The Catalogue & Items

The Catalogue is the heart of MuseumStack, where you record detailed metadata, provenance, and physical status for every item in your collection.

:::note [TODO: Add Screenshot of Catalogue List/Grid View] :::

Search & Discovery

Use the powerful browse and search tools to find objects:

• Full-Text Search: Search across keywords, titles, and descriptions.
• Advanced Filtering: Narrow down by Department, Object Type, or Date.
• Custom Views: Toggle between a dense list view or a media-rich grid view.

Item Record Details

A standard item record includes several tabs and sections:

1. Core Details: Title, Object Number, Classification, and Brief Description.
2. Context: Production details, associations, and historical context.
3. Physical Description: Dimensions, materials, and inscriptions.
4. Media: High-resolution images and document attachments.
5. Custom Fields: Metadata fields specific to your museum’s needs.

:::note [TODO: Add Screenshot of Item Detail Record] :::

:::tip [RESERVED: Placeholder for guide on using the “Related Items” feature] :::

Editing Records

If you have the necessary permissions, you can edit records to improve data quality:

1. Open an Item record.
2. Click the Edit icon (Pencil).
3. Modify the data across any tab.
4. Click Save to create a new version of the record (Audited).

Permissions Required

• View Records (items_read): Allows you to search and view all non-restricted records.
• Create Records (items_create): Allows you to add new items to the catalogue.
• Edit Records (items_update): Required to modify existing record metadata.
• Delete/Deaccession (items_delete, items_deaccession): Required for removal or formal deaccessioning.
• View Sensitive Data (items_redacted_view): Allows viewing fields marked as restricted.

Dynamic Form Layouts

Depending on the diverse nature of your collection (e.g., Art vs. Natural History vs. Archive), displaying irrelevant fields can clutter the interface. MuseumStack supports Dynamic Form Layouts.

• Administrators can define custom layouts (e.g., an “Art Object” layout vs. a “Geology Specimen” layout).
• When viewing or editing an Item, you can switch between these layouts using the dropdown menu in the top right corner. The system will remember your preference.

Publishing to the Web

MuseumStack allows you to curate which records are visible to the public via external portals or APIs.

• Single Item: On an Item Detail page, click the Publish button to toggle its visibility.
• Bulk Publishing: From the Catalogue list view, select multiple items using the checkboxes, click the Actions dropdown, and choose Publish Selected Objects.

Important: Changing an item’s status to “Deaccessioned” or attaching a highly restrictive Cultural Protocol will automatically override its published state and remove it from public view to ensure compliance.