UKOLN is supported by: Introduction to Collections and Collection-Level Description Bridget Robinson Collection Description Focus A centre of expertise in digital information management

Introduction to Collections & Collection-Level Description Collection Description Focus What is a collection What is a collection-level description

Collection Description Focus Improve consistency, compatibility of approaches Funded by RSLP JISC/DNER British Library Re:source Experience of RSLP Collection Description Benefit from collaboration with Interoperability Focus JISC Information Environment Architecture Team NOF-Digitise Technical Advisory Service CIMI (museums)

Collection Description Focus Developing consensus –Gathering information –Building a community –Facilitating dialogue –CD Forum Disseminating good practice –Organising events –workshops, briefing days –Giving presentations –Publishing articles and papers –Developing training resources –recommendations, guidelines, Online Tutorial

Collection Description Focus Supporting implementers –point of contact, advice –support for CLD in programmes –Research Support Libraries Programme –JISC programmes for building the IE –JISC Learning & Teaching (5/99) programme –NOF-Digitise –Re:source regional cross-domain research projects

What is a collection? Collection –“an aggregation of items” Aggregations of, e.g. –natural objects: fossils, mineral samples… –created objects: artefacts, documents, records… –digital resources: documents, images, multimedia objects, data, software… –digital surrogates of physical objects: documents, images… –metadata: catalogue records, item descriptions, collection-level descriptions

What is a collection? Various criteria for aggregation, e.g. –By location –By type/form of item –By provenance of item –By source/ownership of item –By nature of item content (Resource Guides) Any number of items Permanent, temporary Discrete, distributed Collections created with intent/purpose –“consciously formed” –collection development policies

Why collection-level description? –Enable collection provider to disclose information about collections to users –Enable user to discover/locate collections select collections to explore/search on basis of summary description compare collections as broadly similar objects (even where items heterogeneous) understand conditions of access & use interpret collections –Enable software agents to select collections to search on behalf of user control searches across multiple collections

Collection of physical objects Collection of metadata records Collection of books Collection of digital items Database of CLDs CLDs provide high- level “map” of landscape for user, researcher, visitor….

AIM25 Archives Hub Cecilia Collections Navigator – NHM Cornucopia Crossroads Who’s using Collection Description?

Who’s using Collection Description? EnrichUK.net: ITAM: MIMAS Collection Description Reveal The Science & Culture website SCONE