Since messages are flying around this list about CALM 2000 (an excellent
product in its way) I feel that I ought, tongue-in-cheek, to ask 'why accept
a second-rate product when you could have SEAX?' This is the system
developed by the Essex Record Office, so of course I am paid to say this.
Seriously, though, anyone interested in available archive cataloguing
systems ought to look at SEAX too, as well as CALM 2000 and CAIRS. SEAX
(which is merely a trade name and the heraldic symbol for the county of
Essex) has not been developed for a commercial purpose, although other
record offices have bought it and several European archives are keenly
interested. It has the advantage of having been developed through close
co-operation between IT specialists and archivists; it is not a system
designed originally for libraries or for records management. Additionally,
one of its strengths is that the public access module was developed
alongside the cataloguing/indexing module: in other words, the data is put
in in the way which will best facilitate searches by record office users
with all their diverse enquiries. However, using the cataloguing module
requires only simple word-processing skills (Word). Another strength is its
indexing facility. It also incorporates other modules (some currently in
preparation) such as a production module, a conservation record etc. and it
includes a digitised image facility. It is ISAD(G) compatible.
If you want to know more, contact my colleague Richard Harris:
[log in to unmask]
Jan Smith
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|