Introduction to Calm
Calm ALM is one of a family of applications produced by Axiell based on a
database management program called
DScribe. (For information on other applications, see the
Other Axiell Programs page).
Calm is made up of many individual databases. Each database contains
records, each of which concerns a particular group of material (as in a
collection) or an individual object or item. For example, in a bibliographic
database each book would be represented by a single record.
The Calm databases link together to create a powerful collection management system. For example, if one person has donated many items in a collection, a single depositor record can be created for the donor; this record may then be linked to several accession records about the items the donor has deposited. This approach ensures consistency of data and cuts down on time spent recording repetitive information, while allowing quick searching and reporting on linked records.
Calm is controlled via a consistent and easily learnt system of
menus, tabs and buttons.
As you enter information into Calm, new words are indexed and your changes saved
as you work to allow for efficient and effective cataloguing and searching.
Calm for Archives, Local Studies Libraries and Museums
Calm ALM has been divided into three modules for Archives, Local Studies
Libraries and Museums; there is a menu option for each module from the Calm main
menu.
This allows Archive and Local Studies Library and Museum staff to use Calm to
manage their collections according to their own sets of professional standards,
using specially customised templates. For customers creating records in more
than one module, it is possible to search across the whole system and retrieve
records from all three modules in one hit list, if required. Calm records
conform with national and international professional standards: ISAD(G),
EAD, the National Council on Archives' name authority files and SPECTRUM.
Databases
Records may be created in several different databases to record the progress of material through the collection. For example, preliminary information, recorded when material first enters a collection, is written in the Entry/Accession database, while fuller, more detailed records about material are created in the Catalogue database. For further information please choose either the Archives, Local Studies Libraries or Museums coloured button near the top of this page for sections on individual databases.
Record Types
Many of the databases in Calm have several different templates or record
types available. These are suited to recording different types of material and
are often specific to different types of institution. For example in the
Entry/Accessions database, an archive would use the Accession record type,
whereas a Museum would choose either the Entry or Loans In record type.
The catalogue database has a variety of templates suited to different material,
including archive Collection and Component record types, museum Object record
types and a library Book record type.
It is possible for users to classify record types as being either “Archive”, “Local Studies Library” or “Museum” types.
Fields
Each record type contains fields which may have text typed or “copied and pasted” into them, or be completed by a data import. The various fields in Calm are designed to accommodate a variety of information including text, numbers, dates and times. In addition images and original source documents including sound files and video clips may be linked to Calm records using specific fields. The fields in each record type may also be customised, for example by being added or removed from record types, re-labelled or having Pick lists attached to them.