Developing our Collections - Overarching Collecting Principles
The following principles provide the overarching framework for our collecting.
Our collections reflect a representative balance of views and perspectives. We do not seek to promote or discourage particular viewpoints and do not censor material, although abide by federal and State Government decisions on banned and restricted materials.
Not all our collection resources will be owned - some will be accessed.
Not all our collection resources will be retained indefinitely.
Decisions on ownership and retention are determined by the primary purpose of the collection. Where collections exist to fill more than one purpose, different ownership and retention periods may exist for specific aspects of the collection. This is indicated in the more specific collecting principles and profiles in this framework.
We will make the majority of our owned collections accessible and provide people, particularly Western Australians, with appropriate access to our collections. These decisions will be made in keeping with agreed restrictions for culturally sensitive material, copyright, licensing, budgetary and infrastructure considerations.
We are selective in collecting resources that have conditions which unnecessarily limit access or require significant collection management.
We recognise the importance to Australia's Indigenous people in acknowledging and collecting their heritage. This will be a primary focus in all areas of our collecting, with specific emphasis on resources about, by or relevant to Western Australian Indigenous people.
Format
We collect items in their original format however:
- will undertake reformatting and the creation of digital derivatives for preservation purposes or to enhance access.
- format is secondary to content.
- will selectively collect more than one format of items to enhance accessibility (usability) or to ensure comprehensiveness.
- collect new formats as accessibility or client need dictates.
We continue to collect material for our heritage collections in its original format. We are moving to a 'digital preferred' collection for reference material provided through the State Library.
Digital resources will be collected in preference to print, if available and within budget constraints and current standards, particularly where enhanced searching, information currency or improved access is a notable benefit.
Collaboration
No single collecting institution or resource can satisfy the needs of researchers. We work collaboratively with other collecting institutions and individuals to achieve a national approach to digital cultural content as articulated by the Collections Council to "help reveal objects, ideas and information that are at present essentially hidden from Australian and international users" (p. 8).
Ways in which we facilitate collaboration include:
- contributing digital objects to Picture Australia, PANDORA, Music Australia and as part of the NPLAN;
- the unique partnership State Library has with public libraries;
- participating in interlibrary loan agreements;
- contributing to the Libraries Australia database to facilitate access; and
- working with NSLA to achieve the strategies of One Library and Accessible Content.
We support the concept of a national distributed collection to foster rationalisation of, and access to, collections.
We encourage consortium collecting where budgetary or client service benefits can be achieved.
We will develop and enhance our collections through the proactive collecting of community created digital content.
Duplication
Duplication of a resource is avoided, although may be necessary to ensure preservation and/or access, particularly where the item is significant, rare or fragile.
Ease of access, popularity or high use are criteria that are used to identify resources that require duplication (for example, across public library loan collections).
Where duplication is necessary in collections from the State Library, we prefer this where possible, to be in the form of digital derivatives. If this is not possible, due to license or other restrictions, we will selectively acquire an additional copy in the original format.
If we create a copy or derivative it will meet current standards and we will promote the application of these standards for digital donations.
Language
We collect resources mainly in English. Exceptions within specific collections are outlined in other areas of this framework.
Policy and Framework Review
This framework and the policy it guides will be formally reviewed every 2 years at the initiation of the Manager Collection Development however, may be updated at any time to reflect changes in strategic direction or agreed policy changes.
Page last updated: Tuesday 23 November 2010
