Twenty-one commercially available collections management software packages have been reviewed so far. The full results are available only for a fee, or to CHIN members, but the site gives lists of packages, features, and details of how to carry out a comparative evaluation. Includes a list of generic database software that can be used to build museum systems, a list of proprietary collections managment software packages, and references to other documents and standards. This series of articles is intended for the museum professional who is involved in planning major new systems. And although the web pervades our jobs and lives, there is nothing different about planning web projects.
Good planning applies to all technologies.
As many African museums as possible are to be given e-mail access and the use of the Internet will be developed among the six museums involved in the inventory project. The History Computerisation Project has a Web service. This includes details of historical resources and information about a collection application discussed at previous meetings of the Museum Computer Network. Systems Planning provides systems and technology services to museums, offering integrated Web sites that draw data from museum, archive, library and photographic databases.