Incorporation of barcode capabilities to existing museum databases
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Abstract
An effective data management program saves time, money, and effort by increasing the accuracy, speed, and usefulness of the database. A bar code system is part of an effective data management system. Bar code capabilities were added at the Archeology department at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum (P-PHM), in Canyon, Texas (a PC environment), and the Paleontology Division at the Museum of Texas Tech University (MoTTU), in Lubbock, Texas (a Macintosh environment). A bar code generation utility was installed in the current databases and then used to print specimen labels. Before labels are printed, however, the collection's data must be proofread for erroneous data. The project consists of five Phases: (1) Database Correlation, (2) Upgrading the Database Management System, (3) Installing the Bar Code Utility, (4) Designing Views and Reports, and (5) Printing. The lasting effects ofthe project are increased control of collection management operations, expanded research capabilities, updated labels on archival paper, standardized labels and data, and automated generation of information tags.