Collections management and documentation system

Karen Potje <kpotje [at] cca__qc__ca> writes

>We are currently shopping for a collections management and
>documentation system.

Regarding your request for collections management software with
useful Conservation storage capabilities we use:
Virtual Collections by

    GCI
    Innes Collections Management
    1895 de I'Islet Stree
    Quebec City, Quebec
    Canada G2K 2G8
    418-622-7394
    gci [at] riq__gc__ca

This company also offers software for Archival and Natural History
Collections.  Virtual Collections is for ethnohistory collections.
The cost of the software is a mere $750 Cdn plus $200 for the
supporting File Maker Pro program.  We have had zero problems with
this program and have found it to be very useful in all aspects of
collections management and conservation.  We require a very
adaptable program as we have a wide range of artifacts in our
historic village.

The initial cataloguing data contains 200 fields of information.
There are also fields for copyright, insurance and financial,
history, summary. The level of access can be easily restricted for
various levels of staff, volunteers, researchers etc.

The conservation data includes:  initial and current condition and
dates, condition report, conservator remarks, conservation future,
list of treatments (what, when, who), preventive conservation
(preventive measures, references, handling, storage, exhibition,
packaging, transport, emergency procedures and priority items).

There is also a multimedia aspects where you can load in digital
images, video or sound regarding the object.

This program has proved very easy to use for all levels of users
from the most inept computer user to the guru.  The support from the
company is fantastic. We love the fact that you can customize this
program very easily to suit your individual needs.  Searches can be
done in any field, the majority of which are open text.

How's that for a rave review.  We couldn't be happier.  We use this
program on a Pentium 200 but I have seen it used on a 486 and it
still worked well. Hope that helps,

Kara Reilly
Curator
Heritage Park
Fort McMurray, AB
Canada

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:73
                 Distributed: Friday, February 27, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-73-005
                                  ***