In previous articles I talked about the need to catalog and classify our collections. Whatever the system used either a pad and pencil or a complex computer application, it is common to find not know what information in the catalog record. In the market there are generic applications such as spreadsheets and databases, which are good solutions for any type of collection, provided that use those fields * that clearly identify each item in the set. Then there are the dedicated applications, themes as it were aimed at popular collection types or common. They tend to be extensive to the point of view very detailed. In contrast to the general solutions and open, they offer a platform and designed and intended for cataloging work focuses on gathering information and not to think about what should be the structure of each of the tabs (or records).

The decision is personal. Whether it is a spreadsheet as a database open, flexibility can be useful to add custom fields too, but otherwise may be omitted or not to think that maybe some are important and have not been taken into account. The dedicated application on the other hand, requires follow a set pattern and can give the impression that there is much more detail than is needed.

What is the content of a tab for a theme?

When you have experience in the subject of the collection is easy to know what is needed and what is not. Either by the amount of information represents the collection itself, either by the mastery of the subject or the knowledge acquired. Instead, the first-collector should find some reference to help you in your mission.

Here comes into play my idea of ​​building templates for each case. Ideally, each a subject matter expert to design your own, and together form a template file so that everyone can use them, adapt them to their own needs and achieve the ultimate goal: catalog your collection. Some fields are virtually essential and common to every collection. For example, Epoca, referring to the century, year or even a specific date may be the origin of the piece in question, or Country / Origin, also useful to know where it came from it. Add an ID, called ID, or code, it helps to uniquely identify each piece. Some things like books, movies, etc.. have, mostly, a unique code, the ISSN or ISBN, but not all. The codes are thus a way of establishing the "registration" so that each object. But this can be cause of a whole separate article.

In short, we will continue talking about catalogs and code templates or keys.

* Field: 15. m. Inform. In a register, space used for a particular category of data.

Resources:

Collectorz.com - Applications dedicated to the cataloging of books, movies, music, comics, etc.. Available in desktop mode, online and mobile. Read information from books and other items from the Internet through the bar code manually or through a low cost laser scanner.

MyStuff2 - App for iPhone / iPhone consisting of a database open format. Allows group hierarchies and categories. Each tab can pesonalizarse to consumer taste. Read information from books and other items from the Internet through the barcode with the camera phone.

Minifigures LEGO Collector - App for iPhone / iPhone. If you collect Lego minifigures, this is your application.

ArteCode: Applications for collectors of stamps and coins. In Spanish.

Written by Joan Fusté

One aspect that a collector must be made at some point in their life is the future. The future of his collection and his own future. In the first case, it is important to know or anticipate what will happen to this collection when we're here. No one is eternal, so it's very normal to think about it. I speak of important collections, either by size, theme or value. It is not the same as having a half-dozen old sticker albums a gallery devoted to Cubism, put by case basis. Every collection has its own values, of course. Sometimes be more sentimental than economic or personal, no doubt.

The first step, thinking about this, is to catalog the collection (or collections). Keeping track of each piece is interesting for several reasons. First, it helps to know us, what we have, what we paid (in the case of books, movies, etc..) And what we need or we want to find. Second, the catalog brings together all the information about the piece in question. Its origin, description, all relevant details, and a factor to consider: its economic value in the market. We may record both the purchase price as the sale date. On the one hand helps us to know if our collection has a constant value or appreciates over time (which is standard), and another to be aware of what we have invested so far and the total market value.

Why I insist on the economic value? For several reasons. Despite having all cataloged, unless someone continue with our fans (either a close relative, friend, etc..), What is the fate of the collection? In the best case, someone will continue. In others, perhaps the heirs want to sell and to do nothing more useful than this catalog have not to sell below the price you have. Another possibility is to give the collection to a museum or institution in order to preserve it and make it public.

We must also consider that the future is not true for anyone. I know cases of collectors who thanks to his years of hobby and collection of objects of value, when the time (retirement, bad economic times, etc.) Can survive by selling their collections or parts of them. The catalog we will once again be very useful. The time erases memories and you may not have a clear idea of ​​the value of a particular piece. The support of the catalog will be important to decide and determine what pieces sell and value deals. It is not unusual to sell some to get other parts. Whether better or more interesting. Some objects have a utility that I call regularly. At a time can be useful for an investigation, a published study and later are only the witness of that trial and we do not want to keep the original. At this point it is more profitable to get rid of them and refinance.

I understand that many collectors, on the theme chosen, or for any other reason, do not see this possibility as unlikely in the immediate future. But you never know!

Directly related is the correct storage of objects, to not lose value. The environment in which are stored or exposed, for example, should be free from pets, smoke, moisture, excessive sunlight, dust, dirt, etc.. A little is practiced daily in museums, who know a bit about this. The deterioration through neglect is inexcusable. A good collection of old photographs must have their care, for example.

Any lover of philately or numismatics understood perfectly what was said. None of them, if taken seriously collection, pile them their copies in a simple cardboard box. Instead, invest some money to organize them into albums, well protected. The same should apply to any collection that boasts. It is the difference between a pile of junk and a series of pieces that have a related, well-ordered and conserved.

How to create the catalog?

There are many possibilities, of course. A very simple to keep a record in a notebook, a notebook, etc.. It's easier and cheaper, but it has its weaknesses. It is difficult to sort the records (unless we use a notebook and loose leaf rings), not easy to share data with others by computer, etc.. I think the notebook or the like is suitable as a first record, the record in the rough. The next logical step is informatizarlo all.

Computer science is all around us, so it is not difficult to find ready-made solutions that can adapt to our needs. From custom spreadsheets to Web sites as Kolectia, to all applications for the personal computer, mobile phone, etc.. There are specific applications for organizing books, movies, music, stamps, coins, etc.. My ideal would be a multidisciplinary database, with plenty of options to organize and catalog any piece. Whether a shelter used in the filming of a movie, a fossil primitive or a ceramic jar. All with full registration, details and illustrative photographs (or even videos, dropouts, etc..). All you have clear vision of every object, function or reason for being, and of course its value.

More than one will be surprised at the value you have in your house, on shelves, in drawers, in their windows, etc.. And you can then make decisions based on that information. Is it worthwhile to continue the collection? Do you have to change any parts? Do I need to invest to protect it better? Thousand questions and doubts arise. Perhaps all this sounds foreign to who builds objects with a common goal: to have a series or a set and little else. For the collector innate who is constantly looking for new pieces, with the absurd goal of finishing something, it will be extremely useful to know the state of affairs. And if the catalog also records where we have found the part (whether in a thrift store, a mall or an online auction), it will help future searches and acquisitions without having to start from scratch.

Whatever the system used must be scalable, extensible without limitation of space or volume. Today we have storage units that can solve very large capacity this point to a very reasonable cost. There are no excuses. And as an alternative is the online storage, private or public, which also allows us to access information from any point where we are (as an example database xapes.net cava plates, much more useful if we dedicated to create for ourselves on our computer and one day we spoiled).

Finite and Infinite Collections

After loitering for a while Kolectia and other similar sites, there are two general types of collections: the finite and the infinite. To distinguish them put two clear examples. Is a finite collection consisting of a series of objects and more. A case would be any collection of stickers issued. It has so many copies and you're done. The infinite collection is easy to recognize. Is one that never ends. For example, a general collection of movies. Every day hundreds of them are published in the world. It is therefore infinite.

When it comes to an infinite collection is interesting to take advantage of available databases on the network. What for? For basic information about the object using a quick query to the network. Examples are books, encoded with your unique ISBN number as well as movies, music hardware, comics, magazines, video games, etc.. Not worth rewriting all the details already in the network. This option is built into the latest applications appeared to manage such collections. With a simple bar code reader, or the own smartphone, we point to the code and the device connects to the network, reads information from the database and populates the fields in our own records.With a single click!

As shown, the systems are many and varied. To put it another way, there is no excuse for not being well organized and have everything recorded and cataloged.

Now it's up to you!

Still have not done your homework? Well ... start now! Do not expect to have a thousand pieces, begins with a dozen and each new addition will take a few minutes.It's worth! Or you will like me. Now take on all this:

Written by Joan Fusté