[NHCOLL-L:193] Review of collection management software

[Tim White]

The Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) is preparing to conduct
another review of collections management software for museums and would
like to
determine the level of interest in participating. If your institution is
preparing to purchase collections management software this is an excellent
opportunity to fully evaluate one or more of the products that interest you. 
As part of a team, you will benefit from the expertise of colleagues from CHIN
and other institutions.

As a preliminary investigation of the level of interest in the community we
encourage those of you who are interested to respond to service at chin.gc.ca. 
There will be limited registration, so we encourage you to register now.
Please
include the following information: your name, the name of your organization,
your email address, your city and province/state, phone number. Those who
participate will receive a complimentary copy of the criteria checklist and a
copy of the collection management software review. 

Between August 1995 and November 1997 the Canadian Heritage Information
Network
(CHIN) conducted a series of collections management software evaluations. Held
at CHIN, the result of the process was the production of the  Collections
Management Software Review, last published in February of 1997. The review was
based upon intensive examination of individual collections management software
packages. CHIN and a team of museum professionals conducted the review. It
outlined the suitability of specific software to: museum discipline,
collections size, museum functions, and hardware and software environment.  It
also analyzed vendor reliability, support requirements, customization
possibilities, costs and more.  The review assisted museums worldwide in the
integration of collections management systems into their institutions. 

Over 160 museums in Canada, the U.S. and overseas have used the Review to
guide
them in selecting collections management systems. The review has been
incorporated also in University Museum Studies programs. It is the most
extensive review ever produced for collections management systems.
Professional
and critical comments include:

"The comprehensiveness and level of detail in your product is impressive" 

"an indispensable tool" 

"I have but one complaint. Had CHIN only published its Software Review sooner,
we could have saved time, effort, expense and would have wound up with a more
comprehensive result." -  Rachel M. Allen, Chief, Research and Scholars
Centre,
National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

"An invaluable tool...to allow museums to make informed decisions regarding a
product or vendor." - Richard Gerrard, Toronto Historical Board

Prior reviews involved museum professionals from all areas of Canada
participating as evaluators. This round we are interested in providing the
opportunity for museum professionals across North America to participate. If
your museum were interested in being part of a professional museum group in
evaluating collection management software then we would like to hear from
you. 

If your museum is looking at buying a collections management software system
then this is the opportunity for you to fully evaluate one or more of the
products that interest you. This could be part or all of your quest to acquire
a new collections management system. Museums who participate must be
willing to
cover their own expenses. 

The evaluations will take place between September 20th and November 30,
1999 and a combination of hosting evaluations at CHIN in Hull, Quebec,
Canada and at
North American sites. Demonstrations are expected to take one day per software
product. The evaluations will be in conjunction with conferences and would be
conducted before or following each conference. 

Evaluations are to be conducted at the following conferences:

Western Museum Association Conference in Sacramento, California, 
USA, Sept. 23-26, 1999.

Mid-Atlantic Museum Association Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, 
USA, Sept. 29-Oct2, 1999.

Museum Computer Network, Philadelphia, USA, October 27-30, 1999.

Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada, October 15-16, 1999.

In addition to the demonstrations, evaluators will be asked to apply scores to
the software functions and provide an overall narrative evaluation of the
software. Throughout the demonstrations those evaluating will use a criteria
checklist that has been developed by the museum community and CHIN.

If your museum is interested in participating in the evaluation process,
please
send us an e-mail to let us know at service at chin.gc.ca. Neither you nor
CHIN is
obligated to any commitment at this point but you will be contacted and
informed of further actions. Each museum that participates in the evaluation
process will receive a complimentary copy of the final software review. 

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Jim Fox
Manager, Technology Assessment                 1-800-520-2446 (Canada and
U.S.)
Canadian Heritage Information Network          (819) 994-1200 (Voice)    
15 Eddy St., 4th Floor                         (819) 994-9555 (Fax)
Hull, Que.                 				jfox at chin.gc.ca
K1A-0M5                                         www.chin.gc.ca


Tim

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*                                                                  *
* Tim White, Senior Collection Manager   (203) 432-3767 (Voice)    *
* Invertebrate Paleontology              (203) 432-9816 (Fax)      *
* Peabody Museum of Natural History      tim.white at yale.edu        *
* Yale University                        www.peabody.yale.edu      *
* 170 Whitney Ave., PO Box 208118                                  *
* New Haven, CT 06520-8118                                         *
* U.S.A.                                                           *
*                                                                  *
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