A New Professional Software at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris)
Francoise Le Coz , Musee d'Orsay, France
Sylvie Jule , Musée d'Orsay, France
Laurence Des Cars , Musée d'Orsay, France
http://www.musee-orsay.fr

Session: Tools and Systems: Museum Applications

Based on evaluations conducted in the early 1990's on the use of its documentary system by curators and archivists, the Musée d'Orsay has adopted an original, resolutely user-oriented, approach. The close collaboration of users to the project has made it possible to develop a centralised system made up of modules adapted to the different functions (curators, archivists, handling of the artworks, cultural service, visitors information, etc). The main actors are provided with a tool that makes it easy for them to search the database but also to bring new information (creation of artwork or artist files, recording of artwork movements, updating or addition of information), using a graphical and ergonomic interface . This corpus, crucial in the life of the museum, is meant to become the reference on the museum collections. The step by step implementation of the system, which necessitated a close analysis of the organisation of work, has certainly contributed to the evolution of the way information technologies are perceived by museum teams, in particular as it makes it easier to share information.

With this system of information and of management of the collections new perspectives open of publishing information, in particular that of making available online the catalogue of the collections (more than 70000 entries).

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