30 papers from the proceedings of the first annual conference of the Museum Documentation Association (Cambridge England 1987) provide a review of collection management initiatives with an emphasis on documentation registration and automation principles and practice in the UK, North America, Australia and Nordic countries. The proceedings are divided into seven sections: surveys of collection management system and practice; system design for collection management systems; the role of professional groups; procedural and policy developments in individual museums; training and advisory developments; consultancy support for museums; list of organisation with displays at the conference exhibition. Bibliography.