Hi Nicholas,
Thanks for this. As mentioned, the software concerned does appear to come
into compliance with the SPECTRUM primary procedures.
I agree that the "approved" vendor list delivers peace of mind, but it
doesn't necessary accommodate the option of choosing a platform that isn't
on the list. This means we have to assess on a case by case basis and it
may not bring into consideration other concerns regarding data
preservation, which goes beyond units of information and field usage. This
is where a tool could come in useful. For example, if the data is locked
within a language that doesn't allow exporting to csv or XML, but does
contain all the units of information required, does this not present risk
to the documentation system should the software become obsolete and
unsupported?
Robin
--
Robin Patel
Heritage & Museum Consultant (Collections & Access)
t: 01786 860 691
m: 07815 312 562
[log in to unmask]
https://ergadiaheritage.com/
On 9 June 2016 at 12:36, Nicolas Tyack <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Hi Robin,
>
> You'll probably get a million replies to your query, but here's my penny's
> worth.
>
> A CMS can only be SPECTRUM compliant if it lists all the individual units
> of information listed in the SPECTRUM Appendix. This includes a vast amount
> of fields which many museums rarely or never use (eg natural history
> taxonomy, archaeological material etc) which do not apply to every
> collection.
>
> Most SPECTRUM compliant systems will clearly advertise themselves as such.
> If it's not listed as a Collections Trust SPECTRUM Partner or marked in
> their CMS survey as such, I'd assume it is not SPECTRUM compliant. Someone
> else may well confirm or contradict this.
>
> The main sector standard for UK museums is the Accreditation Standard. To
> comply to this, as you state, a museum needs to follow the minimum
> requirements of the SPECTRUM Primary Procedures. By choosing a SPECTRUM
> compliant system, you will have the piece of mind that your system contains
> all the fields you need to comply to the Primary Procedures (as long as you
> use them, of course!). You can use a non-compliant system, but then the
> onus is on you to ensure you are recording all the data required by the
> Accreditation Standard in whatever way your CMS works, or however works for
> you.
>
> That's all well and good, but the above only applies to Accredited Museums
> or museums hoping to gain Accreditation. It may sit outside the current
> expectations of non-accredited museums, in which case this can act as
> guidelines and suggested best practice.
>
> So, in short, if you're looking for a full whack of all fields listed in
> SPECTRUM and your museum is Accredited or hoping to become Accredited,
> you'll need a compliant CMS. If you don't need all units of information,
> you need to check that the CMS you choose enables you to fulfil at the very
> least the minimum requirements for the Primary Procedures. If you're not
> Accredited, then there are no general standards in the sector which are
> actually required, so it's a case of whatever works for you. I would
> suggest however following the Accreditation Standard's requirements for the
> Primary Procedures as a starting point for good collections management. All
> this excludes collections-specific requirements which is another issue
> (CITES, archaeology etc).
>
> Here at Edinburgh we recently moved CMS and I carried out some research on
> what systems museums were using, how they were using them etc. I can send
> you my findings if that's any help (although for obvious reasons I couldn’t
> name any CMS by name).
>
> It's a big decision and once you've established what standards you need to
> comply to, you'll find the ultimate choice is dictated by your museum's
> needs, collections, size, staff skills and, sadly, budget. And sadly that
> is not something any tool can decide for you!
>
> Happy to discuss further.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Nico
> ___________________________________________________
> Nico Tyack, Collections Information Officer
> Museums and Galleries, Cultural Services, City of Edinburgh Council
>
> Museum of Edinburgh, 142 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DD
> [log in to unmask] 0131 529 4550
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museums Computer Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Robin Patel
> Sent: 09 June 2016 11:45
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Assessment of SPECTRUM compliant CMS software
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've come across an interesting situation which I haven't encountered
> before and would appreciate your collective advice.
>
> One of the museums I am currently working with is using CMS software which
> is currently not listed on the 'Choose a CMS' site hosted by Collections
> Link.
>
>
> http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/collections-link/collections-management/spectrum/choose-a-cms
>
> I am looking to assess if this system is SPECTRUM compliant. From first
> glance the package appears to fulfill SPECTRUM primary procedures, however
> I need to explore the platform in more depth.
>
> Should an assessment against SPECTRUM Primary Procedures be enough to
> determine if the CMS software meets sector standards? I suspect that there
> are other factors to consider (i.e. data preservation and ) and if so,
>
> Is there a tool available to assist with assessing CMS software against
> existing standards, including SPECTRUM? If not, could there be scope for
> one to be developed in the future?
>
> For info the software concerned is called MusArch (http://www.musarch.com/
> ).
> Does anyone have any experience using this software? I have also recently
> encountered Collection Space which clearly states SPECTRUM compliance.
>
> Thanks everyone,
>
> Robin
>
>
> --
> Robin Patel
> Heritage & Museum Consultant (Collections & Access)
> t: 01786 860 691
> m: 07815 312 562
> [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> https://ergadiaheritage.com/
>
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