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ANA MOVES FORWARD
There have been several new and exciting developments with the Archives Network of Alberta over the last year. As many of you know, the Archives Society of Alberta purchased two servers for the network that live at Knight Enterprises in Calgary. In addition, after an extensive RFP process, software for the new system was purchased from the ACT Cinemage Group in Vancouver. Funds for these purchases were made available from the Alberta government's Centennial Legacies Grant Program.
As of September 2002, data from Alberta resides in Alberta, and institutional members now have the ability to add and revise their own descriptions. Extensive training about the new system has taken place throughout the province in November, and we have been very pleased by the positive response that we have received. Many institutions have begun using the system as soon as they have completed the training, and in the first six weeks since the launch, a total of 240 new descriptions have been added to the fonds level database.
At present, there are three databases:
- ANA (Archives Network of Alberta) Database - This is the database of fonds-level descriptions from archival institutional members throughout the province. Direct links to the image database are provided, where available.
- Repository Database - This database contains information about the institutional members of the Archives Society of Alberta. Information includes the name of the institution, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web site addresses, a brief description of holdings, etc.
- Image Database - Referred to as Alberta Insight, this is a province-wide repository for images held in archival institutions. This database currently contains just over 3000 images from eight different institutions, and we are looking forward to receiving many more contributions in the near future.
To revise or add new descriptions to the databases, or to update information in the repository database, institutional members require an ID and password. These are given out in conjunction with training sessions. If you missed the training sessions in November, please contact me, and I will make the necessary arrangements for you to receive the required training and an ID and password.
As System Administrator, my role is to respond to questions about the system, coordinate training activities, as well as to vet all descriptions and process bulk uploads. In future articles, I will keep you updated about any revisions and improvements to the system and mention any frequently asked questions. If you have any questions about the new system, or wish to arrange for some training, please do not hesitate to contact me at (403) 236-3406 or jmcmast@shaw.ca.
Janet McMaster, System Administrator, Archives Network of Alberta
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