UC Libraries > Heads of Special Collections (HOSC) > HOSC Annual Report – 2008-2009

HOSC Annual Report – 2008-2009

Submitted by Christine Bunting, HOSC Chair 2008-09, and Head of Special Collections and Archives, UCSC

HOSC Statement of Purpose and Objectives:

The principal goal of HOSC is to ensure the continued excellence of UC systemwide special collections holdings, striving to avoid unnecessary overlap among collections and to make effective use of limited resources.
To accomplish this, we collaborate and coordinate efforts in acquiring, managing, preserving, and providing access to special collections materials in the UC system.

Our objectives include:

  1. Collection development: Develop collaborative collection development and collection management strategies, based on collection strengths and programmatic needs of the individual campuses.
  2. Resource sharing: Develop guidelines and procedures for sharing special collections resources among campuses.
  3. Access: Coordinate efforts to enhance access to special collections materials.
  4. Administration: Share information about policies and procedures in day-to-day operations, including areas such as patron registration, reading room service, acquisition of in-kind gifts, confidentiality issues regarding use of certain materials, and fee structures for use and reproduction of materials.
  5. Preservation: Identify preservation needs and coordinate preservation efforts relating to materials of various formats in special collections.
  6. Security: Share concerns and information about security issues, including access of staff and patrons to special collections materials, security features in facilities design and maintenance, and rapid communication among UC campuses regarding security alerts.

 

HOSC 2008-2009 Goals & Objectives and Accomplishments:

  1. Continue to communicate and work collaboratively with other UC groups such as UCAC, PAG, OAC committees, as well as national groups/organizations such as ARL and RBMS on issues of common interest.

Mass digitization of special collections was discussed throughout the year. The results of CDL’s survey taken by HOSC members were made known in January. Limited interest was expressed and no mandate was made to pursue such a program actively. There is still the possibility of an alternate digitization project being initiated with the northern campuses, using their deposits at the NRLF. UCB, UCD, UCSC, and UCSF members will be discussing the feasibility and/or constraints of such a proposed project with CDL’s Mass Digitization Project Manager Christenson in early Fall.

Information and forms were shared from UC’s Fine Arts Work Group that is reviewing systemwide agreement forms used for the loan of fine art or library items to other institutions for temporary exhibition purposes.

  1. Maintain and expand content of the HOSC web site.

Lisa Mix was thanked for her many years maintaining the group’s web site. Responsibilities have now transferred to Michelle Light of UCI. Reports for meetings have been appropriately posted and shared.

  1. Continue to meet regularly (in person or otherwise) to discuss UC-wide Special Collections issues, as addressed in the HOSC Charge and Statement of Purpose, and explore ways to address them.

Due to economic situations and at the request of SOPAG, HOSC met twice this year (November 21st, 2008 and June 1st, 2009) by conference call. Rosalie Lack of CDL’s Digital Special Collections was invited to speak on specific agenda items at both meetings.

  1. Explore with CDL’s Director of Digital Special Collections the formation of a Special Collections Digital Steering Committee, and assist in developing its charge to guide the building of digital special collections.

During the year, the focus of this goal shifted as the formation of a steering committee was thought unnecessary at this time. Instead, HOSC invited Rosalie Lack of CDL’s Digital Special Collections (DSC) to join its membership and received updates on digital projects and initiatives. Members provided feedback on the OAC’s BETA version of its redesign before the new site was launched in July. Three campuses expressed interest in being part of CDL’s future test of using flickr commons as a social networking tool.  HOSC members participated in the DSC’s Collection Management Survey on tools used for broad based collection management, digital object management, and web publishing. They reviewed the DSC’s summary and features matrix of the “Collection Management & Creation Strategies for UC’s Special Collections and Archives”, and provided information to Lack on use and interest (as OAC contributors) in using Archivist Toolkit and ContentDM. 

  1. Continue to comment and provide end user assessment to CDL and OCLC on the Next Generation Melvyl Pilot.

All members were interested in activities and outcomes of the OCLC/RLG Partnership Program’s WorldCat Local Special Collections and Archives Task Force. HOSC conferred with David de Lorenzo, Bancroft’s Head of Technical Services and a member of the Task Force. The group received and discussed both the Task Force’s report of December 16, 2008 and OCLC’s response of March 27, 2009. HOSC continues to keep apprised of activities, recommendations, and decisions made by both groups.

The formation of the Next Generation Technical Services Task Force with a focus on UC Unique Collections (http://uclib-s10.cdlib.org/about/uls/ngts/docs/uc_unique_collections.html) will be of interest.  HOSC expects to be consulted and to “help envision technical services work flows and processes pertaining to unique collections in a manner that enhances the user experience and improves efficiency.” UCSF’s Lisa Mix is chairing the Task Force and Michelle Light of UCI is serving as a member.

HOSC 2009-2010 Goals & Objectives:

  • Continue to communicate and work collaboratively with other UC groups such as UCAC, PAG, OAC committees, as well as national groups/organizations such as ARL and RBMS on issues of common interest
    Maintain and expand content of the HOSC web site.
  • Continue to meet regularly (in person or otherwise) to discuss UC-wide Special Collections issues, as addressed in the HOSC Charge and Statement of Purpose, and explore ways to address them.
  • Model efficient use of resources by close engagement in UC partnerships and collaborations to build and provide ready access to digital special collections.
  • Continue to comment and provide user assessment on development of Next Generation Melvyl and on the efforts of the Next Generation Technical Services Task Force on UC Unique Collections.