Omeka: Physical item records (artifacts and documents)

There are multiple kinds of Omeka records. These instructions are how to create an artifact/document record for a physical item in the GHM collection, which will appear on the public site.

This page will gives two different areas of instruction:

• Updating an existing item record
• Creating a new item record from scratch

Updating an existing item record

This is very easy. However, you must first have a login to Omeka-S, our archiving software; and you must know how to access it and log in. Talk with the director if you are not that far yet!

1. Find the item record. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest is using the Search box at the top of the left column. If you know the object’s Accession Number, search for it using quotations (e.g., “2021.12.1” instead of 2021.12.1). You can also search with descriptive terms.
2. Edit the record. In the search result, click on the pencil icon to the right of the title. If you are already looking at the item record, click the “Edit Item” button in the top right corner.
   1. Text edits, including all descriptive information, occur in fields on the first screen.
   2. Add photographs or other media using the “Media” tab at the top of the record.
   3. Assign the place to an item set like “GREER: artifacts” if it has not already been added, using the “Item sets” tab at the top of the record. If it is not in an item set, it will not show up in our records.
3. Save the record with the “Save” button in the top right corner.

Creating a new object record from scratch

You must first have a login to Omeka-S, our archiving software; and you must know how to access it and log in. Talk with the director if you are not that far yet!

Every physical object in the GHM collection, whether artifact or document, has a GHM Identification number (also known as an Accession Number). Unlike “person” and “place” records, the records for physical objects are tied to another Accession Record with an ID number. You should not create a new object record until you have that object’s ID number.

1. Create a new item using the “plus sign” to the right of the Items category, under “Manage Resources.” Alternatively, in the left menu, click on Items. That screen has an “add new item” button in the top right corner.
2. Set the Resource template: in the first field, drop down and select “Physical Object.”
3. Set the Class: in the second field, select “Physical Object” (it’s in the first group, the Dublin Core).
4. Set the Title with the name of the item: Ideally, this will match the title in the Accession Record. You can get this from the Director or Curator.
5. Set the Accession Number. The number you enter here MUST exactly match the number for this object in the Accession Records.
6. Save the item to make sure you don’t lose your work; click the “Add” button in the top right. After it’s saved, click on the “Edit Item” button in the top right to continue editing.
7. Enter “Accession Creator” with the name of the GHM staffer that filed the official accession record.
8. Enter “Depositor” with the name of the object’s donor.
9. Enter “Description” with a detailed but concise explanation of what the object is. Write only facts, not conjecture or inference. Use careful language with qualifiers when needed (e.g., “believed to be,” “could be”).
10. Fill any other fields for which you have information. This will usually include materials and dimensions (in the “Format” field), and where the object is currently located in the “Location” field (e.g., “glass case in the Mill Gallery,” or “EXP workroom”).
11. Save the item again.
12. Add the item set. This is critical or the entry will not show up in our records.Click on the “Item Sets” tab near the top. On the right side, underneath GHMadmin, choose the appropriate set or collection, such as  “GREER: artifacts.” In some cases, a second item set can be selected as well; for example, a letter might also be included in the set “Etta Bailey Burgiss Collection.” If this page is empty and there are no options for you to choose on the right side, then your login account privileges are set incorrectly. Talk to the curator or registrar to get that fixed. He
13. Add media (photographs). Click on the “media” tab near the top, then click on the “Upload” button on the far right. Click on it multiple times to add multiple images. Select the files you want, give them a Title, and save.
14. Verify the site is set. Click on the “Sites” tab near the top. Make sure “Greer Heritage Museum” is listed.
15. Link related items. If there is one or more other items in our database — a person, business, artifact, archival document, etc. — that are associated or related to this individual, add a link.
    1. In the “Relation” field, click on the “Omeka Resource” button, then on the “Items” button.
    2. A column will open to the right, where you can search for the existing item. When you find it, click on the title; then click “Select Resource” at the bottom of the column.
    3. You can repeat this process to associate multiple items.
16. Save and verify.
    1. Save the record with the “Save” button in the top right corner.
    2. After saving the entry, go to https://greerheritage.com/omeka-s/ to verify that the item appears in the list, the images are showing, and the data is correct.