Hi,

We also had previously entered our Frames into Components, but our now
moving them out to be separate Object records.  An object could have
many frames (as many as 5) so it was difficult for our users to figure
out the right frame to move when scheduling moves, even if the location
matched the objects location.  If the frames were switched it was
difficult to know that since the Frames Conservator is the person who
had this information.  We also need to track values for frames and that
is not possible when using components.  Shipping was not very pretty
because the objects that have been in the collection were attached to
recent incoming shipment for the Frames.  The objects were excluded, but
it made shipping reports more difficult because we had to try to pull
the individual frame values on to our reports.
Our Frames Conservator is now responsible for the Frame records and
since we moved to Objects he is able to record more data on his frames
and a value history is now maintained.  He links the frames to the
Objects through the Hierarchy and our shipments are clearer.  He will
also be responsible for the location of his frames.  His frames are also
being scanned so I hope they will be visible shortly to users.

I do like the idea of giving the frames that are on the object a
location of "frame on work".  We have a similar term that we could use
here.

Our reports did need adjustment when we started using Components.  For
us the Component Name is always blank for our primary object so it is
easy to eliminate components by eliminating components with Component
Names.

Our crates are entered in Shipping only.

Thanks.
Carole.

Carole Campbell
Registrar for Collections Management
J. Paul Getty Museum
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1000
Los Angeles, CA 90049
[log in to unmask]

>>> On Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at 11:30 AM, Jeri Moxley
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Hi all,

Some strategies from the Guggenheim Universe:

Accessories -- frames, travel frames, dedicated electronic equipment,
and mounts - are tracked as components with Component Type = Accessory.


Queries: users are instructed to use an advanced query to search for
the list of all objects in a particular location, combining the location
with a search on component type='part of artwork' to avoid results that
may include a frame component in frame storage (if it's the artworks
they're concerned with, rather than anything/everything in that
location).

Location Reports: depending on the purpose of the report, different
Location reports are designed to pull: all components in order of
component number, 'part of artwork'-only components, or to include all
components and sort by 'part of artwork' vs. 'accessory' .

Frame locations: Frames and travel frames that are on an artwork are
assigned location "frame on work" in location & movement. A number of
our paintings have multiple frames. Frames in storage are assigned to
their specific storage location, while a frame on an artwork is assigned
'frame on work' which makes it clear that it is in the same location as
the artwork.

Frame dims for exh mgmt: Exhibition reports that need to include frame
information (description and dimensions) are designed to pull that
information corresponding to any component row with the current location
of "frame on work"

Locations data entry: We've centralized locations data entry to 3-4
staff members with specific duties and they are working quite well with
pinning down which components should be included in each location
change. We've actually focused on this a bit recently and the real
improvement came from discussions with registrar staff about paying
closer attention to this for the sake of helping those entering the
location changes.

Crates: Previously, crates were entered as components. We are in the
process of transferring this information to the crates assistant
(getting rid of crate components) and entering new crates in the crates
assistant.

Jeri


--------------
Jeri Moxley Rojas
Manager of Collection and Exhibition Information
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
212-423-3509
[log in to unmask]

From: The Museum System (TMS) Users
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Pulliam
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 1:25 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hardware in TMS


Hi David,

The crate records that we make in the Objects Module are independent
from the crates in the shipping module.

We have not been linking crates, or frames, or accessories to
exhibition records.

The challenge for all of us using TMS is to remember to move the linked
crate, frame, or accessory when we move the object if the accessory
moves with it. We want to develop an electronic notification that is
sent to a user each time the user moves an object that has a linked
frame, crate or accessory, but when we will ever have time for this is a
big question*

Best wishes, Linda


-----Original Message-----
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Aylsworth, David
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 20071:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hardware in TMS

Linda, I*m SO glad to hear that you have done this successfully!

We just tentatively started doing the same thing for crates, and were
going to start doing it for frames as well.  I was feeling a bit guilty
as it seemed like a cop out and not using TMS the way that Gallery had
designed it.  Previously we had been linking those things as components,
but this was screwing up location reports and not being as helpful as
possible.

When you make a record for a crate, do you only make that record, or do
you also make a crate record in the shipping module?  If you have an
exhibition record, do you also link your crate records up to the
exhibition as well as the objects?

Thanks!

David

DavidAylsworth
Museumof Fine Arts, Houston
Registrar for Collections
telephone:  713-639-7824
fax:  713-639-7780


From:The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Linda Pulliam
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 10:59 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hardware in TMS


Hi Chad,

At the MFA in Boston we make regular object records for frames,
shipping crates, and other object accessories such as mounts,
mannequins, pedestals, and so on. We assign the object status: *MFA
owned* to these non-accessioned objects.

We link these records to the objects they are associated with. Some
paintings have links to more than one frame (original frame, shipping
frame, and so on). Some frames are linked to more than one painting.
This system has made life a lot easier for our framer.

Object records give us a place to document the conservation of frames,
and other accessories, and the many fields are useful for describing the
accessories, their makers, dimensions, their age, etc., that would not
be possible if we used the component area of TMS.

Some details:

·         We number our frame records with FR.### (next highest
available number); they are assigned to a department called
*Accessories.* We have about 4,000 frame records.

·         The shipping crate project is managed by the Registrar*s
office together with Collections Management staff. Crates are numbered
CR.### (next highest available number); they are assigned to a
department called *Registrar.* We have about 1,400 shipping crate and
container records. This is a new project and we hope it will help us
locate and recycle shipping crates more efficiently. Our crates are
stored in about six different facilities.

·         All other accessories are numbered ANC.###  (next highest
available number). These are assigned to either a curatorial department
(when the accessory is directly related to an accessioned object such as
the box that a piece of jewelry came in), or to the department called
*Accessories.* We have about 3,050 ANC records.

·         We use the components area of TMS for parts of accessioned
objects. Often various parts of objects need to be stored under
different conditions. We make component records for all the parts and
assign specific locations to the different parts.

·         For works of art here on loan we only make a separate frame
or accessory record if the art will be separated from the frame or
accessory. To help us keep track, we use the following status flags:
Lender Frame, Lender Accessory, No Lender Accessory (this includes
frames).

Best wishes,

Linda Pulliam
Head of Collections Management




-----Original Message-----
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chad Petrovay
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2007 4:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Hardware in TMS

Could anyone share how their museum deals with hardware associated with
objects?

By hardware, I mean: Mounts, frames, book cradles, crates, other
storage/display devices.

We are looking for a way to track all of these within TMS.

Chad M Petrovay
Collections Database Administrator
P: 410.547.9000 x266