Hi Jenny,

The National Portrait Gallery uses the Exhibitons and Loans modules
extensively for past, current and upcoming exhibitions and loans. I am right
now in the middle of trying to write a report on all loans to exhibitions
for the reopening of the NPG next year, with object information included. It
gets unbelievably complicated when using selects on certain statuses for
both ExhObjXref and LoanObjXref and trying to incorporate so many fields
from the Objects Module, including artists, which necessitate a like to the
Constituents Module as well! At least this report didn't require images!

Whenever our collections management staff requests a new one like this, we
go through a period of thinking we are using TMS too extensively and that we
are not able to do what we need to with it. I am the only one writing
reports here, and while I've gotten fairly clever, I sometimes feel
overwhelmed. There is so much margin for human error when the reports get
this complex.

However, we have almost always found a solution for our needs via TMS,
often using fields in creative ways...and me tearing my hair out. Our
collections management staff is also willing to do fairly extensive data
entry and to be very careful to track changes in loan statuses, etc. The
bottom line is you get out of TMS what you put into it.

If you or anyone out there would like any information on how we use the
Exh. and Loans Modules, don't hesitate to contact me. I'm interested to hear
what others are doing as well.

Sincerely,

Susan Garton
Data Administrator
Center for Electronic Research and Outreach Services
National Portrait Gallery
Tel:  (202) 275-1842
Fax:  (202) 275-1907
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>>> [log in to unmask] 05/18/05 11:06AM >>>
Hello TMSers-

Thanks for the excellent deaccessioning discussion.  Very helpful and
indeed
inspiring.

Now for the Exhibitions module.  So far we have been using Exhibitions
(and
Loans) to:
1. manage and track outgoing loans to other institutions' exhibitions
2. archive our own current and past exhibitions, with links to objects in
exhibition, label copy (also used to update object information as
appropriate), gallery views, website.

We have not been using the module to:
1. plan and manage upcoming exhibitions (and incoming loans for
exhibitions), because Access is the preference of our registrars and
curators for that purpose (flexibility, ad-hoc reporting).  It's a bit
problematic, because we eventually have to re-enter the objects into TMS
after the show has opened. (Note to GS: nice if one could import!)

New project:
In order for the entire staff to learn about upcoming exhibitions,
however,
we have just launched a new project.  We are creating records for future
exhibitions to which we link prototype records for objects with images
that
have been cleared for publicity, as well as several forms of text files
(press releases, website, draft Word or PDF files from upcoming
catalogues).
Each exhibition record serves as a place for staff members to go to find
publicity and rights information, and to read about the show while
preparing
educational materials.  We hope that this project will represent a
breakthrough of sorts in sharing! And in establishing one place with
up-to-date and accurate information.  Ultimately the complete exhibition
will be archived on the same record.

Is anybody else doing this?  Are there any pitfalls we are not noticing?
(primarily about making all this material available to staff)

Looking forward to your responses,

Jenny Wilker

________________________
Jenny Wilker, Ph.D.
Manager, Collection Information
Information Services
Philadelphia Museum of Art
215-684-7746