Keeping treasures in testing times : special collections in the academic environment

“… university libraries, while differing in the specifics of their goals, generally embrace the obligation to collect, preserve, and make available primary source materials for both current scholarship and future research” (Hewitt 1998).

This paper explores some of the challenges faced by the Fryer Library, the special collections branch of the University of Queensland Library responsible for manuscripts and pictorial materials, as well as theses and rare books. The challenges are not dissimilar to those being met by other cultural agencies or institutions as well as other academic libraries. The challenges covered include collection development, access and preservation, making appropriate responses to the research imperative, as well as promotion of services and collections, and servicing the community at large. The paper outlines the research library context and concludes with experiences of cross-sectoral collaborations and future opportunities.

Sparking true imagination in a digital environment

Poster Presentation : A guide on how you can display your Special Collections to engage a broader audience

Fusion: repo to expo

Deakin University has set up a new exhibition system, Fusion, to showcase the University's special collections and research outputs. Data in Fusion will also be used by researchers in the digital humanities, and will provide a means of involving the wider, local, community in research efforts and collaborative projects. Fusion uses the Omeka software, which supports highly-visual, media-rich presentations. It is linked to the University's research repository, which remains the primary store for the data.Deakin’s special collections include unique material related to Alfred Deakin and the Federation of Australia, as well as the cultural and social milieu of the period 1859 to 1920. The Library has begun a digitisation project to ensure the long-term preservation of the rarer, older and most fragile items from the collection. The poster will cover:• Principal software requirements for the new system• Fusion setup, features and functionality• Curation of items for digitisation• Long-term preservation strategy• Exhibition planning and setup• Collaborative projects with Research Services• Collaboration with the wider community• Future plans, including crowd-sourcing projects• Lessons learntThe poster will draw on the following conference themes:Supporting research: Research digital outputs as collection materialsSupporting research: Research content accessibilitySupporting research: Data management / curationConnect: Crowdsourcing

Special libraries

In Australia and New Zealand, the term 'special library' refers to libraries that provide resources and services to employees of an organization or industry.  The majority have collections and/or services supporting a specific subject area.  These include, but are not limited to, libraries in government department, law firms, private companies, banking and finance institutions, research organizations, religious groups and professional associations.