Jane,

1.  Yes, museums worldwide are working with electronic systems.  To review some of these systems, access the following websites:
http://www.gla.ac.uk/Museum/John/GCG/muscomp.html     (This is the site of the Geological Curators Group)
http://www. mdocassn.demon.co.uk/software.htm           (This is the site of the Museum Documentation Association)

Both are great places to start because they provide links to the most widely used museum software packages in use today.

Yes, there are problems aplenty in the beginning phases.   And, depending upon how thoroughly an institution does its homework and "buys into" the idea of computerization, the project can be satisfying or frustrating.   I can send more info later if you wish.

2.  Museums are a widely disparate bunch of institutions - varying in size, scope of collections, kinds of activities within the institution, financial backing, etc. etc..   Most software packages do deal with certain recognizable fields (like accession number, catalogue number,
donor, acquisition date etc.) but there are many more fields that may be specific to the collections themselves.   Many software packages allow the institution some leaway in tailoring these for themselves according to need.

3.  The struggle for uniform terminology goes on.  There are some terminology dictionaries that are widely used, others that are institutionally specific. I think you'll find long-ranging discussions on this issue.    What seems to be a more difficult issue is how an institution
with varying subcollection histories and terms can come to grip with institution-wide vocabularies.   Example:  reed (botany term) versus reed (musical instrument part) versus Reed (artist's last name)

In this same vein, a museum with photography collections may have a very different standard (based upon documentation needs) placed upon its data than an institution whose photographic materials are supportive in nature to the main collection (example, condition photography, field
photography etc.).

4.  What's is the future?   The future is here....and its here not only to stay but to become more complex and all-encompassing.  We started our collection computerization project years ago with the idea that it would only contain verbal information and that each collection would
have its own database.   Now we've moving on to digital imaging, public accessibility, networking, sound records etc. etc.   The only limit seems to be our own inability to raise funds to keep the technology current with our dreams.

So....that's it in a nutshell.  If you have further specific questions I'll be happy to answer them on- or offline.

Good luck!   It can be an exciting adventure....but, I'm afraid, never ending.

Shirley S. Albright
Assistant Curator of Natural History
New Jersey State Museum



Jane W Kogi wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I have vey little background in Museum Archives, but I am ver interested
> in the following:
> 1.      Have museums started to translate their paper-based accession
> records into electronic systems? What problems do staff encounter with
> electronic records?
>
> 2.      If so, which ones?  Do they have uniform standards?  For example,
> Libraries have MARC systems, etc.
>
> 3.      If not, why not?
>
> 4.      What is the future of electronic records in museums?  Staff eager
> to try more systems?
>
> Please help,
> Jane
>
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