[BCMA] Updating Museum Data Base

Wed Mar 2 11:29:25 PST 2016

Hi,

Christina gives a great explanation of what I understand about Past Perfect too – and the work that is going on with the new platform.  I’ll just add that Past Perfect is a good fit for a small museum/archives/small library that wants to coordinate various collections on one system and get it online in an affordable way. For what you get, the price is right, and it is easy to use, fairly standard in the field, and I have found the support to be fantastic.

Archival collections can be more problematic with PP, because it’s set up to work with DACS – the American system of describing archives, as opposed to RAD. There are some differences in field names etc. These can be worked with, but it’s not as intuitive as other archives specific software or open source archival platforms that are becoming less expensive and easier to use. Like all databases and catalogues, Past Perfect is just a tool and the organizing and structuring of the data is up to the human user to make work for their needs.

I also agree with Christiana and would advise against Access as it involves customization, which can be problematic for continuity.

Shannon

Shannon Bettles
Archivist
Chilliwack Museum and Archives
9291 Corbould Street
Chilliwack, BC, V2P 4A6
604-795-9255
www.chilliwackmuseum.ca
Find us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/ChilliwackMuseumArchives>

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: March-02-16 10:01 AM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: Re: [BCMA] Updating Museum Data Base

Hello all,
Apparently the latest version, Past Perfect 6.0 (coming soon, I believe), has addressed the problem and should not be dependent upon Visual Fox Pro. I am quite happy with our PP5, although some features are kind of outdated. In my opinion, most of those problems are based on the fact that Visual Fox Pro is the platform, and that program is outdated in and of itself. For that reason, I am hopeful that those problems, too, will be addressed in the new version. It currently scares the bejeebees out of me to update my computer, as I keep waiting for the day when I suddenly lose the ability to run the catalogue, since Microsoft isn't supporting VFP! It does not seem to be a problem with Windows 10, still.

If I had to choose again, even with VFP, I'd still choose PP over Access. We have found the "other half" of the program very useful - it's the part where you can track fundraising events, all your volunteers, membership base and so on. I am, however, not convinced that it's the greatest program in the world for archives, but then again, I'm not the archivist, I'm the collections manager!

Kind regards,

Christina Reid
MSA Museum Society

On Tue, Mar 1, 2016 at 3:05 PM, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma at lists.vifa.ca>> wrote:
I am following with interest the suggestions. Some on our board had thought we should use Access but we have not yet begun, please keep us posted as to what you decide to go with now that William has pointed out as a potential problem with PastPerfect.

Diana Ball

On Thu, Feb 25, 2016 at 3:28 PM, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma at lists.vifa.ca>> wrote:

Thank-you William!

---
Amy McCroy

Curator/Administrator, Summerland Museum

On 2016-02-24 15:01, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. wrote:
Hello Amy,

                PastPerfect is a great program, I quite like it; however, it is built on a no longer supported Microsoft database platform. It works fine now but there is always the chance that a Windows update or upgrade could break the program.

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
Phone: 306-778-4815<tel:306-778-4815>
Fax: 306-778-4818<tel:306-778-4818>

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca>] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 1:41 PM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma at lists.vifa.ca>
Subject: Re: [BCMA] Updating Museum Data Base

Jane, thank-you so much for your in-put, others have also mentioned PastPerfect!

---
Amy McCroy

Curator/Administrator, Summerland Museum

On 2016-02-24 10:40, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. wrote:
Hi Amy,

I would suggest PastPerfect. While it isn't a "be-all" database (and isn't the best for Archival collections), it is a fantastic recourse for smaller institutions. Feel free to give me a call if you'd like to chat more about it.

Jane Lemke
Curator
Chilliwack Museum and Archives
9291 Corbould Street
Chilliwack, BC V2P 4A6
Phone: (604) 795-9255<tel:%28604%29%20795-9255>
www.chilliwackmuseum.ca<http://www.chilliwackmuseum.ca/>

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca<mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2016 1:08 PM
To: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Subject: [BCMA] Updating Museum Data Base

Hello All,

Does anyone have any information on a great data base for smaller museums? We are currently using Access and is very limited in what it can do.  Any ideas would be very much appreciated! Thank-you in advance.

--
Amy McCroy

Curator/Administrator, Summerland Museum

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--
Diana Ball
Manager/Curator
Chase and District Museum and Archives
250-679-8847<tel:250-679-8847>
Box 160- 1042 Shuswap Ave Chase BC V0E 1M0  chasemuseumsociety at gmail.com<mailto:chasemuseumsociety at gmail.com>
www.chasemuseum.com<http://www.chasemuseum.com>
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--

Christina Reid

Collections Manager

MSA Museum Society

2313 Ware Street

Abbotsford BC V2S 3C6

phone: 604 853 0313

fax: 604 853 0326

Christina.R at msamuseum.ca<mailto:Christina.R at msamuseum.ca>

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