Significance 2.0: a guide to assessing the significance of collection

Significance 2.0: a guide to assessing the significance of collections. Roslyn Russell, Kylie Winkworth. Collections Council of Australia Ltd. 2009.
This guide is for defining an adaptable method for determining significance across all collections in Australia. The intention is that it will improve collection decision-making in areas such as, preservation, access, and funding support. Regarding significance:

• We cannot keep everything forever. It is vital we make the best use of our scarce resources for collecting, conserving, documenting and digitising our collection materials.
• Significance is not an absolute state; it can change over time.  
• Collection custodians have a responsibility to consult communities and respect other views in constructing societal memory and identity. 
• It is vital to understand, respect and document the context of collection materials that shape collection materials.

Significance’ refers to the values and meanings that items and collections have for people and communities. Significance helps unlock the potential of collections, creating opportunities for
communities to understand, access and enjoy collections. Artistic, scientific and social or
spiritual values are the criteria or key values that help to express how and why an item or collection is significant. Part of the criteria are: provenance, rarity or representativeness, condition or completeness, and interpretive capacity. Significance assessment involves five main steps:

1. analysing an item or collection
2. researching its history, provenance and context
3. comparison with similar items
4. understanding its values by reference to the criteria
5. summarising its meanings and values in a statement of significance

 A statement of significance is a concise summary of the values, meaning and importance of an item
or collection. It is an argument about how and why an item or collection is of value. This should be reviewed as circumstances change.  Significance assessment is

• a process to help with good management of items and collections; 
• it is a collaborative process and consultation is essential.
• it will substantiate justify assessments objectively rather than subjectively

The process is:

1. Collate information about the history and development of the collection
2. Research the history, scope and themes of the collection
3. Consult knowledgeable people
4. Explore the context of the collection
5. Analyse and describe the condition of the collection
6. Compare the collection with similar collections
7. Identify related places and collections
8. Assess significance against the criteria
9. Write a statement of significance
10. List recommendations and actions

Significance assessment is only the first part of the significance process. Once an item or collection has been assessed as significant, there will be a range of actions to better manage the collections.
 

Digital Preservation Matters.

New Expert Panel Report From Council of Canadian Academies Says Canada’s Memory Institutions “Falling Behind” in Preservation of Digital Materials

New Expert Panel Report From Council of Canadian Academies Says Canada’s Memory Institutions “Falling Behind” in Preservation of Digital Materials. Gary Price. Library Journal. February 4, 2015.
An expert panel report, Leading in the Digital World: Opportunities for Canada’s Memory Institutions, (208 pages; PDF) addresses the challenges and opportunities that exist for libraries, archives, museums, and galleries as they adapt to the digital age. Vast amounts of digital information are at risk of being lost because many traditional tools are no longer adequate in the digital age. Memory institutions face the difficult task of preserving digital files in formats that will remain accessible over the long term. Institutions to collaborate more strategically and develop interactive relationships with users. They must also be leaders within and among their respective organizations. Many of the challenges faced are rooted in technical issues associated with managing digital content, the sheer volume of digital information, and the struggle to remain relevant. Collaboration is essential for adaptation, which enables institutions to access the resources required to deliver the  services that users now expect.

Digital Preservation Matters.

An Intern Considers the Digital Preservation Challenge

An Intern Considers the Digital Preservation Challenge, Part 1 & Part 2. Jennifer Clark. The Signal. March 27-28, 2013.
Some items from the articles to remember:

• People working with archival or heritage resources actually do know that digital preservation is important and even essential, but they aren’t always sure of the best ways of approaching the problem and achieving success in their preservation activities.
• Digital objects are no longer just for viewing or reading but also for data analysis and visualization. It is not sufficient to save these items merely for human interaction; we must also preserve for future machine interaction as well.
•  digital preservationists must value pragmatism over idealism to make sure as many of our digital objects are as safe as possible.
• we will not have anything to process if we don’t acquire as much at-risk material as we can right now.
• Making progress in digital preservation is not just an issue of technology and tools; it’s also an issue of collaboration.the future of the profession is not only to become advocates, but also to become collaborators. 
• convince people of the future value of their digital objects in a way that is important to them
• The easiest way to get people to become fellow collaborators is to tap into their familiar workflows and to seamlessly integrate preservation activities, rather than trying to create a parallel workflow or impose an entirely new one.
  
  
  
  Digital Preservation Matters.