News From the Library: An appeal

Most members will know that we have recently purchased a high-quality computer. This has all the usual facilities plus a special program devised by our member Dan Jones. It is being used to catalogue details of the thousands of visual images such as engravings and old glass negatives which we hold. Work is now progressing to include an actual image with every entry. Already an inquiry to produce every reference for say, fonts; and then those of medieval or earlier origin can be answered in a fraction of a second thanks to the work of Mike Perring and others.

Our next plan is to acquire the knowledge and equipment needed to speed the actual image input and to improve the quality of the stored images. We also intend to put the Library book catalogue onto the computer. One day this could also have a direct link to the records of the County Local Studies collections.

The possibilities are great, for example, to include comprehensive lists of Kent churches, historic buildings, genealogies, and membership. It could also provide facilities for desktop publishing. The potential is already there to associate facts and ideas and to cut costs with a minimum of training.

To further these aims, we seek your suggestions and possible participation in a Computer Group. If you are interested please write, giving brief details to me at The Museum, St. Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH

Peter Draper Hon. Librarian