keeping collection organized?????

i use an excel spreadsheet that i download to my ipaq. i then take my ipaq with me when i go shopping for cd's and albums (a couple times a week) to verify if i have the album/cd or not before purchasing. I also have a list of music that i want to purchase, so if i see it, i buy it. the columns in the spreadsheet are: artist, album/cd name, type of music (jazz, new age, rck, etc..), and format (cd,sacd,album,dvd). another plus, i can sort by any column to find something fast.

I started writing it all down on some graph paper, but that got all washed-up - it got wet in the bathroom when I left it on the floor there (I'd brought it in there to do some critical editing during a lengthy session on the crapper and forgot about it when things got ugly). Next I tried putting all the info in my Palm Pilot, but that only lasted a week when I left it on an airplane and no one returned it.....back-up, back-up, back-up! I tried the Excel spreadsheet after that but I forgot my password and can't get past the startup screen now. It's in there somewhere, all neat and tidy in zeros and ones...really it is. Once I remember that password I'll probably be able to find where I left the disc for Eva Cassidy Live at Blues Alley....I have the jewelcase, but the disc went AWOL. It's all in the spreadsheet you know, so nothing to worry about. Everything's under control. Nothing to see here! You can all go home now. C'mon, get along with all of youse! Nothing to see....

Marco

PS Once I get that f&*%ing password and get my spreadsheet back I'm going to have the whole damn list tatoo'd on my left buttock so I'll never be without it again!

I bought an Expedit "organizer" from Ikea with 13 x 13" square cells there.
My near 2000 record collection consists of groups that I specify in the label sheet in nearly each of the cell.
CDs I simply keep in my head. Not too much of the new music deserves to rest in my collection.

OPP, Microsoft Access 97 has preprogrammed application called Music Collections.mdb
Microsoft Access 97 is a part of Microsoft Office.
After you open it choose File/Open Database/Databases/ Music Collections,mdz.
Store it in My Documents folder.
This program is very easy to use.
If you will have a problems to find Microsoft Access 97, I can e-mail copy of this application.
If you have Office 2000 or Office XP on your computer, Music Collections.mdb can be converted to Access 2000 version.
Get in touch with me, if you have any questions.

Good luck.

I know I am showing my age, or perhaps the age of my collection, when I say how I organize my collection: 4000+ LPs and 1500+ CDs. I started in the 60s using 3x5 plain library cards. Each work is on a separate card and filed by composer. On the left side of the card at the top is RECORD, CD, CASSETTE or DVD. Next, at the top, is the composer and his/her "dates".
Under the composer is the complete info on the recorded work. Next down is the manufacturers name and the number of the album given by the manufacturer. (I file all of my recordings alphabetically by manufacturer and numerically by the manufacturer's number.) Next down is the timing, format, and date of recording. Under that is the orchestra or performers who are performing and the conductor. Followed by the person's name who wrote the program notes. Under this I list all of the other works by the same composer found on the recording and/or the name of other composers whose works are on the same recording. One recording can have as many as 12 cards generated as I have one card for each work by each composer. This way I do not "Lose" a recorded work.
Needless to say there has been a great deal of work done in cataloging my collection over the years but I can find any work I have within a minute or less once I have looked it up in my card file. It is rather easy to keep the catalogue current by typing a card or cards for each new purchase. I've gone through 3 or 4 typewriters over the years and have thousands of cards.
I also have all of my musical scores and books catalogued as well within the same card system. I have a few genres located in the system, the largest two being Band music and Jazz. Listings in these catagories are also listed alphabetically in the files.
Works for me!