Dear Noel:

Once you’ve entered an object’s information into a record it should remain and go through whatever changes that may take place.

We enter objects with a “department number” prior to arrival for planning purposes, creation of Loan Agreements, etc.

When the object arrives it is assigned a “TR” or Temporary Receipt number and the receipt is generated and sent to the Lender. 

If it is returned it gets a “RR” or Return Receipt number and the receipt is generated and sent to the Lender.

If it is gifted, it gets an accession number, whether this is while on view and on loan, or later.

The original records remains in the database regardless, thereby maintaining all information.

And reducing data entry, loss of information, etc.

 

Helpful?

 

 

 

 

I’m curious to know how you all handle the following two scenarios in your collections database / The Museum System (TMS):

 

(1)    An object is on loan to the museum.  The object is assigned a loan #.  Info on the object is entered into an Objects module in the database (i.e. the Object Record).  The Object Number on the Object Record is the Loan# you’ve assigned to the object.  The Object Record is linked to a Loans module and an Exhibitions module record in the same database.   THE OBJECT IS THEN DONATED TO THE MUSEUM DURING THE PERIOD OF THE LOAN.  QUESTION: Do you simply change the Object Number on the Object Record from loan # to accession # (of course “archiving” the loan # as an Alternative Number or Previous Number) or do you create a whole new Object Record with the object’s accession number?

 

(2)    An object is on loan to the museum.  The object is assigned a loan #.  Info on the object is entered into an Objects module in the database (i.e. the Object Record).  The Object Number on the Object Record is the Loan# you’ve assigned to the object.  The Object Record is linked to a Loans module and an Exhibitions module record in the same database.  THE OBJECT IS THEN DONATED TO THE MUSEUM AFTER THE LOAN HAS BEEN RETURNED (in one instance, 2 years later).  QUESTION: Do you simply change the Object Number on the Object Record from loan # to accession # (of course “archiving” the loan # as an Alternative Number or Previous Number) or do you create a whole new Object Record with the object’s accession number?

 

One reason why I like option 1 is that once you’ve changed the Object Number from loan# to accession#, the number is “changed” in the Loans module and Exhibitions module record, thus saving these important links/historical uses of the object.  With option 2 – creating a new record – these historic links can get lost; you would either need to link the two Object Records to one another (i.e. the one with the loan# to the one with the acc#) and/or enter pertinent information in the new object record’s Exhibition History field.

 

Anyway, I’m curious to know how others handle this situation.

 

Thank you.

 

Noel Valentin

Permanent Collection Manager

EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO

1230 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY  10029

Tel: 212 660 7120

Email: [log in to unmask]

 

 

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