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Date: | Fri, 4 Aug 1995 08:53:29 +1000 |
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On Thu, 3 Aug 1995, HUMPHREY ROSANNE L wrote:
> We have begun to computerize our museum catalog data for the vertebrate
> collections. Several people have suggested to me that in the future we
> should do away with the written catalog, and just catalog new specimens
> by entering data directly into the computer. Later we can print up a hard
> copy from the database. The main advantage of this method would be in
> saving time. My instincts tell me that this is a bad idea. It would be
> difficult to track name/ID changes; if data labels are hard to read,
> sometimes it is easier to copy data by hand than into a computer;
> handwritten records can also serve as historical records of a sort, etc.,
> etc. Does anyone have any thoughts on this matter?
>
> Rosanne Humphrey
> Assistant Curator of Zoology
> University of Colorado Museum
> [log in to unmask]
>
I stress that I speak from an IT point of view rather than that of a curator.
If you have a computer system you must make firm (and often difficult)
decisions about existing record systems. The maintenance of two systems
chews up resources and you WILL get discrepancies.
The risk attached to loss of paper based records is significant (OK your
records may have stayed intact for decades but things do happen). Our
computer databases are backed up frequently, with backups stored offsite.
Surely computerisation must make it much easier to track name/ID
changes. If they don't you should have a very close look at your
application software!
The logic of hard to read labels being easier to copy by hand escapes me
I'm afraid.
Handwritten records are of course historical records and should be
retained as such.
A computer record can be accessed by many people simultaneously. You will
inevitably come under pressure to provide collection data via modern
data communication services at some stage in the future.
Computer databases can now contain images which adds a whole new
dimension to your data.
A computer system should be able to print a report which is a facsimile of
the paper records - and not only that - you can sort/select/use different
indexes to present it in different layouts and logical structures.
With a computer record you can consider things like barcodes (heresy in
some circles I know!)
At this museum, we are also under pressure considering value ofthe
collection as assets of the state - requiring a high level of information
be held.
If you want to add information to a paper based record - how do you do it
efficiently?
I'd be happy to enter into further discussion!
Tim
**********************************************************************
* Tim Bosher * Museum of Victoria *
* [log in to unmask] * Information Systems Branch *
* Phone: +61 3 651 6751 * Fax: +61 3 651 6180 *
* *
* There is no time like the present to postpone *
* what you should be doing. *
* *
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