[MassHistPres] Software for cataloging artifacts

[laurie young]

The easiest and least expensive method is to use a spreadsheet such as Excel
or Google Docs.

You decide what information you want to collect and create fields for each
item.

The advantages of this are:

Ability to customize the fields of data you collect
Low cost
Can handle at least 64,000 items 
With Google Docs, ability to have multiple people working on the task from
different locations (this is also a disadvantage so think it through first!)
Ability to export the data to any other type of software for catalog
generation (on-line or print):  Like Adobe In Design
You can also save the file location for multiple photographs of the items or
scans of any hard copy docs like appraisals in separate fields which would
then print with In Design if you got very ambitious.

I have done this with a very large collection.

Keys to success are:
Only keep the data you really need, not nice to have.  Data grows
exponentially and you'll have a hard time keeping track, not to mention
entering it all.  Better to have five fields of data than twenty-five.
Set up a format and enter about 50 items.  Then reflect and make changes.

This data can always be transported to another application at a later date
so if you enter many items and decide to do something else, no time is lost.

Don't forget to have automatic backup software if you don't store this in
the cloud.  Data loss is very painful.




Laurie Young
ovnonp at gmail.com
617-429-1354

-----Original Message-----
From: masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu
[mailto:masshistpres-bounces at cs.umb.edu] On Behalf Of
masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2015 12:00 PM
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Subject: MassHistPres Digest, Vol 108, Issue 7

Send MassHistPres mailing list submissions to
	masshistpres at cs.umb.edu

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	masshistpres-request at cs.umb.edu

You can reach the person managing the list at
	masshistpres-owner at cs.umb.edu

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of MassHistPres digest..."


Today's Topics:

   1. looking for software (Olivia M)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2015 09:07:31 -0500
From: Olivia M <liv1946 at gmail.com>
Subject: [MassHistPres] looking for software
To: MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
Message-ID:
	<CALrBzaxF7bPyeOMW4bM-5dZKUGQQyTozGpN0GU1eNWHnZPQEGA at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Our historial commission has a private warehouse of artifacts that need to
be catalogued and documented... with volunteers.....a huge collection that
runs from telephone booth to signs and everything in between.

Do you have suggestions about software that would be appropriate, user
friendly but not expensive. Past Perfect has been suggested. Any others out
there?

thanks for your help

Olivia Mausel
Holyoke Historical Commission
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL:
<http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/private/masshistpres/attachments/20150224
/1bccfeff/attachment.html>

------------------------------

_______________________________________________
MassHistPres mailing list
MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres


End of MassHistPres Digest, Vol 108, Issue 7
********************************************