peter@aucs.UUCP (05/28/87)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Automating Slide Collections
Reply-To: peter@aucs.UUCP (Peter Steele)
Organization: School of Computer Science, Acadia Univ., Nova Scotia
I am posting this on behalf of the Art Department here. They are
currently investigating the possibility of automating their slide
collection, that is, installing a database of some sort that could
be consulted to retrieve information on any given slide in their
collection. The database would have to be searchable on a variety of
keys (they haven't decided exactly what keys they want). The hardware
they have is a Macintosh with a hard disk (20M). We are currently
looking at Reflex but we have not determined whether is would be
suitable. The system ideally should also be able to print (tiny!)
labels. Each slide in their collection has a unique (?) three line
"key" and they want the system to be able to print these labels.
Currently, we are using Word 3.0 and simply typing the information
in and printing it out (using 6pt Geneva, page size 5/8ths in.). Does
anyone know of such a slide collection system for a Macintosh? Please
send me any info that you have. Thanx.
UUCP: {seismo|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!Peter
BITNET: {Peter|pws}@Acadia
Internet: {Peter|pws}%Acadia.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU
PHONEnet: (902) 542-2201x121ehr@ecsvax.UUCP (05/30/87)
(Sorry to post this long item. I tried to mail the following, but it got rejected somewhere along the way.) In response to your query about a database systems for slides: I would consider the ability to print small labels fairly trivial -- most printers (dot matrix or laser) should be programmable to produce some type of microfont that would allow production of labels with up to four lines of about 30-40 characters that would fit on a slidemount. A feature I would consider extremely important in addition to the actual database format would be some type of machine- readable label on the slide itself. This would facilitate checking slides in and out (a circulation function) and generating lists when slides are projected. With visual materials, a "text" catalog is useful, but sometimes the only way to make a final selection for whatever purpose -- study, projection in a classroom, publication, etc. -- is to look at the images themselves. Once that selection has been made, you need to (1) keep track of what the user is taking away from your files; and (2) supply the user with some type of list. The labels on the slides themselves are useful for some applications -- but no longer of any help once the slides are in a projector tray. I have seen applications with both barcodes on slides and a new system where a small magnetic strip is placed on the slidemount. The latter has the capability of carrying more information than a barcode (usually a file number only), and can be reprogrammed, if necessary. It is, however more susceptible to damage than a barcode label. If you are really going to use a computer to manage a sizable library of slides, it probably needs to be dedicated to that application -- that is if you are going to use a micro. For that reason, I would first find a software package that fulfilled my requirements, including an interface to a device capable of reading a barcode or magnetic stripe on the slides, then pick the type of hardware that the system is designed to run on. I don't have any specific hardware/software vendor literature handy at the moment, but could probably dig up some, given some time. There are even several books, produced by the Visual Resources Association -- a professional organization of art slide librarians working for museums and college art departments -- that discuss automating these types of collections. I hope these comments help. Let me know what specific information you want, based on the above, and I'll try to send some more along. To give you a frame of reference for what my comments are based on: (1) I am the system administrator for the Tandem super mini on which the Duke University library on-line catalog resides (60 terminals, currently) and worked as a cataloger for a dozen years before that. (2) In addition, I operate a stock photo business, supplying photos from my files to a variety of clients, chiefly book and magazine publishers. My personal collection consists of 25,000 35mm transparencies. (I do use a micro and data bases on it for my business, but these are less than ideal, largely due to financial considerations; I do hope to upgrade to some better hardware/ software within the next two years, and have been looking at available options.) (3) I am the outgoing chair of the Picture Division of the Special Libraries Association. And (4) In an effort to help others understand the application of library practices to picture collections, I wrote the book ORGANIZING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS, which was published by Watson-Guptill's Amphoto division last year. The book is aimed primarily at professional photographers with no library background, but most of the principles discussed apply to all types of picture collections. Three of the chapters discuss computer applications. -- Ernest -- My opinions are my own and not necessarily IBM-compatible.--ehr Ernest H. Robl (ehr@ecsvax) (919) 684-6269 (w) Systems Specialist, Library Systems, (919) 286-3845 (h) Perkins Library, Duke University, Durham, NC 27706 U.S.A.