What is a library collection?Defining the concept:

LIB 610 Collection Management Summer 2009

What is a collection?collection

3. concr. A number of objects collected or gathered together, viewed as a whole; a group of things collected and arranged:    • in a general sense; e.g. of extracts,

historical or literary materials.

 b. of scientific specimens, objects of interest, works of art, etc. spec. The range of clothes (as for a season, etc.) displayed by a fashion designer; a display of such apparel.

c. A quantity of anything, as water, which has collected into one mass; an accumulation.

Another definition

collection

1: the act or process of collecting

2 a: something collected; especially : an accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison, or exhibition or as a hobby b: group, aggregate c: a set of apparel designed for sale usually in a particular season

Slides from Presentation: Collection Level Description [ Powerpoint] [HTML] for Workshop at 8th International Dublin Core Metadata Initiative Workshop (DC-8) Ottawa, Canada, October 4 - 6, 2000

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From a cataloging website

What is a collection? A collection is an aggregation of

physical and/or electronic items. e.g. library collections; museum collections; archives; library, museum and archival catalogues; digital archives; Internet directories; Internet subject gateways; collections of text; images; sounds; datasets; software etc. A collection may be made up of any number of items from one to many.

• CLD Online Tutorial

What is a Collection?

More from the same site

What Is A Collection? A collection is a group of resources

that are related to each other in some identifiable way. The relationship might be through a topic, a place, a person, an organisation or a type of object.

• About This Document

– This briefing document provides a brief introduction to the concept of Collections.

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library collection The total accumulation of book

s and other materials owned by a library, cataloged and arranged for ease of access, often consisting of several smaller collections (reference, circulating books, serials, government documents, rare books, special collections, etc.). http://lu.com/odlis/odlis_l.cfm#libcollec

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What is a library collection?The Library uses this word in

several ways. In its most general application, it refers to all the items that have been either purchased, donated or acquired through legal deposit since the Library was first established. It is also used to describe material that is logically grouped together under a format like maps, or a subject area such as the arts. http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/about/pastfuture/collections.html

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Ranganathan’s 5th Law of Library Science

The Library is a Growing Organism The 5th law tells us about the vital and

lasting characteristics of the library as an institution and enjoins the need for a constant adjustment of our outlook in dealing with it. Libraries grow and change, and will always do so. Collections increase and change, technology changes and budgets change. Change comes along with growth, and in order to be healthy, that change and growth requires flexibility in the management of the collections, in the use of space, in the recruitment, retention and deployment of staff, and the nature of our programs.

• Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan (1892-1972)

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What is a collection?

A collection is a set of resources brought together for a particular audience or to serve a specific function.

• School Library Collections http://eduscapes.com/sms/access/cd1.html

• ©2004-2007 Annette Lamb and Larry Johnson.

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So, what is a collection?A collection is:

“an aggregation of physical and/or electronic items”: “stuff”

It may have “research potential” It is “a group of resources that are

related to each other in some identifiable way”

It is “total accumulation of books and other materials owned by a library”

It is a “growing organism” It is a “set of resources brought together

for a particular audience or to serve a specific function.”

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Two crucial concepts1. The collection as a single organic entity

e. g. “The British Library manages its collection as a single entity.”

– British Library Catalogues and collections

“As school media specialists, we need to begin to adopt the ‘stone soup’ approach to collection development and interlibrary loan. Our building collections should not only be regarded as a single entity, but also as a unique part of a larger regional or state collection.”

– Doug Johnson, A Stone Soup Mentality – November 1998 http://www.doug-johnson.com/dougwri/stone-soup-mentality.html

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2. The collection as an entity that exists to serve a specific mission The philosophy of this media

center is to achieve excellence by focusing on the integration of library media instruction with classroom learning. The media center will provide a quality, diverse collection in order to meet the needs of the faculty and students. It will stimulate the development of a lifelong love and appreciation of reading and learning. The Florine Dial Johnston Media Center (this

statement is unfortunately no longer available on the web)

Two crucial concepts