Well, THE MARINERS' MUSEUM has been using Re:Discovery since Jan 1995, but
just began using the Archives module in the Fall 1999. It integrates
perfectly into our Collections (3d), Library and Photography modules already
in use at the Museum, and actually, we should have a good number of records
on posted live on our website from the archives module before Spring 2000!

It was really just a matter of our staff deciding how we were going to
process our archival collections, what to call the various fields, and then
the Re:Discovery staff customized the screens for a day or two, and we had
our module up and running within a week, from the time we called them, to
the time we began data entry.

As for other Collections Software packages, which cost less than $200 or
$300 per module - well, I having purchased the documentation and demo CDROM
at a recent MCN conference, suffice it to say, that you get what you pay
for. I think smaller organizations might be better served to collaborate
with the larger vendors, in order to determine fields to catalog, and
actually begin their data entry in MS ACCESS or FILEMAKER instead, knowing
that they can later import all their work into a real Collection Management
System at any time (funding permitting).

Mark Friedman
Manager of I/S
The Mariners' Museum
Newport News, VA 23606
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