[Archon-L] Multiple repositories / one database

[Dean DeBolt]

I would think a simple adaptation of the call number would work.   For
example,
you could assign a three letter prefix for each repository.... PBC
(Pensacola Baptist College) or MBC (Milton Baptist College) and simply
put that as the first section of
the classification  so    PBC  410.57   or  MBC J48 Hardy Papers.
Perhaps the
workers could be trained to only edit THEIR classifications.   Same for
locations.

Another alternative might be for someone to serve as the host or input
site while 
the other sites provide a worksheet.   That would keep permissions to a
minimum.
It might provide more consistency especially in the subject area.


Dean

Dean DeBolt
University Librarian, Special Collections
John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida
11000 University Parkway
Pensacola, FL  32514-5750
850-474-2213
ddebolt at uwf.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: archon-bounces at archon.org [mailto:archon-bounces at archon.org] On
Behalf Of Jason Fowler
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:43 AM
To: David Malone
Cc: archon at archon.org
Subject: Re: [Archon-L] Multiple repositories / one database

David,

We are currently testing Archon as a UC platform for the Association of
Librarians and Archivists of Baptist Institutions.

Here are a couple of issues that I have found:

1. Archon supports only one classification system. To be used as a UC,
it really needs to support multiple classification systems, one for each
repository. One workaround is that you can make a given repository the
top level of the classification system. The problem with the workaround
is permissions. Anyone who has access to edit the classification system
can edit any part. So, workers could inadvertantly edit someone else's
classification, or put items in the wrong place.

2. Archon supports only one location system. The same type workaround
mentioned above could work for this as well. You could give unique
identifiers to each institution's locations, but permissions is an
issue.

3. Theme changes are necessary to enable searching individual
repositories rather than searching all repositories. That one should be
pretty simple to implement. The structure is already in the code to
allow it. You just need to add the repository flag to your URL
(respositoryid=1). If it is set to 0, it searches all repositories. If
it is set to any other number, it searches the repository that
corresponds to the number.

4. Theme changes would be necessary to display the repository name when
looking at finding aids.

5. I think there would be problems with the researcher module. I think
it is designed with one institution in mind.

We, too, would love to see changes made to Archon to allow it to be used
as a union catalog. I think it would be a much more helpful system if it
supported UC functionality. For us, we would love to give free, one stop
shopping for collection descriptions to researchers looking for Baptist
records.

Jason Fowler, CA
Archives and Special Collections Librarian
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
502-897-4573
jfowler at sbts.edu
________________________________________
From: archon-bounces at archon.org [archon-bounces at archon.org] On Behalf Of
David Malone [David.B.Malone at wheaton.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 3:27 PM
To: archon at archon.org
Subject: [Archon-L] Multiple repositories / one database

Is anyone out there using Archon as an archival union catalog? I'm
trying to think through issues that will stem from using Archon in this
fashion. I think it will be necessary to change some things to be able
to maintain the individuality of each archive, yet enable a
cross-repository search.

Any one interested in helping flesh this out with me??



David B. Malone
Assistant Professor
Head of Archives & Special Collections
Wheaton College
501 College Ave.
Wheaton IL 60187-5593
630.752.5707
630.752.5987 FAX
david.b.malone at wheaton.edu
http://library.wheaton.edu



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