Hi David,
We haven’t done exactly that although what we are doing
with our digital material is creating Object module records for CDs, DVDs and
hardrives, which we consider as types of “crates” for the digital
files they contain (usually large quantities of CAD architectural drawings).
Then when we catalogue the files (creating object records for the drawings), we
link them back to the “crate” they arrived in. We looked at doing
it different ways, but since we really need to manage the physical container of
the CD/DVD support (which often has no value other than as a transport
mechanism), this was the only possibility we saw. This of course doesn’t
present the same duplication in the Shipping module that you are talking about.
While on the subject, if anyone ever wants to talk about how
they use the Shipping module to ship digital works, I’d love to share
ideas/problems.
Alexis Lenk
Coordonnatrice, Documentation des collections
Centre Canadien d’Architecture
Montréal, Québec
From: The Museum System
(TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Aylsworth,
David
Sent: February 16, 2010 1:51 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Crates as objects or containers
Does anyone else out there create object records for
crates? We started doing this a few years ago, mostly so we could put
them into a “Crates” department and allow our art handlers to
create, edit, and delete records as they were needed. They also can link
the objects that belong in that crate to the crate, and link images of the
crate to the record.
Obviously this partially duplicates the function of the
“containers” in the shipping module, and our exhibition registrars
will often make duplicate records so that they can manage the crates in a
shipment while our art handlers can manage the crates as empty things needing
to be schlepped around town.
We’re not happy with the duplication, but being able
to keep track of the locations of an empty crate seems really difficult to do
if it’s not an object in itself.
Has anyone else managed a more elegant solution?
Thanks,
David
David Aylsworth
Collections Registrar
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
telephone: 713-639-7824
fax: 713-639-7780