Cataloguing /
Documentation
Records are the memory of a
museum



Allow the museum to identify and account for
every item in the collection
Prove right of ownership together with receipts,
Deed of Gift –forms etc
Make the difference between an object being
an example of a type and the object telling the
story of someone’s life
Museum Records

Some of the types of records created on
collection items
–
–
–
–
Entry records
Acquisition register & records
Collection catalogue
Paper files
Collection cataloguing

Catalogue brings together and keeps securely information
about each item in the collection

Catalogue cards

Computerised options for small collections
–
Spreadsheets such as Excel
–
Database programs such as Access
–
Collection management systems
– PastPerfect
– Vernon
– E-hive – web-based collections management system
– Freeware
http://www.impulseadventure.com/photo/flow-catalogcompare.html
Advantages of using a database






Improves access to collections
Improves searchability
Enhances knowledge about collections
Reports of the collection can be printed out in
different formats
Can link images/video/audio files
Facilitate collections management tasks such
as acquisitions, relocations, inventories, loans
and exhibitions
Data quality

The quality of a database is only as good as
the quality of information entered

Consistency in data entry is important

–
Ensure that key terms are entered consistently
–
Cataloguing manual/ data dictionary – improves
consistency
Controlled dictionaries, authority terms, drop
down lists prevent the entry of incorrect or
variant data
Help in selecting collections
management software

– Te Papa National Services Guide
Deciding on Digital Tools for Collection Management

Software suppliers, free trial versions
Benefits of good catalogue records

Knowing what you’ve got

Knowing where things are

Knowing if you have lost anything
–
Providing descriptions of lost or stolen items

Helping to answer enquires efficiently

Giving researchers access to information about
your collections
Benefits of good catalogue records

Help to look after the objects in your care

Help interpretation for exhibitions and
education

Ensuring the objects stories don’t die with the
museum worker
Cost of poor documentation

Reduces the usefulness of the collection
–
Do not know what you have
–
Cannot find objects you have
–
Duplicates are collected because you don’t
know what is in the store rooms
–
Objects become meaningless because their
story has been lost
Cost of poor documentation


Museum has objects it does not know who they belong
to
– deaccessioning without having legal title can be
risky
– stores up problems for the future – ownership
wrangles
Items are lent out and never returned

Thefts go undetected or can not be recovered because
of a lack of description of the object

Wasted resources
Retrospective documentation

Clear recent cataloguing backlog
–

Acquisition information is available
Carry out collection inventory
–
–
–
–
Improve existing catalogue records
Deal with catalogued material that has lost the link
to documentation – no accession number
Deal with unaccessioned material
Deal with lost collection items - deaccession
Catalogue brings together and keeps
securely information about each item in
the collection








Accession number
Name or title
Brief description
Photograph
Production place & year
Maker, production
technique
Materials
Measurements






Inscriptions
History/Provenance
Other id
Classification
Location in your store
Cataloguer and date
Name/Title

Use standard terms for naming objects
http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrumterminology/termbank

For artwork use the tile given by artist
–

If artwork has no title use ‘Untitled’ and in brackets
description [View of Blackball]
For photographs use a short description eg.
Crowd in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, celebrating
Armistice Day
Group at the 1914 Chess Championship of New Zealand,
in Christchurch
Brief Description



Identify the object from other similar objects
Help someone who is reading descriptions to
decide if this is an object they want
Less need for handling objects
What makes this object different from other
similar objects ?
Brief description


Describe what the object looks like
Include the objects
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

function
parts – moving or missing
shape
materials
colour, decoration, texture, patterns,
relative size
production technique
manufacturers marks.labels.brand names/serial numbers
Link a photograph to the object record
Consistency

Develop standards or a style sheet for free text fields
such as description

For example describing a photograph would you write

–
World War II
–
Second World War
–
World War 2
–
World War, 1939 – 1945
Useful for making sure researchers are able to find
everything on a subject
Inscriptions

Write down the inscription itself or description
of it
–
–
–
Inscriptions are recorded between quote marks
with / denoting a new line
‘Made in New Zealand’ / ‘1956’
describe it if it is stamped eg. potters mark

Method, type and location of inscription

If you are using work sheets or catalogue
cards draw the inscription, if you are using a
database describe it or take a digital photo
Production Data


Who made it?
Where ?
–
–

When ?
–


Land Information NZ - NZ place names
http://www.linz.govt.nz
This can be precise or an approximate date/ period
How ?
Do you know anything else about the
production process or maker?
History / Provenance








The name, address of the source/donor
How you got the object (gift, purchase, bequest)
Date when obtained
Names and dates of other people who owned or used the object
Places and events associated
How the object was used ?
What did the object mean to the people ?
Include any photos of the past owners or any other documentation
Donor questionnaires – obtain as much information as you can
from previous owner
Measurements





Take measurement as maximum
Use millimeters
In order of height x width (length) x depth
Textiles use dressmaking measurements
Firearms measure the barrel diameter
Materials




List all materials that the object is
composed of
What part is made from what
Databases have controlled vocabularies to
obtain consistency – help in searching
Art and Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)
Can browse and look up terms online at
www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/
vocabularies/aat/
Condition of the object

Condition report is done as part of
accessioning process

Assess the physical condition of the object
= how well preserved the object is
Base line to assess whether object has
deteriorated over time and how



Description of type, extent and location of
damage
Also possible need for a conservation
treatment
Other Id




Other Id can be a link to entry level
documentation - receipt number / deposit
record no
Old catalogue numbers
Temporary numbers
Serial numbers for machinery, firearms
Location



Permanent or usual location
Current location
Good to have all locations in store room
numbered/coded
e.g. Collection store/lower/unit 55/bay1/shelf1


Drop down list of locations in your program
Important to update location information when
object is moved – movement control
Credit line


Eg. Collection of TheNewDowse
Acknowledge the donor
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Classification / indexing


Object classification into hierarchical categories
–
AAT – Art and Architecture Thesaurus by Getty Institute
–
Nomenclature
Subject classification / indexing
–
What is subject ?

what is depicted in a work of art / photograph

what is the function of an object
TGM II Thesaurus for Graphic Materials
–
Free download from www.loc.gov/rr/print/tgm2/
–
For cataloguing advice see www.loc.gov/rr/print/cataloging.html
AAT – Art and Architecture Thesaurus
–
Can search on-line
Terminologies published online by MDA

MDA Archaeological Objects Thesaurus

MDA Waterways Object Name Thesaurus

MDA Railways Object Name Thesaurus

British Museum Object Names Thesaurus

British Museum Materials Thesaurus

ICOM Costume Committee's Vocabulary of Basic
Terms

Royal Air Force Museum's Aircraft Types Thesaurus
http://www.mda.org.uk/

Taxonomic classification
Conclusion




Be consistent
Develop a cataloguing manual
Keep all your documentation secure
Back up computer files regularly
Documentation about your collection is the
most precious resource you have
Discussion on cataloguing
Cataloguing exercise