In March 1996 the Canadian Heritage Information Network published a
"Collection Management Software Review" evaluating nine commonly-used
collection management systems, based on a extensive series of two-day
demonstration/evaluation sessions held in Ottawa in Nov-Dec 1995
involving CHIN personnel and evaluators in Canadian client museums from
coast to coast (I was one of the evaluators).  The primary purpose of the
evaluation was to assist Canadian client museums in selecting in-house
collection management systems to replace the CHIN service which is being
discontinued in 1998 - but of course it is of interest widely in the
museum community, nationally and internationally.

A second round of software evaluation will be undertaken in a few months
to include packages that were not included - generally by their own
choice - in the first round.

Information about the software evaluation and how to obtain a copy is
available at the CHIN Website at http://www.chin.gc.ca.

Greg Spurgeon
Head, Art Documentation & Storage
Registration
National Gallery of Canada
Ottawa, Ontario

On Tue, 16 Apr 1996, Jim Angus wrote:

> Please excuse me for bringing up a subject which I'm certain has been dealt
> with on this list numerous times.  Up until now, I had no reason to read
> those threads, so I'm initiating a new one...
>
> Has anyone done a survey of what collection management software is in use
> in North American Museums?  Is there a 'center' which is working on
> standards?
>
> Jim
>
>
>
>
> Jim Angus
> Information Technology and Hypermedia Programs
> Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
> 900 Exposition Blvd.
> Los Angeles, CA  90007
>
> voice:  213/744-3317
> fax:    213/746-2999
> eMail:  [log in to unmask]
>         [log in to unmask]
>         [log in to unmask]
>         [log in to unmask]
>