A library collection can be summarized as: 1. A collection is an aggregation of physical and/or electronic items gathered together for a specific purpose, such as for research, education, or entertainment. 2. Collections are considered a single organic entity that is constantly growing and changing to meet the needs of its intended audience. 3. The purpose of a library collection is to serve the information needs of its patrons by providing a diverse set of resources on a variety of topics.

1. LIB 610 Collection Management
Summer 2009
Defining the concept:
What is a library collection?

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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

5. What is a Collection?
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
June 3, 2008 5

6. 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.
June 3, 2008

7. What is a Collection?
library collection
The total accumulation of
books 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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8. What is a Collection?
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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9. What is a Collection?
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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10. What is a Collection?
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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11. What is a Collection?
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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12. What is a Collection?
Two crucial concepts
1. 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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13. What is a Collection?
Two crucial concepts
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)
June 3, 2008 13