This post from the Special Collections librarian at the Jerwood Library, Trinity Laban, is inspiring. It tells a story of hidden, neglected special collections which were a burden and a concern for library staff. The writer shows how making the collections visible and making the case for their support changed everything. It's particularly interesting that … Continue reading Making the Case is Key for Music
Category: Collection management
New from Ashgate – Library Space and Archives in Time
The latest catalogue of librarianship books from Ashgate features a couple which should be of particular interest for special collections: Smith, C and Stead, L. (eds). The boundaries of the literary archive. August 2013. Includes contributions by archivists about practical issues in literary archives, such as confidentiality and use in teaching and marketing. The case … Continue reading New from Ashgate – Library Space and Archives in Time
Too Many Collections, So Little Time?
Are you struggling with increasing numbers of users, demand for digital, crumbling collections, unsuitable storage space, intellectual property conundrums, born-digital collections, lack of skills, pressure of public sector cuts and recession ...? You are not alone! Two essential new reports reveal the challenges faced by UK special collections and archives and give us the evidence … Continue reading Too Many Collections, So Little Time?
Hidden Collections in the UK
One of the greatest problems facing Special Collections services is the legacy of historic collecting policies - or, rather, lack of them: hidden collections. Uncatalogued, sometimes wanted, sometimes not, taking up space and resources and causing all kinds of problems. As I quote in the Handbook, such collections really are our dirty little (big?) secret. … Continue reading Hidden Collections in the UK
Stewards of the Born-Digital
The University of Hull, along with three US universities, produced a white paper outlining practical and achievable ways forward in tackling the problems of collecting and managing born-digital archives: "AIMS Born-Digital Collections:An Inter-Institutional Model for Stewardship". There's also a blog, Born Digital Archives, featuring insights from those working on the project. Both have plenty to … Continue reading Stewards of the Born-Digital
The Special Collections Handbook 