If programmers are at your disposal, you might also choose to create a database program specifically for your institution's use. No matter what database is used, data entry control is paramount if you or your users are to find relevant information. Once that data has been entered, it can be manipulated and exported in infinite ways, for both internal uses and external presentation. From the time I took my first web design course, I've been captivated and inspired by the potential of the Internet to bring information about archives, and actual digital surrogates of archival materials, to a much wider audience. The following database demonstrations may seem boring or frustrating for some of you, but if you start to feel bogged down with technical details, remember that databases such as these are what work behind the scenes to make resources like the Online Archive of California and the Library of Congress American Memory project possible.
Hierarchical display appears at bottom of screen.
Databases can be used to describe collections at any single level, or at multiple levels. This is an example of a database we use internally to describe records from collection level to item level. It was developed by The Bancroft Library Technical Services Department and UC Berkeley Library Systems Office as a generic database that could be customized for use in any type of project. The database relies on a flexible hierarchical structure. This is also what makes it usable for a variety of different projects, from generating EAD finding aids to describing oral histories to managing digitization projects.