia (NLA) are examined for its part in the Australian Newspapers Digitization Program (ANDP). The study found that the NLA was motivated by a set of goals that dynamically changed throughout implementation of the crowdsourcing project ranging from cost reduction to access to external expertise through to social engagement. Identification and recognition of the dynamic nature of organizational motivation demonstrates the long-term value for GLAMs and have implications for other forms of non-profit collaboration aimed at the common good.