CommunitySites specialise in providing easy-to-use cataloguing software for community archives. The software lets you catalogue your collections to the same standards that professional archives use, but in a way that is very straightforward and quick.
Unlimited users
The catalogue is stored online, which means that anyone from your group can work on it from any computer connected to the internet. There is no limit to the number of people who can work on the catalogue (some other cataloguing systems charge 'per user'). There are different levels of access: so more experienced people can edit and approve the work of others.
Attractive display
As well as providing a cataloguing tool which you can use both online and offline (by uploading special spreadsheet templates we provide), our software creates an attractive online display of the catalogue so that web visitors can see the images, maps, documents, audio files etc.).
Time-saving cataloguing to professional standards
We can set up your catalogue to meet one of a number of cataloguing standards. If you're not a professional archivist, we recommended the national Community Archive Cataloguing Guidelines. These offer a simple and time-saving way of cataloguing your collection in a way that is compliant with catalogue standards in use in museums and record offices. For heritage professionals, we can set up the catalogue to meet the full ISAD(G) archival cataloguing standard or Dublin Core, the standard which underpins museum collections. We can also set up your catalogue with custom fields to meet your own particular needs.
Export and backup easily
Your catalogue can be downloaded as an Excel or .csv file and also exported in the professional archival EAD format. This means that if you ever want to transfer a copy of your catalogue to the local record office or museum it will be easy to do so. You can also quickly create a back-up copy of the catalogue at any time.
Search facility
You can search the catalogue by keyword, and you can do an advanced search (for example, only search against particular fields).
Easy to use
The software is extremely easy to use and is already being used by a number of community heritage projects and organisations.
Choose who you want to see the catalogue
You can keep your catalogue hidden from public view, or present it on the internet so that anyone can browse through it. It's also possible to make the entire catalogue (or particular fields) only available to registered or invited users.