Hi Perian, We have no instructions at all for "simple" searching of our collection: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection ... because, if it needs instructions, it's obviously not simple enough. ;-) (The single-field form searches artist name and title*.)
However, our advanced search form DOES have instructions (or "tips"): http://collection.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/advancedSearch.page.do (which pops up in a new window). As you'll probably work out soon enough, some of the "search tips" are only necessary because of the rather strange way our collection database works. Eg: "Spelling needs to match our records exactly; there will be no results for near-matches. For example, you will get no results if you type Tracy Moffat rather than Tracey Moffatt. However, you can use part words but you must enter more than one word. For example, you can type in Trac* Mof* for Tracey Moffatt, but you will get no results if you type just Trac OR just Mof." [* Actually, simple search also searches accession number (eg: "130.1975") - for those people who want ONE particular work and happen to know the acc. no. already.] Regards, Jonathan Cooper Manager of information / website Art Gallery of New South Wales Art Gallery Road, Sydney NSW 2000 AUSTRALIA http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au +61 2 9225 1796 / (02) 9225 1796 mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu wrote on 11/08/2009 03:58:38 AM: > Dear fellow MCNers - > > I'm in the process of writing a How-To for our new collection online > site and I was wondering if anyone had written an extensive set of > instructions for how to use it? Ours has a lot of fields and options, so > it's not quite as simple as entering a search term into a box. I'd like > to see how others have framed their instructions, so I don't miss > anything or overly-confuse anyone > > Please feel free to reply to me offlist with a link to your > instructions. Many thanks in advance! > > Perian Sully > Collections Information Manager > Web Programs Strategist > The Magnes > 2911 Russell St. > Berkeley, CA 94705 > Work: 510-549-6950 x 357 > Fax: 510-849-3673 > http://www.magnes.org > http://www.musematic.org > http://www.mediaandtechnology.org
