Dear Colleagues,

We are (hopefully) in the last stages of the process of selecting a
collections management program, and are interested in the reactions
(positive and negative) of people who are using Argus, Multi Mimsy 2000,
and The Museum System.

How long have you been using the program?  If you were involved in the
selection process, how does usage compare with your expectations?  How
difficult was it to learn to use the program, and to what would you compare
the learning curve for this program (for example, Lotus, Microsoft Front
Page, Microsoft Word, Family Tree Maker, or something else)?  Was the
program more or less difficult to learn than you expected it to be?  Were
you trained by the company, or by a co-worker?  Have you seen a difference
between those trained by the company and those using the program who were
not trained by the company insofar as performance or use of the program?
Did you encounter any unexpected problems?  Does support live up to
expectations?  Do Curators and Registrars in your institution both have the
same reactions to the program?  If not, what do they feel are the pros and
cons of the program?  How long does data entry take?  How easy is it (and
what are you comparing it to)?  When the system was first installed, were
there any problems with data conversion?  Is it flexible enough to use for
different kinds of collections (archaeological objects, photographs,
paintings, etc.)?  Is it possible to add categories as your collection
expands?  Have you had to pay the company to reprogram, rearrange screens,
or do anything else?  Was this something that was known and put off when
the system was purchased, or was it unexpected?  Why was this program
selected?  Was it deemed best suited to your institution's needs?  Most
economical?  Most flexible?  Most simple?  For those of you who selected
a "simple" or "flexible" program, what are the drawbacks and advantages as
you live with it?  Have you any additional comments or suggestions?

If you would prefer to respond off-list, please do.

Thank you for your time!

Sincerely,

Bonni-Dara Michaels
Collections Curator
Yeshiva University Museum
15 West 16th Street
New York, New York 10011
212-294-8330
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