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Cataloguing / Documentation

Cataloguing / Documentation. Records are the memory of a museum. Allow the museum to identify and account for every item in the collection Prove right of ownership together with receipts, Deed of Gift –forms etc

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Cataloguing / Documentation

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  1. Cataloguing / Documentation

  2. Records are the memory of a museum • Allow the museum to identify and account for every item in the collection • Prove right of ownership together with receipts, Deed of Gift –forms etc • Make the difference between an object being an example of a type and the object telling the story of someone’s life

  3. Museum Records • Some of the types of records created on collection items • Entry records • Acquisition register & records • Collection catalogue • Paper files

  4. Collection cataloguing • Catalogue brings together and keeps securely information about each item in the collection • Catalogue cards • Computerised options for small collections • Spreadsheets such as Excel • Database programs such as Access • Collection management systems • PastPerfect • Vernon • E-hive – web-based collections management system • Freeware http://www.impulseadventure.com/photo/flow-catalog-compare.html

  5. Advantages of using a database • Improves access to collections • Improves searchability • Enhances knowledge about collections • Reports of the collection can be printed out in different formats • Can link images/video/audio files • Facilitate collections management tasks such as acquisitions, relocations, inventories, loans and exhibitions

  6. Data quality • The quality of a database is only as good as the quality of information entered • Consistency in data entry is important • Ensure that key terms are entered consistently • Cataloguing manual/ data dictionary – improves consistency • Controlled dictionaries, authority terms, drop down lists prevent the entry of incorrect or variant data

  7. Help in selecting collections management software • – Te Papa National Services Guide Deciding on Digital Tools for Collection Management • Software suppliers, free trial versions

  8. Benefits of good catalogue records • Knowing what you’ve got • Knowing where things are • Knowing if you have lost anything • Providing descriptions of lost or stolen items • Helping to answer enquires efficiently • Giving researchers access to information about your collections

  9. Benefits of good catalogue records • Help to look after the objects in your care • Help interpretation for exhibitions and education • Ensuring the objects stories don’t die with the museum worker

  10. Cost of poor documentation • Reduces the usefulness of the collection • Do not know what you have • Cannot find objects you have • Duplicates are collected because you don’t know what is in the store rooms • Objects become meaningless because their story has been lost

  11. Cost of poor documentation • Museum has objects it does not know who they belong to • deaccessioning without having legal title can be risky • stores up problems for the future – ownership wrangles • Items are lent out and never returned • Thefts go undetected or can not be recovered because of a lack of description of the object • Wasted resources

  12. Retrospective documentation • Clear recent cataloguing backlog • Acquisition information is available • Carry out collection inventory • Improve existing catalogue records • Deal with catalogued material that has lost the link to documentation – no accession number • Deal with unaccessioned material • Deal with lost collection items - deaccession

  13. Inscriptions History/Provenance Other id Classification Location in your store Cataloguer and date Catalogue brings together and keeps securely information about each item in the collection • Accession number • Name or title • Brief description • Photograph • Production place & year • Maker, production technique • Materials • Measurements

  14. Name/Title • Use standard terms for naming objects http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum-terminology/termbank • For artwork use the tile given by artist • If artwork has no title use ‘Untitled’ and in brackets description [View of Blackball] • For photographs use a short description eg. Crowd in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, celebratingArmistice Day Group at the 1914 Chess Championship of New Zealand, in Christchurch 

  15. Brief Description • Identify the object from other similar objects • Help someone who is reading descriptions to decide if this is an object they want • Less need for handling objects What makes this object different from other similar objects ?

  16. Brief description • Describe what the object looks like • Include the objects • function • parts – moving or missing • shape • materials • colour, decoration, texture, patterns, • relative size • production technique • manufacturers marks.labels.brand names/serial numbers • Link a photograph to the object record

  17. Consistency • Develop standards or a style sheet for free text fields such as description • For example describing a photograph would you write • World War II • Second World War • World War 2 • World War, 1939 – 1945 • Useful for making sure researchers are able to find everything on a subject

  18. Inscriptions • Write down the inscription itself or description of it • Inscriptions are recorded between quote marks with / denoting a new line • ‘Made in New Zealand’ / ‘1956’ • describe it if it is stamped eg. potters mark • Method, type and location of inscription • If you are using work sheets or catalogue cards draw the inscription, if you are using a database describe it or take a digital photo

  19. Production Data • Who made it? • Where ? • Land Information NZ - NZ place names • http://www.linz.govt.nz • When ? • This can be precise or an approximate date/ period • How ? • Do you know anything else about the production process or maker?

  20. History / Provenance • The name, address of the source/donor • How you got the object (gift, purchase, bequest) • Date when obtained • Names and dates of other people who owned or used the object • Places and events associated • How the object was used ? • What did the object mean to the people ? • Include any photos of the past owners or any other documentation Donor questionnaires – obtain as much information as you can from previous owner

  21. Measurements • Take measurement as maximum • Use millimeters • In order of height x width (length) x depth • Textiles use dressmaking measurements • Firearms measure the barrel diameter

  22. Materials • List all materials that the object is composed of • What part is made from what • Databases have controlled vocabularies to obtain consistency – help in searching • Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) Can browse and look up terms online at www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/ vocabularies/aat/

  23. Condition of the object • Condition report is done as part of accessioning process • Assess the physical condition of the object = how well preserved the object is • Base line to assess whether object has deteriorated over time and how • Description of type, extent and location of damage • Also possible need for a conservation treatment

  24. Other Id • Other Id can be a link to entry level documentation - receipt number / deposit record no • Old catalogue numbers • Temporary numbers • Serial numbers for machinery, firearms

  25. Location • Permanent or usual location • Current location • Good to have all locations in store room numbered/coded e.g. Collection store/lower/unit 55/bay1/shelf1 • Drop down list of locations in your program • Important to update location information when object is moved – movement control

  26. Credit line • Eg. Collection of TheNewDowse • Acknowledge the donor Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Smith

  27. Classification / indexing • Object classification into hierarchical categories • AAT – Art and Architecture Thesaurus by Getty Institute • Nomenclature • Subject classification / indexing • What is subject ? • what is depicted in a work of art / photograph • what is the function of an object TGM II Thesaurus for Graphic Materials • Free download from www.loc.gov/rr/print/tgm2/ • For cataloguing advice see www.loc.gov/rr/print/cataloging.html AAT – Art and Architecture Thesaurus • Can search on-line

  28. Terminologies published online by MDA • MDA Archaeological Objects Thesaurus • MDA Waterways Object Name Thesaurus • MDA Railways Object Name Thesaurus • British Museum Object Names Thesaurus • British Museum Materials Thesaurus • ICOM Costume Committee's Vocabulary of Basic Terms • Royal Air Force Museum's Aircraft Types Thesaurus http://www.mda.org.uk/

  29. Taxonomic classification

  30. Conclusion • Be consistent • Develop a cataloguing manual • Keep all your documentation secure • Back up computer files regularly Documentation about your collection is the most precious resource you have

  31. Discussion on cataloguing Cataloguing exercise

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