Hello Julian,
As you may be aware, the MVWISE system developed by Museum Victoria in
Melbourne is a full barcode and location management tool.
It is used in the museum storage areas and enables location auditing,
condition checking, image capture, exhibition preparation plus other
remote data manipulation tasks. This system uses handheld devices with
object and location barcodes and is integrated with the EMu collections
management system. MVWISE is installed in a variety of different
organisations in Australia and North America.
http://mvwise.museum.vic.gov.au/
Forbes Hawkins is the main developer and would be more than happy to
discuss the application as well as the limitations of barcoding and RFID
tags. Forbes Hawkins [log in to unmask]
Kind regards,
Ben Sullivan
KE Software
Julian Tomlin wrote:
> Many thanks for your comments. Negative experiences are helpful too!
>
> Regards
>
> Julian
>
> REYNOLDS, Trevor wrote:
>> Julian
>>
>> We flirted with the idea of barcodes in the late 1980s. My predecessor
>> had barcodes printed for a large part of our archaeology/architectural
>> stonework collection and purchased some barcode readers. Unfortunately
>> the project was not well planned and we never reached a stage where the
>> barcodes were actually used although many were stuck to objects and
>> boxes. The main reasons for the failure were:
>>
>> - There was no link between the barcode reader software and the
>> collections management software
>> - The organisations IT infrastructure was not ready - There was no
>> acceptable way to attach the barcodes to many objects (in
>> fact a large proportion of the barcodes which were attached have since
>> fallen off)
>>
>> We have no plans to try again with barcodes or Rfid tags largely because
>> the upfront investment in infrastructure and staff time is would be so
>> massive that it would never get approval (a bit like the Stonehenge
>> Tunnel).
>>
>> Trevor Reynolds
>> Collections Registrar
>> English Heritage 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ
>> postal address English Heritage 1 Waterhouse Square, 138 Holborn, London
>> EC1N 2ST
>> Telephone +44 (0) 207 973 3482
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>> Julian Tomlin
>> Sent: 12 December 2007 08:41
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Reviewing Machine Readable Labelling Systems - barcodes, rfid
>> tags etc
>>
>> [Apologies for cross-posting]
>>
>> I have been appointed as a consultant by the London Museums Hub to
>> undertake a review of machine readable labelling systems in
>> collections management and access in museums, libraries and archives
>> (focusing mainly on museums). The results will be published in the
>> form of a report and this is expected to contain four case studies.
>>
>> I would be grateful if colleagues could contact me, on or off list,
>> to share their experience of these technologies. I am interested in
>> past, current and future applications, in the UK and abroad, and good
>> and bad experiences.
>>
>> I am building a database of institutions that have used, or are planning
>>
>> to use barcodes and rfid tags to monitor object movements and enhance
>> visitor access. Initial research has identified well-documented
>> trials at the Great North Museum, Newcastle and the Petrie Museum,
>> London amongst others.
>>
>> I understand that it is a busy time of year so just a brief response for
>>
>> now would be great, and I can contact you again in January.
>>
>> Many Thanks
>>
>> Julian Tomlin
>>
>
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--
Ben Sullivan
KE Software (UK)
Canada House
Chepstow Street
Manchester M1 5FW
Tel: +44 (0)161 236 9209
Fax: +44 (0)161 236 4738
Mob: +44 (0)77 404 28528
[log in to unmask]
www.kesoftware.com
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