ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to review some of the principal applications of information technology in the context of the museum. The revolution in information technology brought about by the development of ever more powerful and sophisticated microprocessors has meant that even a small museum can, with a modest outlay, acquire a ‘desk-top’ computerized system with enormous data-handling capabilities. Confronted with a bewildering array of possibilities and blinded by technical jargon coupled with the rapid appearance of ever more sophisticated hardware and software it is no wonder that the average curator finds it almost impossible to decide which system to adopt. What follows is a series of basic guidelines to be considered when setting up an automated system (see Williams, 1987; Chenhall and Vance, 1988).
