Open Forum

Hello! 

I worked for several years as a Registrar and Collections Manager and am so happy to be back in the field!  My first project, cataloging a new collection of 36,000 items from the same donor/gift.   We are using EmbARK software for now, but plan to change it in the future.  Currently, I am accessioning in Google Sheets.  I have questions about the numbering system for this collection using best practices for organization, search function, and transfer of files to a new database in the future. 

Bob's Collection consists of 25 books, 800 photographs, 600 LP vinyl records, and 35,000 45RPM vinyl records, all of which have been organized in their respective object types. Initially, we started with the numbering system of 2022.001.001 and it was suggested we continue through to 2022.001.36000.  I am instead thinking to organize it in this way with all accessions linked to the acquisition record:  LP's 2022.001.001 - 2022.001.600; Books 2022.002.001 - 2022.002.025; 45RPMs 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000 

Questions: Is it wisest to separate item types into different lots or all under the same lot, 2022.001? 
Would you accession the 45RPM's using this numbering system 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000  and if not, what are the better options?  Also, what are the potential problems of having 35,000 items in one lot? 
Each 45RPM box holds approximately 180 records.  Would it be better to accession each box with a list of whats inside and if so, would that list still be easily searched without each 45RPM having an individual accession number.  

Thanks so much for reading all this- please feel free to contact me directly or reply to this thread.   I would love to hear your insights and suggestions.

------------------------------
Leila Hamdan
Collections Manager and Archivist
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Memphis TN
------------------------------

Hi Leila,

Welcome back to collections management and what a terrific museum and collection to be working with!

Rather than give a long answer here (which would start with "it depends"),  I am going to suggest you re-post the question to the Collections Stewardship listserv.  You don't need to be a Collections Stewardship PN member (or even an AAM member) to join.

In the meantime, remember that an accession/catalogue number is only a means to connect the physical object with its information.   Sometimes (as with the 3-part system) there is information embedded in the number.  Often there is not (as with a multitude of older systems).    Either of your solutions (lumping all the items into a single accession or dividing them into several accessions by type) would work.   In any case you should assign each item an individual number (sorry).

------------------------------
Janice Klein


Tempe AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-17-2021 03:27 PM
From: Leila Hamdan
Subject: New collection of 36,000 items.... Accession numbering system advise

Hello!

I worked for several years as a Registrar and Collections Manager and am so happy to be back in the field!  My first project, cataloging a new collection of 36,000 items from the same donor/gift.   We are using EmbARK software for now, but plan to change it in the future.  Currently, I am accessioning in Google Sheets.  I have questions about the numbering system for this collection using best practices for organization, search function, and transfer of files to a new database in the future.

Bob's Collection consists of 25 books, 800 photographs, 600 LP vinyl records, and 35,000 45RPM vinyl records, all of which have been organized in their respective object types. Initially, we started with the numbering system of 2022.001.001 and it was suggested we continue through to 2022.001.36000.  I am instead thinking to organize it in this way with all accessions linked to the acquisition record:  LP's 2022.001.001 - 2022.001.600; Books 2022.002.001 - 2022.002.025; 45RPMs 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000

Questions: Is it wisest to separate item types into different lots or all under the same lot, 2022.001?
Would you accession the 45RPM's using this numbering system 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000  and if not, what are the better options?  Also, what are the potential problems of having 35,000 items in one lot?
Each 45RPM box holds approximately 180 records.  Would it be better to accession each box with a list of whats inside and if so, would that list still be easily searched without each 45RPM having an individual accession number.

Thanks so much for reading all this- please feel free to contact me directly or reply to this thread.   I would love to hear your insights and suggestions.

------------------------------
Leila Hamdan
Collections Manager and Archivist
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Memphis TN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11/18/2021 12:19:00 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: RE: New collection of 36,000 items.... Accession numbering system advise

Hi Leila,

Welcome back to collections management and what a terrific museum and collection to be working with!

Rather than give a long answer here (which would start with "it depends"),  I am going to suggest you re-post the question to the Collections Stewardship listserv.  You don't need to be a Collections Stewardship PN member (or even an AAM member) to join.

In the meantime, remember that an accession/catalogue number is only a means to connect the physical object with its information.   Sometimes (as with the 3-part system) there is information embedded in the number.  Often there is not (as with a multitude of older systems).    Either of your solutions (lumping all the items into a single accession or dividing them into several accessions by type) would work.   In any case you should assign each item an individual number (sorry).

------------------------------
Janice Klein


Tempe AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-17-2021 03:27 PM
From: Leila Hamdan
Subject: New collection of 36,000 items.... Accession numbering system advise

Hello!

I worked for several years as a Registrar and Collections Manager and am so happy to be back in the field!  My first project, cataloging a new collection of 36,000 items from the same donor/gift.   We are using EmbARK software for now, but plan to change it in the future.  Currently, I am accessioning in Google Sheets.  I have questions about the numbering system for this collection using best practices for organization, search function, and transfer of files to a new database in the future.

Bob's Collection consists of 25 books, 800 photographs, 600 LP vinyl records, and 35,000 45RPM vinyl records, all of which have been organized in their respective object types. Initially, we started with the numbering system of 2022.001.001 and it was suggested we continue through to 2022.001.36000.  I am instead thinking to organize it in this way with all accessions linked to the acquisition record:  LP's 2022.001.001 - 2022.001.600; Books 2022.002.001 - 2022.002.025; 45RPMs 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000

Questions: Is it wisest to separate item types into different lots or all under the same lot, 2022.001?
Would you accession the 45RPM's using this numbering system 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000  and if not, what are the better options?  Also, what are the potential problems of having 35,000 items in one lot?
Each 45RPM box holds approximately 180 records.  Would it be better to accession each box with a list of whats inside and if so, would that list still be easily searched without each 45RPM having an individual accession number.

Thanks so much for reading all this- please feel free to contact me directly or reply to this thread.   I would love to hear your insights and suggestions.

------------------------------
Leila Hamdan
Collections Manager and Archivist
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Memphis TN
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11/18/2021 12:19:00 PM
From: Janice Klein
Subject: RE: New collection of 36,000 items.... Accession numbering system advise

Hi Leila,

Welcome back to collections management and what a terrific museum and collection to be working with!

Rather than give a long answer here (which would start with "it depends"),  I am going to suggest you re-post the question to the Collections Stewardship listserv.  You don't need to be a Collections Stewardship PN member (or even an AAM member) to join.

In the meantime, remember that an accession/catalogue number is only a means to connect the physical object with its information.   Sometimes (as with the 3-part system) there is information embedded in the number.  Often there is not (as with a multitude of older systems).    Either of your solutions (lumping all the items into a single accession or dividing them into several accessions by type) would work.   In any case you should assign each item an individual number (sorry).

------------------------------
Janice Klein


Tempe AZ
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-17-2021 03:27 PM
From: Leila Hamdan
Subject: New collection of 36,000 items.... Accession numbering system advise

Hello!

I worked for several years as a Registrar and Collections Manager and am so happy to be back in the field!  My first project, cataloging a new collection of 36,000 items from the same donor/gift.   We are using EmbARK software for now, but plan to change it in the future.  Currently, I am accessioning in Google Sheets.  I have questions about the numbering system for this collection using best practices for organization, search function, and transfer of files to a new database in the future.

Bob's Collection consists of 25 books, 800 photographs, 600 LP vinyl records, and 35,000 45RPM vinyl records, all of which have been organized in their respective object types. Initially, we started with the numbering system of 2022.001.001 and it was suggested we continue through to 2022.001.36000.  I am instead thinking to organize it in this way with all accessions linked to the acquisition record:  LP's 2022.001.001 - 2022.001.600; Books 2022.002.001 - 2022.002.025; 45RPMs 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000

Questions: Is it wisest to separate item types into different lots or all under the same lot, 2022.001?
Would you accession the 45RPM's using this numbering system 2022.003.001 - 2022.003.35000  and if not, what are the better options?  Also, what are the potential problems of having 35,000 items in one lot?
Each 45RPM box holds approximately 180 records.  Would it be better to accession each box with a list of whats inside and if so, would that list still be easily searched without each 45RPM having an individual accession number.

Thanks so much for reading all this- please feel free to contact me directly or reply to this thread.   I would love to hear your insights and suggestions.

------------------------------
Leila Hamdan
Collections Manager and Archivist
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Memphis TN
------------------------------