Nine enthusiastic participants attended the Collections MOSAiC training workshops in the Memorial Hall, Torrens Parade Ground, held over three days from 30 September to 2 October. MOSAiC, the Collections management and archiving software for museums, arts and heritage organisations, is produced by the Perth-based family business ISTechnology and is a popular choice by many small museums and historical societies in South Australia.
Rew and Sally-Anne Whittington delivered the workshops with their usual laidback style and professional knowhow. The workshops offered great opportunities for attendees to not only receive hands on training from the experts but to also network with other likeminded museum volunteers and historians. History SA Community History Officers, Amanda James and Pauline Cockrill were also on hand to give assistance with more specific cataloguing and accessioning queries.
Workshop participants included museum consultants, salaried local council run museum employees and volunteers from a range of small museums and historical groups in not only Adelaide but also further afield in regional South Australia such as the mid north, Yorke and Eyre Peninsulas, and Kangaroo Island.
More photos from the workshop can be seen here
Over the three days, the following were taught: basic data entry and querying; retrieval, reporting and exporting and also how to personalise and customise their program for their particular institution. There was also a chance to learn about and see the new MOSAiC web application in action, which provides online access to a collection over the internet, either privately or by the general public. This is now available for one small annual cost. You can download the benefits of MOSAiC web in the resources section to the right.
South Australian community museums and local history groups can take advantage of another Collections MOSAiC training course happening in this State in six months’ time. Rew and Sally-Anne are intending to run three day workshops in the South East in April 2015. This course will be held on Wednesday 8, Thursday 9 and Friday 10 April 2015 at the Millicent Library and Resource Centre, Ridge Terrace, Millicent. Please email Sally-Anne as soon as possible if you are interested in attending or call her on 08 9537 2874