What do I do with my collection of collection descriptions?

1
What do I do with my collection of collection
descriptions?

• Richard Higgins
• Durham University Library
• (r.i.higgins_at_durham.ac.uk)

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Resource discovery is how the rest of the world
sees your collections
A simplification ......
Collection management is for your convenience
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Introduction

• Why describe collections ?
• What use are they to us ?
• What do others want from them ?
• What types of collections will I describe ?
• What do I do with them afterwards ?

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External pressure

• Like what they know
• Like quantifiable things
• Like cheap content

Funding bodies

• Like standards
• Like uniform structure
• Like uniform content

Technical support
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The use of the CLD to us

• Single point to store information
• Old staff, new staff, borrowed staff ...
• Focus from which to spread information
• A retroconversion tool
• A collection management tool
• An integration tool

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The role of the CLD in retroconversion

• Provides
• A manageable quantity of data
• A starting point for structure
• A location for index terms
• A fixed reference point from which to lead
  users to new resources as you make them
  available

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The role of the CLD in collection processing
Accession Register
Appraisal/ De-accessioning
CLD
Re-assessment
Cataloguing
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CLD
CATALOGUES
Contents
BOOKS
Biography
Finding aids
Editions
MICROFILMS
Surrogates
JOURNALS
Studies
Index terms
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(Re-)creating the CLD at Durham
Archives Follett (early version
of website) Archives Hub (http//www.archives
hub.ac.uk/) Local website (http//flambard.du
r.ac.uk6336/dynaweb/guides/ascguide/) OPAC
(http//library.dur.ac.uk)
Mixed media Genesis (RSLP
Women) Revelation (RSLP 19th century
Church history) Mapping Asia (RSLP Asia,
the Middle East and North Africa)
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Mapping Asiahttp//www.asiamap.ac.uk/
Three versions of a CLD
Abbas Hilmi II CLD
Archives Hubhttp//www.archiveshub.ac.uk/
Abbas Hilmi II CLD
Local versionhttp//flambard.dur.ac.uk6336/dynaw
eb/guides/ascguide/xmlpointer(ID(HIL))
Abbas Hilmi II CLD
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The CLD as an integration tool

• Multiple repositories
• Mixed materials
• Galleries, Libraries, Archives, Museums
• The Lowest Common Denominator
• The collection ?
• Common structure and indexing
• not always possible at a more detailed level

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Maintenance

• Which is the master copy ?
• What do we keep it in ?
• Who is the maintaining agency ?
• Do I track external versions ?

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What are the limits of CLDs?

• What is a collection?
• Things with a shared provenance ?
• The thematic collection- a virtual concept
• Libraries build up their own collections
• Is subject indexing more useful than CLD for
  printed books?

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Finally ... a balance
What is useful for you ? What would best provide
the answers for your users ?