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Archiver > TMG > 2003-04 > 1049298498


From: "Arne H Trelvik" <>
Subject: [TMG] OT Genealogy Society Database Management
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 10:48:18 -0500
In-Reply-To: <5.2.0.9.2.20030401154833.0919c8b8@pop3.norton.antivirus>


I've recently become involved with our relatively small local Genealogy
society. Database management in the past has primarily used card files.
We have been working on retyping the name indexes from their various
publications into excel spreadsheets for posting on our nearly new
website.

It seems that this might be a good time to create a database for our
accumulated resources at our library but none of us have any background
in designing one. I was wondering if anyone on the list has already
been down this road who would be willing to offer some advice or
suggestions.

Some initial thoughts
1. Leave as spreadsheets with different one for various categories. As
an example we've already done this for our obituary collection. We're
at 38,000 for this and are concerned about exceeding the capacity of a
spreadsheet.

2. Use TMG. I'm still just "experimenting" with TMG 4 so I'm a novice
when it comes to using TMG. This option has the obvious advantages of
having the power and flexibility of TMG but I'm a little concerned about
the "output format" It is intended to be used by volunteers responding
to research requests and perhaps by visitors to our library doing their
own research.

3. Use ACCESS or other DB Program. Probably a good choice but none of
us have any experience in designing a database and suspect that the
design part pretty critical. ACCESS would be preferred but only because
we already have a copy of the program.

4. ??? - perhaps sticking with the paper card files isn't such a bad
idea? It would probably continue to be maintained anyway.


Going forward, it would be great if information compiled for new
publications could be input into the same database and then output in
the needed page format for the various publications.


Sorry for another off topic intrusion on this busy list.

Thanks in advance for any advice you might have for us.

Arne



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