Pat Galloway states: >>>Forgive me if someone has asked this before, but WHY doesn't some vendor build a collections management system using one of the major relational databases? My fine observation! Actually, the current client-server computer trend is to have applications which plug-in legacy information sets which are based on Sybase/Oracle/Informix relational databases. In fact, there are applications which are, or will shortly be available, which will plug-in the relational database information to web sites, creating the ability for query panels on a web page to drive the search on a major relational database, and then create custom information web pages on the fly, ones that look good and are meaningful. What seems so logical now has not always been so obvious, but plain old accurate data in a relational database has much more value than some goofy structure that keeps one from getting at it. Good technical tools are nearly at hand and I think the evolving information age will be good to us. Again, great question/observation. I hope that the lightbulb goes on equally as bright for everyone who wrestles with collection management issues. Robert MacKimmie California Historical Society, San Francisco [log in to unmask]