Library information provider OCLC Research, US, has released a new report titled, 'Taking Our Pulse: The OCLC Research Survey of Special Collections and Archives'. This report provides the detailed findings from a 2009 OCLC Research survey of 275 institutions across the US and Canada to determine norms across the community and to provide data to support decision making and priority setting.
This survey updated and expanded a similar survey administered by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in 1998, the outcomes of which catalysed the special collections community and led directly to numerous high-profile initiatives to 'expose hidden collections'. Since then, recognition of the distinction that unique special collections bring to our institutions has greatly increased. Some key data points discovered in the 2009 survey include: far too many rare and unique materials remain 'hidden'; the size of collections is growing rapidly; most institutions report increased numbers of onsite users; staffing generally remains stable; and digitisation and born-digital archival records emerged as two of the three most challenging issues.
Key implications of the survey results for the special collections and archives community, including the recommended action items detailed in the report, will be discussed in a webinar on October 28, 2010. Webinar participation is free but advanced registration is required. This webinar will be recorded and made available on the OCLC website and in iTunes.
The report is available online at
http://www.oclc.org/research/publications/library/2010/2010-11.pdf.
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