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Ian Morrison, 1950 - 2006

13/09/2006

Ian Morrison, for many years a central figure in the practice of museum digitization and documentation work in the UK, has died suddenly of a massive heart attack whilst on holiday in the USA, writes Angus Kneale of the Museums Computer Group.

I'm sure many MCG members will remember Ian as a long time and active member of the group - he administered the email list for many years, was (I think) the original webmaster, and served on the committee.

Ian was employed at the National Museums of Scotland as Scottish Museums Documentation Officer from 1989 until September 2004, taking early retirement after NMS' restructuring.

During that time he traveled widely providing help and advice on collections documentation to museums in Scotland, and developed the Museum Inventory System (MIS), a simple MS-DOS based database which was provided free of charge.

Another significant part of the SMDO's original job was to look at ways of creating a national database of museum collections in Scotland, which led indirectly to the creation of the Scottish Cultural Access Network (SCRAN) in 1996, for whom Ian worked part-time as Data Co-ordinator until June 1999.

Ian was also a trustee of the Bennie Museum in Bathgate and a member of the Board of mda from 1994 until May 2003. Ian's passing is particularly shocking as he was still young, healthy and looking forward to a long and busy retirement.

If you remember Ian, why not spend a few moments and visit his website? He tells his own story much better than I can.

He will be missed.

Angus

Angus Kneale
Collections Systems Manager
National Museums of Scotland

Many people who knew him have sent memories of Ian in to the Museums Computer Group newslist: read the newslist tributes. There will be a full obituary of Ian in the next MCG newsletter.

Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum, MCG newsletter editor.