Museum Documentation and Collection Management Systems

Entry and Exit Control of Museum Objects

Entry: entry and exit control of museum objects implies that a number is assigned and then reflected in the record book. Normally, there are not many outlets for works in museums. A museum can output a piece if it has degraded, been sold, or requires restoration.

Inventory and Documentation of Collections

Inventory: a more or less complete list of all or part of the collections. Most museums do not have all of their works cataloged. The inventory is part of the overall documentation of the museum. This documentation requires a few steps: registration number data in the log book and documentary records relating to each piece.

Cataloging and Data Management

Catalog: management of all or part of the data for establishing parts within previous categories. You can make the number of catalogs you want (such as genres, periods, themes, or authors). There should always be a catalog of location.

Documentary Areas of Museum Funds

The documentary areas include museum funds, documentary collections, bibliographic funds, and administrative funds.

Museum Funds

These are a series of objects made of different materials and are usually three-dimensional. They are goods belonging to the Spanish heritage; their conservation, documentation, restoration, and organized exhibition are the basic functions of the museum (including museum models and parts).

Documentary Collections

These are documentary series on different media, including writing, image, and sound. The basic common feature of these is to be unique examples, not mere copies of an issue. Sometimes they constitute a special kind of museum funds that only occasionally have exhibition interests. They are a foundation for research.

Bibliographic Funds

These are different media documentary series whose basic characteristic is to be copies of a systemic issue, not unique assets. They are a staple for the research, exhibition, and dissemination of museum funds.

Administrative Funds

These are the strictly administrative documents produced by the museum arising from the management of their own collections or the general activity of the center. Sometimes they will have a long-term value and require the same control and management as the remaining funds.

Reference Codes and Abbreviations

• CE: Stable Collection
• R: Record
• DE: State Deposit
• FB: Bibliographic
• DO: Other Deposits
• FD: Documentary Funds