Collection description Ann Chapman Collection Description Focus UKOLN

Collection description Ann Chapman Collection Description Focus UKOLN is supported by: 1 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management www. bath. ac. uk

What is a collection? • A group of resources with a common factor – On the same topic – In the same format – Belong(ed) to a person or organisation – For a specific group of people 2 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

What do collections contain? • Cultural information – Visual art, music, performance arts • Heritage information – Archaeological remains, archives • Factual information – On anything from architecture to zebras 3 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Public library collections • • • 4 Reference, non-fiction, fiction Children, teenagers, visually impaired Local history Named collections Branches, mobile & housebound Books, serials, CDs, DVDs, maps & plans, photographs, jigsaws www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Academic library collections • • • 5 Basic reference Stock areas related to courses Stock areas related to research Named collections Books, serials, e-books and serials, maps, slides, architectural drawings www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Cataloguing collections • Structured metadata – Same data elements for all collections • Title, prose description, size, formats • Who can use it - restrictions • How to use it – location & opening hours – Controlled vocabulary for indexing • Subjects, times, places, audience and names 6 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Metadata schemas • RSLP – wide use, ‘de facto’ standard • Cornucopia – based on RSLP 7 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

RSLP CD Schema - 1 General collection attributes • Title Pitman Collection • Identifier • Description Brief prose description • Strength Shorthand – international significance • Format Books, manuscripts, journals, photographs • Language English • Type Library 8 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

RSLP CD Schema - 2 General collection attributes (continued) • Access control Restricted access • Accrual status Occasional donation & purchase • Legal status Owned by University of Bath • Custodial history Donated by Pitman & Sons • Note A significant proportion of the collection is in shorthand. 9 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

RSLP CD Schema - 3 • Subject attributes – Topic Shorthand, spelling, alphabets, phonetics – Object Death mask of Sir Isaac Pitman – Time, Place, Name • Date attributes – Accumulation 1970 s - 2004 – Contents 1901 – 1985 • Associated agents – Creator Sir Isaac Pitman, Sir James Pitman – Owner University of Bath 10 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

RSLP CD Schema - 4 • External relationships – – – 11 Has part Initial Teaching Alphabet Collection Is part of Bath University Library Has description Books & journals on library OPAC Is description of Has association E. g. a related collection Has publication www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

RSLP CD Schema - 5 • Location attributes – – 12 Physical location Postal address Access conditions Hours of access Is location of See also Web site of location if there is one www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Basic Points • Keep the text description brief and clear. • Use appropriate indexing terms • Keep the end user in mind at all times 13 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description P 1 Morpeth is the principal library for the county of Northumberland. It is home to special collections and services such as the Northern Poetry Library, the Film Collection, the County Local Studies Collection and the County reference and information service. • Nothing about collection generally. • Separate collection records for the special collections 14 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description P 2 Wolverhampton Central Library provides a reference and lending service for books, cassettes, compact discs, DVDs for adults, children and young people, and free Internet and other IT services for the public. • No mention of special collections. • Talks about services rather than collections 15 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description P 3 Collections of lending and reference books are held at Bath Central Library. Stock includes materials for adults and children in print and other media including accessible formats (large print and spoken word audio cassettes). A number of special collections are held at the Central Library. • Separate collection descriptions for special collections. 16 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description A 1 Key textbooks are available in the Harrison Learning Centre and can be searched using OPAC. In addition to our collection of printed journals many journals supporting your courses are available online as e-journals. • No indication of reference and lending stock. • Journals appears 3 times in one sentence. 17 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description A 2 Resources include books, newspapers, magazines, CD ROMs, microfilms and maps, and public access to PCs and the Internet. Online access to British Humanities Index and periodicals. Recommended websites through the People’s Network. Subjects include: Art & architecture, Ask a Librarian, Antiques & Collecting, Biography, British Humanities Index, Charities and the voluntary sector, … maps …. . and travel • Keep the description brief. • Subjects should not appear here (use subject indexing) • Use format for maps, books, newspapers, etc 18 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Prose description A 3 The library collection supports the university’s teaching and research interests. There a number of special collections. The Library also holds copies of theses submitted for University of Bath degrees and the institutional records of the University of Bath. • Subject indexing for all departments. • Separate collection descriptions for special collections 19 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Subject indexing • Pitman collection – Shorthand / stenography – Phonetics – ITA / Initial Teaching Alphabet 20 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Time indexing Yes • A collection on the English civil war No • A collection of books on baroque music – index under baroque music 21 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Place indexing Yes • A collection of maps and books about Morocco • A collection of paintings with a location theme – views of Bath No • A collection of paintings by artists from several countries 22 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management

Contact details Ann Chapman Email: a. d. chapman@ukoln. ac. uk Tel: 01225 386 121 UKOLN: www. ukoln. ac. uk 23 www. ukoln. ac. uk A centre of expertise in digital information management