Editorial

Editorial

As library collections change, the question that must be asked is “what is included in a library collection?” Library collections were once collections of print and audio-visual materials – all of which were housed within the physical walls of the library. These materials were all listed in the library’s catalog. But times have changed and now libraries are much more than collections of print and audio-visual materials. Library collections now include digitized information – some of which is owned by the library (such as digitized documents or digitized images), some of which is available to the library as a result of leasing arrangements with publishers and vendors, and some of which is free and linked to the library’s web pages from the internet. These materials may all be listed in the catalog but not necessarily. It is an enormous task to catalog all the information available in digitized format. Therefore, sometimes the digitized information is only available on another section of the web site separate from the catalog. This could be the case with digitized information that the library owns, databases leased by the library, and most certainly with internet sites linked to the library’s web pages.

If this is the case, then exactly what is in the library’s collection? This will continue to be a question not easily answered. For example, the library might lease a collection of e-books for the use of their users. Because it is only a leased collection, the library may not want to spend the money needed to catalog the collection. So the e-books are in the library’s collection but not in the catalog. This presents a question as to whether the library should count these items as part of its collection.

So how does a library count and evaluate its collection which is not all in one catalog and all of which may not be owned by the library? Usually the databases leased by the library are informally considered part of the collection by the library. But should they be counted since the library may not catalog them (or may catalog the title of the database but not the contents) and the library could end a subscription at any point or the company leasing the databases could go out of business. New projects to archive digitized materials, such as Portico and CLOCKSS, may be one way for libraries to make sure that even leased materials can continue to be made available to users. As the range of digitized materials expands, we must develop new definitions for a collection, find more consistent ways to handle all materials in the library’s collection and be prepared to provide access to digital materials to the same extent as physical library materials.

Kay Ann Cassell