1. What do I do with my collection of collection descriptions? Richard Higgins Durham University Library (r.i.higgins@durham.ac.uk)

2. 8 November 2002 2 Resource discovery is how the rest of the world sees your collections Collection management is for your convenience A simplification......

3. 8 November 2002 3 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 ?

4. 8 November 2002 4 External pressure Funding bodies Technical support Like what they know Like quantifiable things Like cheap content Like standards Like uniform structure Like uniform content

5. 8 November 2002 5 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

6. 8 November 2002 6 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

7. 8 November 2002 7 Accession Register CLD Appraisal/ De-accessioning Cataloguing Re-assessment The role of the CLD in collection processing

8. 8 November 2002 8 CLD Contents Biography Index terms CATALOGUES Finding aids Editions Surrogates MICROFILMS BOOKS JOURNALS Studies

9. 8 November 2002 9 (Re-)creating the CLD at Durham Archives Follett (early version of website) Archives Hub (http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/)http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/ Local website (http://flambard.dur.ac.uk:6336/dynaweb/guides/ascguide/)http://flambard.dur.ac.uk:6336/dynaweb/guides/ascguide/ OPAC (http://library.dur.ac.uk)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)

10. 8 November 2002 10 Mapping Asia http://www.asiamap.ac.uk/ http://www.asiamap.ac.uk/ Abbas Hilmi IICLDCLD Archives Hub http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/ http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/ Abbas Hilmi II CLDCLD Local version http://flambard.dur.ac.uk:6336/dynaweb/guides/ascguide/xmlpointer(ID(HIL)) http://flambard.dur.ac.uk:6336/dynaweb/guides/ascguide/xmlpointer(ID(HIL)) Abbas Hilmi II CLDCLD Three versions of a CLD

11. 8 November 2002 11 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

12. 8 November 2002 12 Maintenance Which is the master copy ? What do we keep it in ? Who is the maintaining agency ? Do I track external versions ?

13. 8 November 2002 13 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?

14. 8 November 2002 14 Finally... a balance What is useful for you ? What would best provide the answers for your users ?