Collections and Featured Topics

Collections

Collections correspond with groupings of physical items.

• Archival collections correspond with the Record Group arrangement of the physical materials in the archives.

• Library Collections are divided by publication date (modern vs. rare collections) and donor in some cases. Digitized journal runs receive their own collections as well.

• Oral Histories belong to the Oral History collection AND an additional project collection based on the funder and theme of the interview.

• Museum items are divided into collections by donor groups. Not all museum items have a collection.

• Journal collections: if multiple issues of a library journal are digitized, created a collection record for the journal title, and add all the individual issues as works to the collection. (See Dyestuffs Journal for an example). If the journal is in the modern library collection, all works/issue should also be share with the Modern Books and Journals collection.
  
  Per the Chief Curator of Archives, 2024, for journal runs & journal issues that are part of an archival collections, do not create a collection record for the journal title. Do not share the works/issues with the Modern Books and Journals collection. For instance, there is no journal-title collection record for The Society News. The digitized issues of Society News are works within the Society of Flavor Chemists Newsletters and Certificates of Incorporation archival collection (2024.15)

• Exhibition collections contain digitized items that were exhibited together in physical and digital exhibitions. Create collection records for the following types of exhibitions only:

Creating Collections:

1. Log into the Digital Collections website and enter the Dashboard.

2. Select Collections from the Admin menu on the left-hand side.

3. Select New Collection.

4. Enter the following metadata:

   1. Title: [Official exhibit or collection title]

   2. Department: [Select from the drop-down]

   3. External ID: Add ArchivesSpace ref no. for archives, or bib no for journal collections.

   4. Description: In general, provide an overview of the content and context for the materials.

      1. For digital exhibitions:
         Select digitized items from the digital exhibition <a href=”exhibition URL”>enter exhibition title here</a>.

      2. For outdoor exhibitions:
         Select digitized items from the outdoor exhibition <a href=”exhibition URL”>enter exhibition title here</a>, on view from date-date.
         May need to add: “Also available as a digital exhibition.”

      3. For Hach Gallery exhibitions:
         Select digitized items from the exhibition <a href=”exhibition URL”>enter exhibition title here</a>, on view in our Hach Gallery from date-date.”
         May need to add: Also available as a digital exhibition.

      4. For Archival collections: Borrow from the archival collection description to provide a general overview. Clarify what portions of the collection have been digitized.

      5. For Oral History projects: Defer to oral history staff.

      6. For Journal collections: provide an overview of the publication, and describe what portion of the run has been digitized.

   5. Publish: Select the check box when ready to publish.

   6. Related Links: Archival collections should be linked to their finding aids. Collections can also be linked to articles, the collections blog, press, or other pertinent websites.

   7. Thumbnail: Create a thumbnail. Must be square and larger than 532 x 532 px.

   8. Funder: Funder info should be entered for collections whose digitization and processing were made possible by a grant or donor. Provide the donor logo to developers.

5. Select Create Collection.

Add Works to a Collection

Can be done individually or by using the cart batch edit tool.

1. Locate digitized items you would like to add to add to the collection.

2. Select Edit, Metadata

3. Scroll to the bottom of the metadata form, and in the “In Collections” field, start typing and select the name of the new Collection. A work may belong in more than one collection.

4. Select Update Works.

Featured Topics

Featured topics are collections of works that automatically populate from a pre-determined selection of subject headings encompassing a given topic.

The curation of subject headings for Featured Topics should be completed by the Digital Collections Librarian and a Collection Manager or Programming department lead.

To create a featured topic, the following deliverables are needed:

1. A list of FAST or LC subject headings pertaining to the topic at hand. Genre categories may also be used to curate works within the Topic. There is no requirement for the amount of subject headings needed, but the selected headings should fully encompass the topic at hand, capturing subdivisions and hierarchical categories when possible.

2. A brief paragraph to describe the topic.

3. A square JPG photo, at least 700 x 700 px, to be the Topic’s thumbnail icon.

4. A Featured Topic title

Once these four pieces have been created, a GitHub ticket should be created to request the Featured Topic. The following existing Topics may be used as examples: