Open AccessCollection Definition in Federated Digital Resource Development
Author(s) -
Palmer Carole L.,
Knutson Ellen M.,
Twidale Michael,
Zavalina Oksana
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
proceedings of the american society for information science and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1550-8390
pISSN - 0044-7870
DOI - 10.1002/meet.14504301161
Subject(s) - resource (disambiguation) , data collection , computer science , collection development , construct (python library) , ambiguity , world wide web , service (business) , representation (politics) , data science , knowledge management , business , political science , sociology , computer network , social science , marketing , programming language , politics , law
As part of a federation project providing integrated access to over 170 digital collections, we are studying how collections can best be represented to meet the needs of service providers and diverse user communities. This paper reports on recent results from that project on how digital resource developers conceive of and define their collections. Based on content analysis of collection registry records, survey and interview data, and focus groups, we identify collection definition trends including a broadening of target audiences, elaboration of subject representation, and a lack of clearly defined selection criteria. Our findings reveal high variability and ambiguity in the collection construct. We discuss how the concept of collection is being continuously defined through the processes of digital resource development and federation and how rapidly changing conceptualizations are likely to impact adoption, tailoring, and development of digital collections and their use.