[BCMA] Combined database for archives and artifacts

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

New Westminster Museum & Archives has two separate databases and it
causes extra work, so the long-term goal is one database for both. As we
are part of a city, and there is an IT Department dealing with computer
issues (support etc.), we are likely to go with the city's main database
once it is standardized (e.g. SQL Server). Having used a variety of
databases we have a good idea of what is required for data entry and
information retrieval. For example, I have use Paradox (DOS), Paradox
for Windows, MS Access (several versions), Heritage Sentinel and
InMagic. There is also the military museums' CFAMS (Canadian Forces
Artifact Management System) database which I am awaiting (as they make
it compulsory)  for a Canadian Forces Museum that I also run and which
is a nightmare and appears to be universally hated (e.g. The computer
assigns Accession Numbers automatically and you cannot delete any
records. Information retrieval is extremely frustrating and some found
it to be impossible - data in and no data out.

 

I would say that ALL databases have both good and bad features. People
become attached to what they know and often promote the same - sometimes
with the blinders on. They know only one and to them it is like the
Bible, Talmud or Koran - sacred. "The one true way to heaven."

 

We use Microsoft Access for our artifacts and InMagic for our Archives.
I view both as being interim solutions for us.

 

InMagic is used in various facilities for archives, for museum
collections and for both. Burnaby Village Museum was on Heritage
Sentinel, but we converted the Heritage Sentinel database (which I had
also purchased) over to MS Access for portability reasons when I was
Curator there (1986-2005), and since I left they converted again a
couple of years later to InMagic (at a cost of about $150,000 I heard
and are still cleaning up the loose ends.) Although there are some good
features, there are also several problems with InMagic:

*	It is VERY expensive (annual costs etc.)
*	It is a flat file rather than a relational database.
*	It uses two separate databases within - one for accessioning and
the other for the Description!!!! (This is likely explained by the flat
file nature, which duplicates work and leads to greater chance of
error.)
*	It is non-industry standard and has caused a lot of extra work
for our IT Department (our city Techies). 

Archives Association of BC is leaning towards an open source database.

 

MS Access also has good and bad features. It is not the greatest for
handling photos BUT it is a very common program and one can easily find
people who know how to use it. It can also be customized to suit your
needs. 

 

Be careful about customization of your database. If you do any (and it
is so tempting and practical), KEEP A MANUAL of your changes for your
successors!  Assume that you will not be there to explain it to your
successor. 

 

Be aware too that there is a tendency for Curators who are new on the
job to change the museum's database to the one they are familiar with. I
have seen this happen a number of times. The funniest story was (and no
I have not checked this out on www.snopes.com <http://www.snopes.com/> )
that two Canadian Curators' swapped jobs, and both of them insisted on
changing the databases to the type that they were familiar with. Who was
right? Probably neither one because both worked, it was just a matter of
preference. Before considering a change, consider the amount of work
involved, the costs and the possible loss +/or corruption of data.
Always keep back-up copies, ideally on paper too or your museum database
could end up screwed up like the Canadian Firearms Registry. Stories are
that they entered the data, destroyed the paper records, and then during
an upgrade or change, the data was corrupted. The result is that they
really don't know who owned what firearms and the old registry is a bad
joke. It is true? I have spoken with individuals who had encountered
problems. There are many guns that were registered under the old system
but Ottawa seems to have lost the records (not that they would admit
this), which is probably why they insist that everyone re-register their
guns in the new system. Owners have been accused of having guns they
never had (because the corrupted database says they had them when in
reality they belonged to someone else) and others have been told they
don't own certain guns - but they do and THEY kept copies of the
official paperwork to prove it. 

 

Remember your database is a TOOL and a SERVANT to you. It should not be
your master. 

 

Do I know the solution of one database for all? No, but I know I do not
want to go with InMagic for both. 

 

I too am interested to hear what people say.

 

Colin MacGregor Stevens,

Manager,

New Westminster Museum and Archives,

302 Royal Avenue,

New Westminster, BC, 

V3L 1H7

 

Phone Office:    604-527-4639

Work Cellular : 604-830-6965

Fax:                  604-527-4641

E-mail: cstevens at newwestcity.ca 

Web Site: www.newwestminster.ca 

-----Original Message-----
From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. [mailto:bcma at lists.vvv.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:37 PM
To: BCMA at lists.vvv.com
Subject: [BCMA] Combined database for archives and artefacts

 

Hi,

I was wondering if anybody has a collections database that combines
archival and artefact records in one layout? And if so does it work well
for you?

Thanks,

Alexis Jensen
ajensen at nikkeiplace.org



-- 
Alexis Jensen
 
Collecions Manager
Japanese Canadian National Museum
604 777 7000 ext 140
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