MDA (Museum Documentation Association) announces the publication of a 
revised version of SPECTRUM, the UK and international industry standard for 
documentation and information management.

The new version (SPECTRUM 3.1) has been updated to reflect current best 
practice in the heritage sector and recent changes in legislation, representing 
a significant revision to the third edition, published in 2005. The revision has 
been published using XML technology, enabling it to be made available in a 
variety of formats.

New key features include the integration of relevant parts of MLA London and 
MDA's joint initiative, Revisiting Collections. This is a new approach to 
collections information which helps museums to create services and exhibitions 
for diverse audiences. The revision also includes material to support the 
Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Cultural Property Unit guidelines due 
diligence in combating illicit trade.

MDA Director Nick Poole commented; "SPECTRUM has to keep pace with the 
growing needs of museum professionals, particularly as they are required to 
manage increasingly sophisticated services. As an open standard produced in 
partnership with the community, SPECTRUM is ideally positioned not only to 
meet these challenges but also to lay the foundations for future development. 
This latest edition incorporates new ideas such as the need to capture 
knowledge and information from diverse museum audiences as part of our 
systems. Future developments will see SPECTRUM fulfilling its role as a 
mechanism for exchanging information between museums, both within the UK 
and throughout Europe."

SPECTRUM is available FREE for non-commercial use, and is being used by 
thousands of individuals and heritage organisations worldwide. Commercial use 
of SPECTRUM is only available to MDA Partners, see:

http://www.mda.org.uk/memp.htm

The standard, which has been developed to represent consensus by museum 
practitioners, is designed to underpin the requirements of the Museum, Library 
and Archive Council's (MLA) Accreditation Scheme.

HOW TO OBTAIN SPECTRUM 3.1 - 

Licensees of previous version of SPECTRUM DO NOT have to apply for a new 
license. Where you supplied an e-mail address MDA has sent you an e-mail 
detailing how to download the updated standard. If you have not had an e-
mail please contact Gordon McKenna ([log in to unmask]).

For new licencees, the revised version of the standard is available to 
download from: 

http://www.mda.org.uk/spectrum.htm (after you fill in the license form)

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