Currently I am working parttime as a curator for an fledgling nonprofit
collecting institution. They previously instituted exactly the same
alteration to the numbering system that you are proposing. It is a mess.
Don't do it!

I have 30 years of experience in museums and in collections management and I
agree with the other List Serv members.

Just go with the standard useage of the 3-part numbering system as they have
described it, which is how it is outlined in the books they recommended.
This is a tried and true method. Any tinkering with it with just result in
confusion for you and staff/volunteers. Trying to reinvent the wheel here
will just get everything tangled-up.

Nancy Powell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Traci Langworthy" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 10:28 PM
Subject: numbering system for small historical society


> Hello,
>
> I am a trustee for a small historical society in upstate NY that is just
> beginning to formally accession the various items it has acquired since
its
> establishment in 2000. I am spearheading the process and hope I might get
> some advice from the get-go on the best way to number our objects. I
> thought it would be a no-brainer to go with the simple 3-number system I
> have read about and seen in use. But, in pondering (perhaps too much!)
> about it, I have been considering a couple of options for the middle
number
> referring to the donor/source, especially. It made sense to me, initially,
> to have a unique number for each donor/source that would be used again and
> again in future years (if or when they donated other artifacts). Has any
> other small institution tried this and found success/failure? From what I
> can tell, it seems most institutions wipe the slate clean and begin with
#1
> again each year. Any thoughts are much appreciated!
>
> Thanks very much,
> Traci Langworthy
> Sheridan, NY Historical Society
>
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