Special Collections

The British Library hosted a conference last week (Manuscripts Matter) examining the continuing flow of source material into well-funded US academic collections.  Brenda Maddox wrote a piece about it for The Observer (29 October) that balanced the general preference for manuscripts to be located appropriately with the pragmatic view that the material is best housed wherever it can be best cared for. 

At TFPL, we've completed a couple of assignments this year that have required a review of special collections.  Both interesting pieces of work and both highlighting some key points:

• funds for basic collection management:  cataloguing, conservation and preservation work have become harder to secure
• digitisation is the mot du jour but digitisation projects are not to be taken lightly.  They need careful preparation and a long-term strategy if they are to succeed
• special collections in academic institutions can come alive if linked to and supported by the curriculum and research interests of the academic community - the converse is also true
• it is a shame when the subject of a special collection becomes a victim of fashion but take a long-term or "long tail" view - there will be interest from some quarter and fashions change!