Each graduate of the Master of Library and Information Science program is able to use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital items and collections
One of the many responsibilities undertaken by information professionals is collection management. Collection management requires that information professionals make decisions about the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of their materials. Many institutions have limited space and funds, so materials need to be carefully selected and evaluated to deal with space constraints. Different types of collections require different organization systems, so information professionals need to be aware of what works best for their materials. Books, objects, files and digital items require different systems of organization. Materials also need to be organized in a matter that makes sense and is easy for users to understand. When dealing with collection management it is also important to consider preservation issues that will arise, as a result of overuse, deterioration and environmental issues. A solid background in these basic concepts and principles is important so that materials of “enduring value” are selected, protected and made accessible to users.
Selection
The selection and evaluation of materials is an important task that information professionals need to conduct to manage and improve collections. The selection process is important because materials need to be selected based on the mission and goals of an institution. Information professionals make their selections based on collection development policies and criteria that are developed to monitor resources and to ensure that collections are developed consistently. Collection policies are also developed to address users needs and to help fill any collection gaps within a repository. Collection policies need to be revised, as needs change so it is important for information professionals to examine and monitor collection usage. For example, looking at collection history, usage rates, annual reports, goals, and user needs are helpful when deciding which materials will help fill any gaps and enhance current holdings. Collection policies are useful guidelines that help information professionals make decisions about selection, but it is important to be aware that revisions are necessary as an institution grows and changes.
Selection varies on collection policies and community needs, so criteria will vary from an institution, but according to Rubin (2010) common selection criteria includes:
Authority
Appropriateness
Accuracy
Physical Characteristics
Collection fit
Demand
Special Characteristics (p.372)
Other questions to consider when making selection decisions:
Cost- How much work is required to process the collection? Are there any preservation issues to address that will tap into limited funds?
Copyright-The materials are in the repository possession but it does not mean they own them. Further investigation about the donors and what rights and conditions are stipulated.
Preservation-Will preservation issues require special housing, equipment, expertise? Is the deterioration of the materials way beyond the resources available to make materials accessible?
Evaluation
Collection policies can also stipulate procedures and guidelines for appraisal and deaccession. These serve as forms of evaluation to help an information professional make decisions about selection and removal of materials.
Appraisal justifies the selection and rejection of materials because it takes into consideration institutional goals, collecting needs before the collection is fully processed. This first step ensures that the right materials with enduring value are being collected and helps to minimize future burdens placed on the institution. Appraisal is an important process that takes years of understanding and working with, so it is an important skill to acquire and practice. On the other hand, deaccession requires assessing the value of materials already in possession of the institution that are within the scope of the collection policy. Materials needed to be evaluated for deaccession if they no longer fit the needs of the institution. Depending on the materials they need to be moved to another location or destroyed. For institutions that deal with sensitive and confidential information, retention and deposition schedules are one way that information professional keeps track of documents and information so that they can protect and destroy when necessary. Often legal mandates require that certain types of information be kept for certain periods of time, so information professionals need evaluations and systems in place to check their materials.
The inventory and the survey are also another form of evaluation that information professionals use to assess the state of collections. These types of evaluations should be performed during the appraisal, maintenance and deaccession phases of materials. The scope of the collection is defined and the evaluation provides insights to size, content, and preservation issues. When performed periodically, they help minimize space and preservation issues. Evaluations are necessary because they help information professionals understand the collections they are working with before decisions are made about the organization, housing, transfer or removal.
Organization
Information professionals employ different organization strategies depending on the type of collection they are working with. For example, a libraries organization system is different from an archrival’s system. Libraries typically organize at the item level, while archives organize materials into groups. Another example is in corporate settings where filing rules and indexing schemas are used to organize information in place of classification systems like the Library of Congress or the Dewy Decimal System. Different environments will have different needs that require different organization systems. However, it is also important to consider that different formats also require different organizational needs. For example, a digital collection of photographs is most likely to be organized and described at the item level to provide better access points for users researching photographs. As a result, it is important that information professionals have knowledge of arrangement principles and classification schemas. For archives, this requires knowledge of arrangement principles and theories. There are several concepts and principles that guide information professionals when dealing with archival materials. Provenience and original order are important concepts that deal with keeping materials together and in the same order received so that the original context of these materials is not lost. For materials where there is no clear indication of the original order, arrangement principles are applied to make the collection easier to understand and use. Collection arrangement is based on creating groupings that will maximize the potential use of the materials. The arrangement could be based on format, function, subject, creator or chronological order. The arrangement also consists of describing materials at different levels that are based on user needs and institutional resources.
Arrangement levels:
Fonds
Collection
Series I
sub-series
item
Series II.
sub-series
item
“……”
It is not always possible or practical to describe materials at the item level, so collection and series levels are the most common levels used. Depending on the resources available, format and other factors, materials are described at different levels. Information professionals need to understand these basic principles and concepts because organizing materials make them more accessible and easier to understand within the context of the collection.
Preservation
Preservation is another area that information professionals need familiarity with because it helps identify materials with deteriorating issues and plan a course of action to remedy it. Although it is impossible for materials to stay in pristine condition forever, preservation will help slow down the process so that users can utilize the information that it contains. A basic knowledge of preservation will help information professionals make important decisions about access, housing, and environmental conditions. When studying materials we need to look at the types of materials we own because they decay at different rates. For example, paper, parchment, leather, adhesives and certain types of ink have high acid levels that can cause deterioration of the materials and the materials they surround.
Looking at the rate the materials decay is an important preservation measure to help assess when materials should be evaluated. Rehousing materials in non-acidic housing and controlling environmental factors will help preserve materials. Another way information professionals safeguard materials is monitoring environmental conditions. Monitoring environmental conditions is an important way information professional can slow the process of decay. Temperature, humidity, and light have drastic chemical reactions with materials so it is necessary to create environmental conditions that will stabilize the environment the materials reside to prolong use. Understanding preservation is important for information professionals who want to prevent and prolong deterioration of their collections
I think that digitalization, as a preservation medium is an important tool in extending the life of materials. Materials that are high in demand risk damage from overuse. The digitalization process could help preserve the originals by allowing access to the digital copies. It allows the rigorous use of materials without worry about damage from patrons or those who are inexperienced in handling sensitive and fragile materials. It also allows the materials to be available on computers and online. This potentially would allow worldwide access to materials, and offer patrons the ability to conduct offsite research. Researchers would find materials are accessible and the collection would draw in more patrons because of easier access. There would be fewer barriers for patrons, and less mishandling of materials.
On the other hand, the digitalization process in itself could be a long process with such limited staff and resources. Certain materials may not be accessible while this process is going on. The cost of training and hiring more staff and volunteers could eat away into the small libraries budget. If the library decides to use a vendor because of the lack of staff, this could be costly and usage rights might belong to the vendor. Another question to consider is the material stable enough to wait to undergo the digitalization process? In some scenarios, the materials are in good condition to digitize but there is always the risk of some damaging occurring. For materials that are damaged, it is important to consult or hire individuals who have experience handling them. In the end, if the materials are just hidden away because they are too damaged, what is the point of preservation if no one will ever see it?
Competency Development:
During my time in the Master of Library and Information Science program, a significant amount of my courses were grounded in archival and preservation concepts. These courses lay the foundations needed for me to learn about selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation. In Libr 256, Archives and Manuscripts, I was introduced to the basic concepts of archival theory and principles and gained a basic knowledge about the archival appraisal, processing. For this course, we had the opportunity to apply these principles with an assignment that involved creating a finding aid for an unprocessed collection. In Libr 259, Preservation Management, I learned about the principles and practices of preservation in libraries and archives. In this course, we were given assignment’s that allowed us to evaluate preservation issues within institutions. This was important because it helps us gain insights into issues that information professionals face. In Libr 284, Managing Photographic Collections, we examined managing photographic collections and looked at selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of photographic formats. This course allowed me to examine the challenges and issues surrounding this format. In Libr 284, Digitization and Digital Preservation, we learned about the importance of the planning process for digital images and the digitalization process for images and text. This provided me with the experience I will need to digitalize documents and photographs for preservation. These courses also allowed me to apply the principles and concepts learned in assignments that were full of tasks and dilemmas that information professionals face.
Evidence 1: Libr 284, Donor Letter
In Libr 284, Managing Photographic Collections, there was an assignment that required us to make selection decisions about materials brought to our attention. For this assignment, I was paired up with a partner who wrote a letter about wanting to donate their materials to the repository I “hypothetically” work for. The donor’s liaison provided useful information about the donor and collection, but I requested that the materials be examined further before selection decisions can be made. When making selection decisions for a repository it is important to check that the donation is within the scope of the mission and goals of the institution. After some research about the archive in question, the collection sounds within the scope of the institution, but there are also other repositories in the area that would benefit from the donation. From the information gathered it is difficult to make selection decisions without inspecting the materials further. An inspection and donor interview are required to evaluate the materials so that we gain more contextual knowledge that is useful. It is also necessary to evaluate the materials so that we can provide recommendations if they do not fit our collection scope. There might be a suitable home, at another repository nearby that fits within their collecting policy better. I provided these recommendations to the donor so that they would have the opportunity to contact other repositories if their materials are not within our collecting policy. Recommendations are important to provide because we still want to provide patrons with resources so that they recognize the value of our institution. These are the types of scenarios that information professionals face when confronted with evaluating donations. This assignment brought to light important considerations when looking at donations, such as ownership, and evaluation. It also demonstrates my ability to recognize potential materials and make selection decisions based on collection mission and policy.
Evidence 2: Libr 259, Albumen print
In Libr 259, Preservation Management, I was assigned to describe, evaluate and discuss albumen prints and their preservation concerns. In this discussion, I researched the history and process of albumen prints so that I would have a better understanding of preservation concerns and provide preservation recommendations. I discussed the long-term needs of albumen prints so that the life of this type of media is prolonged given the available environmental conditions. This assignment allowed me to look at a specific type of media and discuss its preservation issues. I looked at the effects of different environmental conditions, assessed the biggest risks of this photographic media and provided recommendations for long-term preservation. An evaluation of any type of media is an important step towards creating preservation strategies and policies. This assignment taught me the importance of researching the materials you own, so that preservation strategies are implemented. Being aware of preservations issues beforehand is an important evaluation step when discussing selection and preservation procedures. Materials that require preservation that is well beyond our resources are better served at another institution. Therefore, in this assignment, I gave my recommendations for ideal environmental conditions for future reference. With this information, I can apply this knowledge to future collections that contain this type of photographic media. This assignment demonstrates my ability to evaluate different types of materials and address preservation concerns using archival best practices, resources, and recommendations.
Evidence 3: Libr 284, Finding Aid
For Libr 284, Managing Digital Collections, I was able to apply the basic principles of organization and arrangement in the creation of a finding aid. For this assignment, I was tasked to go through the arrangement and description process by surveying a collection and then determining the best possible way to arrange this photographs. There was no original order so the arrangement was based on its audience’s needs. When arranging materials, there is no wrong way to arrange as long as the collection makes sense for its intended audience. For this collection, I surveyed over 900 Stereographs and arranged them based on the creator. For my intended, audience of collectors, I felt creator was a useful way to arrange this collection because there were prominent publishers and photographers within the collection. These types of arrangement decisions are based on basic knowledge of archival arrangement and require one to become familiarized with the collection. This assignment demonstrates my ability to work with photographic materials and arrange them to produce a finding aid, to help assist researchers. This assignment gave me the experience I need to learn how to arrange large collections with no original order based on an intended audience.
Evidence 4: Libr 284, Bench Marking
For Libr 284, Digital Preservation, we discussed the importance of planning and evaluating materials before implementing a digitalization project. For this assignment, we used benchmarking, as a form of evaluation to help determine scanning and format requirements for photo digitalization. This involves sampling images and experimenting with different settings to find, the best specifications for scanning. I also compared and evaluated different types of formats in terms of quality and compression. This form of evaluation is important because it helps create a plan of action before a digitalization project can begin. Digitalization is a lengthy process and requires plenty of resources. A plan of action will minimize errors and create standards and procedures that can be applied to all items that will be digitalized. This is important for preservation because digital items need to be saved in high-quality formats with lossless compression to avoid loss of important contextual information. This assignment demonstrates that I can evaluate materials for the purposes of digitalization and quality check digital items for preservation. In the future, I will be able to apply these planning procedures for preservation measures and digitalization projects.
Conclusion:
Collection policies and procedures play an important role in the decisions that information professionals make about the collections they manage. Although they provide the guidelines necessary for selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation, it is important for information professionals to consult with users, colleagues, and other institutions in order to make sure that collection policies are updated to reflect the needs of the communities they serve. Donations are an important way to add relevant materials to an institutions collection, so it is important to know how to negotiate with donors about donations. It is also essential to understand the functions and needs of materials before pursuing organization and preservation so that institutions can plan and justify the use of space and resources. All these assignments demonstrate how I can apply these concepts to evaluations and pre-planning to help me produce collection management strategies and guides.
Resources
Rubin, R. (2010). Information policy: Stakeholders and agendas. Foundations of library and information science(3rd ed., pp. 309-369). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Assignments