Hi Julie;
Access is the programme that you should use. Excel is a spreadsheet application, designed for storing and manipulating numbers-based data. For text-based information, you should use the database.
Don't worry too much about making your inventory compatible with the inventory of a potential museum to house the collection down the road. Compatibility of the programme (and I think there are ways now to import data pretty freely among a number of different databases) doesn't necessarily mean the way you choose to organize the information will match the cataloguing system of any particular museum. Most likely, any museum where the collection might end up would re-catalogue the collection into their system. Develop the database to do what you need it to do, rather than trying to guess what a future user might need it to do.
But, by that same token, make sure you've considered everything that you do want out of your database before you design it! Adding data fields after data collection has already begun will inevitably mean some data you deem desirable won't be collected on certain pieces, because the data capture on them was already done before expanding the database, and there's never enough time to go back to pieces that have already been processed once....
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Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
Esplanade Museum
401 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8W2
Tel: (403) 502-8587
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>>> Julie Carmen <[log in to unmask]> 2/3/2009 3:46 PM >>>
Hello good list,
As I finish up my last semester of library and archives classes, I have been asked by a friend if I would consider taking a part time job to go through a storage unit and inventory a collection of space memorabilia. I have many questions for the collector, but for now I am trying to envision the best approach.
This is a collection that has been started over 40 years ago, and may or not not be original. So, if they want to pay me to sort it all out and inventory it, in case they find a museum that would want it, should I begin with Excel or Access? Or perhaps an open source database? I do not have Past Perfect and am not sure that every museum uses that particular database.
I am thinking just a way of letting them access the collection and knowing what is there, not archival work or finding aids at this point.
Is that what some of you would do?
Thanks for your ideas, they are so helpful.
Julie Carmen
Student of Emporia State University's SLIM Program
(School of Library and Information Management)
Longmont, Colorado
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http://newmedievalart.org/
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