Toni,

There are currently three "guides" to museum automation software that I know of:

1)  The MCN Vendor/Consultant Directory -- a listing by vendors of systems
designed for museum automation projects.  Order from the MCN office - 8720
Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD  20910  PH# 301-585-4413

2) Archives and Museum Informatics's "1994-1995 Directory of Software for
Archives and Museums.  1995.  Order from Archives and Museum Informatics;
5501 Walnut St, Pittsburgh, PA  15232  PH# 412 683-9775

3)  Canadian Heritage Information Network's "Collections Management
Software Review 1996."  Order from Canadian Heritage Information Network,
15 Eddy Street 4th Floor, Hull, Quebec, Canada, K1A 0M5  URL  -
http://www.chin.gc.ca

The first two guides cover the full range of museum automation systems
(including collections management) but are a year out of date.  [A revised
version of the MCN guide is scheduled to be made freely available at the
MCN WWW site (http://world.std.com/~mcn/) over the next couple of months.]
The CHIN guide focuses on eight or so of the most popular collections
management software packages, is the most current and extensive, but also
is the most expensive.

Diane Zorich
Information Management for CUltural Organizations
(and MCN Board Member)
Ph# 619 942-3633
Fax# 619 942-3566
Email: [log in to unmask]


>Does anyone out there know of a guide or pamphlet or other source of
>information (somebody's thesis?) on choosing collection mgmt. software
>(i.e. Argus, SNAP!, Art System) depending on which kind of collection
>(anthro, art, geology, history, etc.) your museum has?  A comparison
>shopping guide, if you will.

>TIY,

>Toni Preston
>Univ. of Washington
>Museology grad