Over the past five years, it's been a delight to see the Handbook reaching audiences way beyond the UK. For instance, last year I was invited to speak at a seminar in Stockholm sharing perspectives on rare books librarianship with a group of (mostly) Swedish librarians. The paper I gave has just been published, along … Continue reading Fika and futures
Category: Collection management
Spooky! The Bod Squad take on the Digital Ghosts
Well hello, Digital.Bodleian! What a lovely, clean and appealing interface, love the big friendly search box. I met Digital.Bodleian at the DCDC conference, where Lucie Burgess gave a compelling keynote explaining the Bod's plans for its new digital library. Digital.Bodleian will allow people to use all the Bodleian's digitised material. "But of course it will! … Continue reading Spooky! The Bod Squad take on the Digital Ghosts
Beware of the Swans, or, Collecting in Tough Times
Let me take you back to a baking hot day earlier this year - yes, we had a summer and it was on June 8th. I made the epic trip down to Kew for Collecting in Tough Times, a National Archives event which aimed "to explore how archive services can address the challenges of collecting … Continue reading Beware of the Swans, or, Collecting in Tough Times
Weeding and Working Together
The National Archives have produced two really useful bits of guidance recently: Deaccessioning and disposal: guidance for archive services will help safeguard vulnerable collections by outlining legal issues and professional principles and practices. Guide to collaboration between the archive and higher education sectors has been produced jointly by TNA and Research Libraries UK. It offers … Continue reading Weeding and Working Together
How can unique and distinctive collections support University mission?
Delighted to share news of a report which should help anyone trying to make the case for investment in special collections. Or indeed considering whether they should invest in them ... Unique and distinctive collections: opportunities for research libraries is freely available online from the Research Libraries UK website. It's based on fieldwork I carried … Continue reading How can unique and distinctive collections support University mission?
Special Collections in CILIP Update
Very pleased that the latest issue of CILIP Update features a section all about the latest in Special Collections. Special Collections is an incredibly dynamic and exciting area of library work, and it is good to see this feature in a title aimed at all librarians. There's a piece by Karen Attar about the new … Continue reading Special Collections in CILIP Update
The Broken Book
From a Book of Hours to a Book of Bits. This blog post by medievalist Elaine Treharne chronicles the shocking destruction of a Book of Hours. Sold at auction in 2010, this unique volume has since been split up and sold in pieces, a practice known as book-breaking or biblioclasm. A practice that goes on … Continue reading The Broken Book
Bingo for Buttons: the archive accreditation workshop
Back in September (20th to be exact) I went along to a workshop on archives accreditation. Though I've been following the growth of the new standard pretty closely, I still found the event really helpful. If you're thinking of applying, do try to get to one of these sessions! What did I like about this … Continue reading Bingo for Buttons: the archive accreditation workshop
To Have and To Hold: Historic Libraries Forum Annual Conference 2013
Managers of special collections face difficult decisions: what to collect, what not to collect, how to accept new material etc, how to identify and deal with irrelevant material ... This year's Historic Libraries Forum conference in London on 19 November will share best practice in collection management. I'm speaking, along with Katie Flanagan from Brunel … Continue reading To Have and To Hold: Historic Libraries Forum Annual Conference 2013
Code of Practice for Cultural Collections Management
Oops! I realise I haven't mentioned the Code of Practice for Cultural Collections Management (PAS 197: 2009). The Code is relevant to libraries, archives and museums, and offers a strategic framework for senior managers on collection management, development, information (i.e. cataloguing/metadata) and care. PAS 197 underlies the new archives accreditation standard, which is why I … Continue reading Code of Practice for Cultural Collections Management
The Special Collections Handbook 