Hello Sarah and PAN Collection Manager colleagues,

It's tempting to create your own numbering system, but I expect your City already uses numbers to track inventory.

I recommend you use asset tags, the bar code label often seen on the back of your office's desktop computer.   Each asset tag includes a unique number and a bar code that can be entered into your public art object and artwork record. Get asset tags from your City's Asset Manager, Procurement Office, Facilities Director or City Manager. Once you assign the number(s), you report it back to the Asset Manager.

Using asset tags on your public art serves to remind the City, and any personnel handling the artwork, that these artworks are municipal assets. For portable artworks, like framed paintings, the tag can be physically attached to the back of the work. For larger, site-specific works, the tags remain in the artwork authority file but are assigned to appear in City's overall asset inventory.  The tags serve to raise the art assets' visibility within your municipal structure, included in digital asset management.

Creating your own numbering system invested with meaning, such as year accessioned or artwork media, can become unwieldy very quickly.  One reason to number inventory is to capture the breadth of the assets. To ensure your art is represented and valued within the larger government structure, as well as within your cultural department, use asset tags.

Good luck!

Helen Lessick
HelenLessick.net







On Wed, 30 Jan 2019 at 12:45, Sarah Bluvas <sarah.bluvas@mercergov.org> wrote:

Hi Public Art Network!

 

I am in the middle of overhauling the collection management system for the City of Mercer Island’s public art collection. I recently completed phase I, which involved working with our GIS team to update our master collection list and create an internal database of all works of art that we then translated into a public-facing Public Art Story Map. We launched the story map last week and have received a lot of positive feedback. I hope to use this resource not only to engage the public but also to educate and build awareness among City staff to avoid issues related to the collection in the future.

 

Now I turn my attention to our hard-copy files. I’m reaching out to you all for advice or best practice related to classifying records. Our current record numbers stem from an old digital collections management system we contracted out to create. However, we are no longer using that system now that we have our internal database. These record numbers also do not align with the accession numbers originally assigned to works of art. I plan to create a streamlined filing system with new record numbers that are uniform across all our platforms.

 

How do you all assign record numbers? Do you identify based on accession date? Or some other numbering system?

 

I greatly appreciate any insight you all can provide. Thanks!

 

Sarah Bluvas

Arts & Culture Coordinator

Mercer Island Parks and Recreation 

sarah.bluvas@mercergov.org | 206.275.7864 | 2040 84th Avenue SE | Mercer Island, WA 98040

 

The mission of the Mercer Island Arts Council is to nurture, promote, and support high-quality cultural arts activities for the community. Learn more on the Arts Council website.

 

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