Database software for archives

Mauro J. Mazzini <mjmconservation<-at->gmail<.>com> writes

>I would like to know your recommendations about the simplest
>software to manage a photo collection. ...
>...
>The person that will be in charge of the archive doesn't have
>previous experience with this kind of database.  They started with a
>Filemaker database that somebody made for them, but the database
>grow up to 2GB with only 60 images documented, since it adds the raw
>images to the base.

I use an in-house designed MS Access database for our collection
(archives, artefacts, photos) as it's so hard to find anything off
the shelf that has all the functions you need.  However one point
which may help, whichever you end up using, is to save the images
outside the database and only have a link to them within it.  This
way your database stays a reasonable size--unlike what has happened
with your Filemaker database.  By doing this I have folders of RAW
images, large JPGs and small thumbnails which Access finds for me
depending on whether it's to show on a form or a report etc.  Good
luck,

Robyn Waymouth
Archivist
Archives Department
The Royal Women's Hospital
Locked Bag 300
Parkville VIC 3053
+61 3 8345 3905


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 29:2
                  Distributed: Saturday, May 30, 2015
                        Message Id: cdl-29-2-007
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