SPEC Kit 333: Art &Artifact Management · 29
collection using Excel and Word. CORC records were added some years ago to the online public catalog for selected
individual photographs but are clearly inadequate, ditto the material on the Collections’ website. We have not “chosen”
a preferred tool, but hope we will be able to use museums collections management software for the next step as we
have tried other methods (we just tried Doblin core) and they fall short. The library has just begun to use Archivists’
Toolkit which should help with the Charlot Collection’s 400+ feet of manuscripts and archives, and perhaps for as
yet uncounted documentary (including some historic) photographs, but the collection has not tested it for use with
art works and artifacts that require item level description and management of images. Many have large amounts of
detailed information that comes with them (narratives, technical descriptions, conservations reports, exhibition and
publication notes) for which there is no room to efficiently input or display. Also need a system that allows managing
hierarchical arrangements (e.g., multiple proofs and the finished print, or prints within a portfolio series), and easy
linking to related audiovisual materials like photos, films and audio, and bibliographic records.
Various tools have been made available to us over time. Choices have been made regarding the best tool for the job at
any given time.
Very small collections (.5 linear feet or less) typically do not get finding aids they are only given a MARC record.
We have not had a systematic approach to this in the past. We are working on developing a decision matrix to improve
consistency about the metadata we create and where we store it.
We hope to adopt Archivists’ Toolkit in the near future.
Whatever is more practical.
12. How do you display information about the art objects to the public? Check all that apply. N=60
Static website or other documents available on the web
(e.g., finding aid, inventory list, etc.) 33 55%
Library catalog 32 53%
Web-accessible front end to archival management system 12 20%
Web-accessible front end to internal database 7 12%
Onsite access to internal database 7 12%
Web-accessible front end to museum collection management system 4 7%
No information is displayed to the public 14 23%
Other 14 23%
Pease specify other method.
CONTENTdm
CONTENTdm is used to house the only descriptive information for a small number of items.
collection using Excel and Word. CORC records were added some years ago to the online public catalog for selected
individual photographs but are clearly inadequate, ditto the material on the Collections’ website. We have not “chosen”
a preferred tool, but hope we will be able to use museums collections management software for the next step as we
have tried other methods (we just tried Doblin core) and they fall short. The library has just begun to use Archivists’
Toolkit which should help with the Charlot Collection’s 400+ feet of manuscripts and archives, and perhaps for as
yet uncounted documentary (including some historic) photographs, but the collection has not tested it for use with
art works and artifacts that require item level description and management of images. Many have large amounts of
detailed information that comes with them (narratives, technical descriptions, conservations reports, exhibition and
publication notes) for which there is no room to efficiently input or display. Also need a system that allows managing
hierarchical arrangements (e.g., multiple proofs and the finished print, or prints within a portfolio series), and easy
linking to related audiovisual materials like photos, films and audio, and bibliographic records.
Various tools have been made available to us over time. Choices have been made regarding the best tool for the job at
any given time.
Very small collections (.5 linear feet or less) typically do not get finding aids they are only given a MARC record.
We have not had a systematic approach to this in the past. We are working on developing a decision matrix to improve
consistency about the metadata we create and where we store it.
We hope to adopt Archivists’ Toolkit in the near future.
Whatever is more practical.
12. How do you display information about the art objects to the public? Check all that apply. N=60
Static website or other documents available on the web
(e.g., finding aid, inventory list, etc.) 33 55%
Library catalog 32 53%
Web-accessible front end to archival management system 12 20%
Web-accessible front end to internal database 7 12%
Onsite access to internal database 7 12%
Web-accessible front end to museum collection management system 4 7%
No information is displayed to the public 14 23%
Other 14 23%
Pease specify other method.
CONTENTdm
CONTENTdm is used to house the only descriptive information for a small number of items.
