MUSEUM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DATABASE

1. The Bi-lingual Museum Management System (BMMS) is used to record the descriptions and associated and provenance data of all museum artifacts for Military Museums, including data regarding events, movements, expenses and the people involved that are important to the item. See Figure 1 for the opening screen.

Figure 1: the Bi-lingual Museum Management System

2. The database, developed using MSAccess®, is designed for optimum user friendliness and quick access to data records. The application has the following features:

a. It is a Relational Data-Base Management System (RDBMS), which stores and presents the data. It uses MSAccess®, version 2007 or later, and does not require any additional support software or licence fees to operate;

b. It has the capability of using the existing office computers with the MS Office™ software, and works on the CF DWAN;

c. It provides a user with the capability to enter and search for any artefact or related record, regardless of the type, with drill-down capability to find the specific data;

d. Major records include the provision for a thumbnail photo or logo for ease of recognition;

e. It has an indexed folder structure for the storage of digital records and archival information for artefacts, persons, sources and events;

f. It is portable and can be used by operational staff under any conditions where a suitably equipped desktop or portable computer can be used;

g. It is totally self contained and is capable of being fielded using simple DVD or USB memory media as a single user system. It can also be set up on a server as a multi-user environment by hosting the data file on a server and the application file on any MSAccess® equipped computers on the network; and

h. The system can be set up to include the user’s name, icon and logo images for presentation and data reporting.

3. The system covers a wide range of museum and artefact data. See Figure 2, for the contents Screen.

Figure 2: the BMMS Contents Screen

4. The scope of data includes detailed provenance data for the artefact item plus much of the museum related records involving the item’s life cycle, from acquisition to disposal and everything in between. Capabilities include:

a. ARTEFACTS: It has 15 fixed categories of artefacts, with user programmable sub-categories that cover virtually all the items one would find in a military environment, from vehicles to art to personal items;

b. EVENTS: The system has the capability to record any number of events involving one or more artefacts. These event types are user programmable, and can be museum or historical in nature.

c. MOVEMENTS: The system has the capability to record any number of movements involving one or more artefacts. These movement types are user programmable, and can be internal or external in nature. A movement is a change in place from one “source” location to another.

d. LOCATIONS: The system has the capability locate artefacts down to 4 levels; they are the Area/Room, the Sector/Cabinet, the Shelf/Container, and a specific location within the above. Locations are user programmable.

e. CONDITIONS: The system comes with a pre-set set of condition statements, for each of the 15 categories of artefacts. These statements describe the criteria for what is specific to a particular rating for Good, Fair, etc. for each category. Conditions are user programmable.

f. INVENTORY: The system has an inventory management capability to record the physical count data of all museum items. It is based on locations, to 3 levels, so inventory can be parceled out in manageable portions. Inventory records are named and classified for easy access to specific records. The inventory naming and classifications is user programmable.

g. SOURCES: The system has the capability to record the sources of artefacts and services provided to the museum. Sources are essential for the movements’ records.

h. PERSONS: The system has the capability to record the persons involved in the museum activities. Persons are classified as Staff, Volunteer, Database User, Historical, Patron, and/or Other. These classifications drive select boxes when assigning a person to a specific record, to limit the list to the appropriate list of persons.

i. LOANS: The system has the capability to record a list of one or more artefacts that have been loaned out to specific source. The loan function includes a list of preset contractual terms and conditions, which are user programmable. The report prints the loan agreement ready for signatures.

j. SYSTEM: The system screens have the capabilities for the user to set-up and customize the application. All the user programmable data classifications are set here, including any required codes of accounts.

k. GLOSSARY: The application has a glossary capability, user programmable, to assist with the definitions of the myriad of military acronyms and terms that one may encounter.

4. The system includes a language switch button, upper left on all data access screens, which permits instant the switch of one language to the other. Of course, the data needs to be entered in both languages or blank fields will appear. See Figure 3 for an example.

Figure 3: the Language Switch Button

5. Please contact: Maxwell J. Toms, 49 Julian Street, Carleton Place, On, K7C 3W7 for additional information or a demonstration. Phone: 613-257-7290.