[Nhcoll-l] collections database

[Dirk Neumann]

Dear Tim,

I can only second. A database system needs to be sufficient to serve the 
needs of the collection. All to often, we see that information of 
collection objects has to be squeezed into some database format or into 
a non-modular database system.

Most database systems I have seen so far are rather static, i.e. 
extensions require either parallel installations or rational linkage of 
two databases. Another important questions are IT-support and 
maintenance in the long run (+20 years). This is the reason why some of 
the databases we have and use today are surprisingly fragile. So one 
important feature should be easy export of dataset (for example into 
flat excel tables).

Somewhat theoretic reply, but I hope you din it useful.

All the best
Dirk

Am 15.06.2018 um 02:25 schrieb John Torgersen:
> Hi Tim,
>
> Each of the collection management systems has different features, with 
> each having things about it that are appealing. The best way to decide 
> which will work for you is to list your requirements (like do you want 
> it to handle accessioning and loans, etc., should it be within your 
> institutional IT environment or is it okay for it to be on an external 
> host, do you have a budget or does it need to be free to use, and so 
> on) then compare your requirements with the particulars of the systems 
> available.
>
> At the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science & Arts, 
> we are most of the way through a multi-year effort to migrate all of 
> our biologically-based museum collections to Specify, as it fit our 
> particular set of requirements.
>
> I'm happy to answer any questions, and if you're ever in Ann Arbor, 
> I'd be happy to show you our set-up and give you a tour of our new 
> Research Museums Center.
>
> Yours,
> John Torgersen
> UM LSA IT Infrastructure
>
> On 6/14/18 6:02 PM, Timothy Koneval wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> I was wondering if anyone could give me some suggestions for 
>> electronic database for museum collections. Our museum does not 
>> currently have any information in electronic format and I would like 
>> to change that.
>>
>> I have been seeing several posts about Arctos as a database. Is that 
>> was most museums are using now for their collection information?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Tim
>>
>> -- 
>> Dr. Timothy Koneval
>> Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Physiology
>> Biology Department
>> Ohio Northern University
>>
>> (419) 772-2762
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. Seehttp://www.spnhc.org  for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.


-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

Postanschrift:

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/

---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

postal address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Visit our section at:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20180615/21509638/attachment.html>