I can see that "procedures" for certain sections of the MIDAS user community would be helpful and useful. However the MIDAS community is much more diverse than the museum community. SMRs will have a different set of procedures from archeology units and from NMRs (although there will be overlaps).  

I disagree with Matthew in that I don't think MIDAS can or should be hidden from researchers (both those inside and outside academic institutions) because they are often involved in generating fresh datasets.  The community may want to reuse this data or integrate it into other datasets (e.g. SMRs) so promulgating a standard is very important.

(This is a very different situation from most research on museum collections which will tend to result in the enhancement of one or more records about individual objects -- often merely a link to a publication.  A SPECTRUM equivalent would be a private collector who donated his collection and the information about it to a museum.)



Trevor Reynolds
Collections Registrar, English Heritage
Room 605, 23 Savile Row, London, W1S 2ET, UK
tel: +44 (0)20 7973 3482 fax: +44 (0)20 7973 3001 (GTN  3503 3482) 

>>> "Stiff, Matthew" <[log in to unmask]> 09/24 10:07 am >>>
I don't disagree with what Pat says, but at the same time I am not sure that
it negates the point for procedures for specific aspects of work within the
historic environment sector. The use of information in museums is much
greater than SPECTRUM attempts to deal with. This can be seen in the "Use of
Collections" procedure - hardly a procedure at all since the potential range
of use in a museum is so great. I would also say that SPECTRUM is about the
management of INFORMATION about collections, something that is much broader
than collections management as it is often perceived in the museum world.
SPECTRUM is also only applied by those managing the information (although
very much to the benefit of the users). Those involved in academic research
on museum collections are rarely aware of its existence. I think the same
could apply to procedures for MIDAS.

I would agree that MIDAS should retain its "reflexive methodology", but
there are certain areas where it is possible that best practice could be
encapsulated for the benefit of the community. I am thinking in particular
of the application of MIDAS within Historic Environment Records and possibly
excavation units and field survey teams. I fully acknowledge that this would
present many challenges but it is possibly worth thinking about.

Best wishes,

Matthew

Dr Matthew Stiff
Data Services Manager
National Monuments Record Centre
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2GZ

(t):   01793 414727
(f):   01793 414770
(m): 07939 151510
(e):  [log in to unmask] 






-----Original Message-----
From: Pat Reynolds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: 23 September 2003 19:57
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Re: [FISH] SPECTRUM and MIDAS where are our procedures?


In message <[log in to unmask]>, Lee,
Edmund <[log in to unmask]> writes
>The question then is - what are our procedures? It's possible to see some
>parallels e.g. accessioning of a new dataset (ie backlog), conservation of
a
>monument, development control etc. Should this approach be developed for
the
>2nd edition?

As someone who uses SPECTRUM in her day job (museum development officer)
and MIDAS in her earlier-in-the-day job (research student), I think the
concept of 'procedures' in MIDAS should not be allowed to swamp or
impede the reflexive methodology which is there now.

This is because SPECTRUM has a very limited aim, compared to MIDAS - the
former being limited to the management of collections, usually in a
museum or gallery setting, where MIDAS is about the management of
knowledge relating to the built environment in numerous contexts, from
local authority planning to academic research.  In museums, what
constitutes good practice is fairly constant across institutions, in the
diverse (potential) users of MIDAS, what constitutes good practice is
dependent upon the research agenda or service agenda, and therefore not
constant.

Best wishes to all,

Pat
--
Pat Reynolds
[log in to unmask] 
   "It might look a bit messy now,
                    but just you come back in 500 years time"
   (T. Pratchett)
_________________________________________________________________
This e-mail is intended solely for the above-mentioned recipient
and it may contain confidential or privileged information. If you
have received it in error, please notify us immediately and delete
the e-mail. You must not copy, distribute, disclose or take any
action in reliance on it.

English Heritage
Telephone 020 7973 3000
Facsimile 020 7973 3001
www.english-heritage.org.uk
_________________________________________________________________