Dear Eilin,
there is nothing to say against a accession # and a different catalogue
#. They can be identical, but history of documentation shows, that the
cataloque # may be changed while the accession # cannot be changed
normally for legal reasons. You may have also a third (invisible) object
# in the IT-process which counts the object.
The cataloque # has to written on or attached to the object depending on
the kind of obeject with specific means.
I learn from your mail that you are not using a modern computer system.
As modern documentation program has extra fields for the year of
accession, neither the accession # nor the catalogue # needs to contain
the year of accession. The modern programs allow to do things faster and
offer results which were not possible using cards having many search
functions.
First of all I would propose to make a longer statement on this
extremely dangerous situation to the museum management (including the
strange take-away-fact). Then I would propose to transform all older
data into a new computerized documentation programm. This costs time and
money. Before introducing the new system, check the old cards and try to
build up (or make use of) a standardized language for the most important
data fields.
Buy a renowed system on a SQL-Basis which, along with other advantages,
is documenting the changes of data by individuals which specific
"rights". Do not try to write your own documentation program. There are
only a happy few museum specialists being successful over the years, in
most cases it is much better to buy a renowned and tested program sold
worlwide. In all new documentation programs there is a field for the
actual place of the object. This is, of course, one of the most
important fields in the system! Anybody allowed transferring objects (!)
from place to another has to make use of the documentation system and
changing the data. At any time the documentation programm has to tell
you were an object is - in the director's room, at restoration, in the
main hall, at aspecific external exhibition etc. The best is using a
standardized list of places for that. As mess alows theft, check from
time to time if all object transfers were noted in the respective
field.
You got a lot of work to do - all the best.
Christian
"Eileen Sears" <[log in to unmask]> schrieb:
I have recently begun working at a museum where the collections are a
confusing mess. Currently the museum assigns an accession #(2004.2) and
a
catalog #(9788). The Acc# is attached only to the Deed of Gift and each
item
that is accepted receives a catalog number. This double numbering
started a
few years ago. The objects are marked with the catalog number and an
index
card is created using this number. Additionally a card is created for
subject and if the donor has previously donated the object is added to
that
card, if not, a card is created. There is also no folder created for
each
object. The Deed of Gift is put in a folder where all of the years
donations are kept-no particular order. In addition, there are objects
that
have been accepted by the collections committee that have been waiting
for
several years to actually receive an accession number and be placed on
shelves. There are also objects that have been waiting for a
determination
since 2004.
If I want to know the information about an object I have to get the
catalog
# off the object, go to the file and get the accession number, then go
to
the yearly file and flip through until I find the Deed of Gift. There
is no
real file where I can look at accompaning letters, condition reports,
ect.
I have only recently become a curator and as such I have to have a solid
argument for any changes I propose, I am hoping for some input. Pro's
and
Con's.
Starting now--
*Assign only an accession number ie) 2006.10.2 year/Sequence of the
transaction/2nd object in that transaction
*For all previousely accepted objects use the catalog number that is
already
assigned...including the ones accepted during the time when both catalog
numbers and acc#'s were assigned. All of these objects are already
marked
with the catalog number.
*Complete a condition report.
*Create a folder for each accession number-file Deed of Gift, Condition
Reports, relevant provenance, ect.
Lastly, there is a fellow employee who has found it necessary to
occasionally take objects from the shelves, without noting it...this
concerns me because it is haphazard and as the curator I feel that only
I
and the Director should handle the objects without an OK from at least
one
of us. I want to know, with relative ease, where everything is.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.
Elaine
_________________________________________________________________
Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's
FREE!
http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at
http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed
information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail
message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should
read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message
to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read
"Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Von Panda Platinum 2005 Internet Security eingefügter Text::
Wenn es eine unerwünschte Mail (SPAM) ist, klicken Sie auf den
folgenden Link um diese neu zu klassifizieren:
http://127.0.0.1:6083/Panda?ID=pav_3844&SPAM=true
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
Dr. Christian Müller-Straten
Verlag Dr. Christian Müller-Straten / MUSEUMS AGENTUR
Kunzweg 23, 81243 München, T. 089-839 690 43, Fax -44
Mails werden mit täglich aktualisierter PANDA-Software geprüft.
[log in to unmask]
Are your institution and exhibition already listed under
http://www.museum-aktuell.de?
Last count for January 2006: more than 181,000 hits. For 2006, we
expect 2 million hits.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
