This article was first published by the Collections Trust.
A big thank you to everyone who responded to our call for feedback during February and March 2022 – we had some thought provoking responses, prompting valuable discussions. After reflecting on your contributions, we now welcome feedback on revised content for Cataloguing and Use of collections. Once finalised, the revised procedures will be supported by outreach and training, and the development of worked examples.
If you missed the first round of consultation, this is your opportunity to feed into the changes. If you took part in March, we’d love to hear from you again. Click here to view the draft materials for both procedures.
Feedback form – https://forms.office.com/r/drfxQ3eCY5
We welcome your feedback by 5pm Tuesday 5 July, and please do circulate to colleagues. We will also be hosting a consultation discussion on 23 June – details here
A summary of the main revisions since March, as a result of your feedback so far:
Cataloguing
- A revised definition.
- Strengthening of key messages within the scope and revision of language.
- Revision of existing policy questions, including replacing the term ‘core’ with ‘target basic’ when referring to catalogue records.
- Additional policy questions covering bias and transparency of changes within catalogue records.
- Revision of the suggested procedure – introducing steps related to ‘basic’ records and links to the Audit procedure.
- New guidance notes within the suggested procedure:
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- Attribution.
- The evolution of your museum’s documentation systems and practices.
- Catalogue records containing information that is inaccurate, harmful, or offensive.
- External cataloguing standards.
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Use of collections
- A revised definition.
- Clarification that this procedure also includes using collections data.
- Within the scope – information about potential users and stakeholders, in addition to existing information about different uses.
- Revision of existing policy questions.
- Additional policy questions covering users and consultation.
- Revision of the suggested procedure – including use of collections data, as well as use of the collections themselves, and linking to the Cataloguing procedure.
- Clarification that as well as the specific Use of collections information units, such as a personal response, users can contribute a wealth of other information which can be added to catalogue records eg. object history information.
Within both procedures
- Revision of language, including a shift from ‘your collection’ to ‘the collection’ or ‘collections in your care’ – to be implemented throughout the Spectrum standard.
If you would like to compare this material to the first draft, released in February, it is still accessible here.
