Keep in mind that there may be legal ramifications, too.  Ideally, a
paper trail ties ownership, history, etc., to objects and can be
used as evidence if legal questions arise--if done right, such
documentation is difficult to alter without leaving traces.  Unless
special provisions are in place, electronic databases are far easier
to alter and thus may carry far less weight legally.

> Veronica B|rger wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
>     I work in a museum that's beginning to introduce a software to
> handle it's collection this year. The guys in charge of this activity
> think that the old records of collection, which are on paper, should be
> thrown away, and from now on we should rely on the database of the new
> system.
>     I'm afraid that this could cause some inconveniences in the future.
> Did somebody else in this list experience this kind of situation ?
>
>     Is there some texts talking about the use of software systems to
> handle a museum's collection in the net, or in some magazine or book ?
>
>     Thanks for any information ....
>
>     Bye,
>     Armando

Art Harris
--
Laboratory for Environmental Biology
Centennial Museum (Natural and Cultural History)
phone (915)747-6985; fax (915)747-5808; [log in to unmask]
http://www.utep.edu/leb     http://www.utep.edu/museum