What is the Automated National Catalog System (ANCS)?

ANCS is a microcomputer-based database management system developed by NPS to accession and catalog its museum collections located in over 300 parks.

In 1998 the National Park Service migrated its Automated National Catalog System to commercial off-the-shelf software customized for the NPS. The new system is called ANCS+. It includes multiple functions covering documentation, preservation and use of collections.

The NPS Museum Management Program developed a User Manual for ANCS+. The electronic files that compose the manual are available for download from this site.

Manual Section	PDF file
Title Page and Table of Contents	Download
Quick Reference	Download
Introduction	Download
Chapter 1: System Basics	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging an Archeology Object	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging Archival/Manuscript Collections	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging an Ethnology Object	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging a History Object	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging a Biology Specimen	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging a Geology Specimen	Download
Chapter 2: Cataloging a Paleontology Specimen	Download
Chapter 3: Supplemental Records	Download
Chapter 4: Associated Modules	Download
Chapter 5: Printing and Reports	Download
Chapter 6: Data Entry and Advanced Editing	Download
Chapter 7: Finding and Grouping Records	Download
Chapter 8: Moving and Sharing Data	Download
Chapter 9: Tools	Download
Appendix A: System Requirements	Download
Appendix B: Installation and Setup	Download
Appendix C: Functional Cross-Reference	Download
Appendix D: Public Search	Download
Appendix E: Lexicons	Download
Appendix F: Archives Module	Download
Appendix G: Imaging and Multimedia	Download
Appendix H: The Collections Management Report	Download
Appendix I: The Automated Inventory Program	Download
Appendix J: The Automated Checklist Program	Download
Appendix K: Support	Download