In addition to the authority files, there are other fields of information in the database that describe the image (such as the Title, View, Date of photograph), provide information about the building or site (such as the Attribution of the work, the location of the building, or the material used in the building), and place the building or work in historical context (Time Period, Movement)

Some fields are formatted especially for use on slide labels, others are used exclusively in the digital image database. There are also a number of check-box fields that trigger slide label reports, accession record reports, and exporting data. A thumbnail image of each image is imbedded into the main record.

SQL Server

In 2003, the Microsoft Access database was upsized to SQL and now is housed on a dedicated VRC SQL server in the College. In 2007, a new fiber channel SAN Xeon dual proc blade server was implemented for the Collection by the Computing staff of the College. Collection staff continue to address the database through a Microsoft Access front end for data entry and reports.

Digital Image Database

In 2002, the Director implemented the digital image management software developed at James Madison University and fondly called the MDID. This became the digital complement to the Collection's main management database (which remains strictly in-house). The digital image database is accessible over the Internet to CAUP faculty and students. Text information from the Collection's main database is imported into the MDID.