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Hi Phil To return to your original question, I can certainly confirm that it is a frequent request that the materials thesaurus available in HBSMR is improved, so any move in this direction will be greatly welcomed, whichever path is taken. Regarding the existing BM thesaurus, being highly detailed is not in itself a problem, so long as the more general terms exist - e.g. to quote your example, it doesn't matter if there is Bird of Paradise feather, so long as there is also "feather". HBSMRv3 users already have the mechanism in place to automatically roll existing datasets onto a completely new thesaurus, re-coding all existing records, highlighting any problems such as the use of a term which used to be preferred and is now non-preferred, etc. And once a new thesaurus is in place, it can then further develop though widespread professional use with the submission of feedback and candidate terms. Looking forward to this, Crispin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crispin Flower exeGesIS SDM Ltd. Great House Barn Talgarth Powys LD3 0AH tel: 01874 713072/711145 fax: 01874 711156 email: [log in to unmask] URL: www.esdm.co.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This email and any files transmitted with it are private and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, the email and any files have been transmitted to you in error and any copying, distribution or other use of the information contained in them is strictly prohibited. Nothing in this email message amounts to a contractual or other legal commitment on the part of exeGesIS SDM Ltd unless confirmed by a signed communication. exeGesIS SDM Ltd will make every effort to keep its network free of viruses. However, the recipient of this message will need to scan this message, and any attachments, for viruses, as exeGesIS SDM Ltd can take no responsibility for any computer virus that might be transferred by this email. -----Original Message----- From: CARLISLE, Phil [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 27 October 2005 12:19 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [FISH] Materials Thesauri Hear, hear. It was never my intention to ridicule the BM thesaurus but just to highlight that it was indeed developed for a very specific purpose. A purpose which may be too specific for many HERs. The need to develop a more relevant Materials thesaurus is very real and additionally I think we may be revisiting other thesauri, particularly the TMT in light of the Heritage Protection Review being currently undertaken. Phil Phil Carlisle Data Standards Supervisor National Monuments Record Centre Kemble Drive Swindon SN2 2GZ +44 (0)1793 414824 The information contained within this e-mail is confidential and may be privileged. It is intended for the addressee only. If you have received the e-mail in error, please inform the sender and delete it from your system. The contents of this e-mail must not be disclosed to anyone else or copied without the sender's consent. Any views and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of English Heritage. English Heritage will not take any responsibility for the views of the author. -----Original Message----- From: The Forum for Information Standards in Heritage (FISH) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gordon McKenna Sent: 27 October 2005 12:03 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [FISH] Materials Thesauri Dear All, Just a word of 'defence' for the thesaurus. In the "Introduction" do they say: "The Materials thesaurus was initially compiled from index terms generated from computer records created using curatorial documentation and the objects themselves. ... It is stressed that the final listing is not intended as a scientific classification system, rather it is a reflection of the terminology, both current and historical, in use in curatorial departments in The British Museum." Hence the difficulties identified here. The use of it outside the BM is purely voluntary, by the request of an organisation, and by kind their permission and at no cost. Gordon. ******************************************************* Gordon McKenna e-mail: [log in to unmask] MDA The Spectrum Building, The Michael Young Centre, Purbeck Road Cambridge CB2 2PD, UK Tel: +44 1223 415760 Fax: +44 1223 415960 Setting the standard for managing collections information *************** http://www.mda.org.uk/ **************** _______________________________________________________________________________ English Heritage is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. All information held by the organisation will be accessible in response to a Freedom of Information request, unless one of the exemptions in the Act applies.