Thank you Diana. This gives us a lot to think about. We already have complex rights assignments to the fields, but this will help as we plan the management of exhibition-related materials. The concept of democratization of access is one I constantly work to spread here, and I like the idea of each department contributing--sharing!--their materials via TMS. When you get those policy guidelines written, I am sure that many members of this listserv would like to see them. Jenny Wilker -----Original Message----- From: Diana Lada ( [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 1:31 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Exhibitions! Hi Jenny, Well that is the problem in a nutshell. We are still testing our theory of democratizing our collection information, so I can't speak conclusively yet. We started by looking at the output from a variety of departments and analyzing the benefit of having certain documents exist openly vs. those that need not be shared. We had to approach it in two ways: 1)secure the documents related to TMS and separate them by saving these files in directories by department that could be accessed and attached to TMS only by that department's staff members. For ex: Publications would have sole access and ownership to the Publications folder and therefore no other department would be able to delete or manipulate any original documents in that folder. In this way, they could also save sensitive documents that related to an exhibition without necessarily attaching it to the database, but at the same time, keep all relevant files in one spot. [We are working on writing policy...guidelines and standards for everything, since we are asking that all departments [especially those that have had no contact with the database in the past] share in documenting the collection from their unique vantage point.] 2)on the viewing end, our TMS security access was redesigned by function [not how it was originally]. This has been useful to us because it also points to how departments have overlapping rights to information/function within TMS. While curatorial and some members of registration share the ability to create records, publication, education, retail, communication have mostly view access but they can add their documents in the media tab to support exhibition records, for example. We are using 9.15 on our way to 9.2 so that we can grey out fields that we think may not be appropriate for viewing per function. For example, press releases are attached by our Communications department but can be viewed by almost everyone. Even if the security access permits editing, the original file can not be edited. Publications adds invites, brochures, wall text, etc. But object values and budgets are viewed only by curatorial and registration. At present, we are really only dealing with documents that are not too sensitive but enhance the overall record and put it into greater context. Incidentally, at the Whitney, curatorial and registration staff have access to creating object, loan and exhibition records. Since objects, loans and exhibitions originate with curatorial, they are responsible for creating the records and attaching pertinent information to get all other departments started. Curatorial is used to the standards and guidelines set by documentation. It is a little bit of a learning curve with the other departments who had only view access to basic object information in the past. This has required a lot of meetings, education, sharing of TMS terminology, etc. We haven't figured out all the kinks yet...and there are several that I just thought about as I was replying to your email. We're still in the early stages. The one thing that I can say with some assurance is that departments other than curatorial and registration, are delighted to know that their hard work is seen as important. I envision that one day, we'll be able to pull up an exhibition record and see the inter-related output of curatorial, registration, education, special events, publications and retail. Aready we are beginning to see the value of centralizing information. Not only does it benefit everyone but as a whole it proves that the invaluable work performed by each department of a museum is what makes for a successful exhibition or collection...in a way, it tells the whole picture. I don't know if that helped in any way, but I'll be happy to share as we get further underway. Diana Lada-L'Henaff Documentation Manager Whitney Museum of American Art 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street New York, NY 10021 t: 212.570.3671 f: 212.570.4171 e: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wilker, Jenny Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 8:17 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Exhibitions! Many interesting replies so far. Thanks. I have a question for Diana at the Whitney, who says "We are hoping to create an archive of the ephemera, brochures, catalogues, the press kits, the programming, events, rights info, etc. but also to make this information available and downloadable to all APPROPRIATE museum staff via their desktop, when necessary!" Diana, how do you set the security for the documents linked to the TMS Exhibitions record? And what departments do you consider "appropriate" for having access to the documents? These two remarks spoke to the primary reason for my original query to the group. Some of us are a bit uneasy about letting everybody see all these documents. Jenny Wilker Philadelpia Museum of Art -----Original Message----- From: Diana Lada ( [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 11:32 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Exhibitions! Hi Jenny, At the Whitney we use our loan and exhibition modules religiously but our registars do end up using ACCESS for all logistical data because of the ease in manipulating information....we can't get them to consider alternative ways. On the flip side, we have begun to consider ways to integrate the output of other departments and relating their work back to the exhibition record...we're still testing. Our goal is to integrate exhibition and loan information, and each departments' output as it relates to the exhibition, into the Exhibition Record in TMS. We are hoping to create an archive of the ephemera, brochures, catalogues, the press kits, the programming, events, rights info, etc. but also to make this information available and downloadable to all APPROPRIATE museum staff via their desktop, when necessary! Some of the issues that have come up for us: 1)most importantly, server space! Image related documents and hi-res images can be quite large and we are looking at not only making them accessible via TMS [one example that comes up are the wall labels] but also archiving on our server. A terrabyte doesn't get you very far we have found! 2) security and appropriate staff access 3) developing a protocol for who is responsible for what to attach to each exhibition record, where to save it on the server 4) how not to slow down the database and 5) reports! [always a favourite for us!]...and I'm sure tomorrow a few more things will crop up. But we are quite excited at the possibilities... Good luck! Diana Diana Lada-L'Henaff Documentation Manager Whitney Museum of American Art 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street New York, NY 10021 t: 212.570.3671 f: 212.570.4171 e: [log in to unmask]