I attended the Collection Description Focus on Tuesday. It was interesting and thought provoking, although I am not convinced of the possibility of having a standard Collection Level Description (CLD) which will meet the needs of all users of Libraries, Archives and Museums.
One issue that I didn't get a chance to explore at the focus meeting yesterday was the issue of a standard CLD for an archaeological site. I'm thinking here of a site which may have been the subject of archaeogical activity over a period of time.
The "collection" would then consist of a number of component parts:
1) The physical monument
2) Finds and records from excavations
There may be many of these and they may be in the custody of different institutions.
3) Stray finds
These may be in many institutions and in private collections
4) Records of finds which can no longer be traced
These may be in publications or unpublished in archives
5) Maps and plans
6) Drawings, paintings
7) Photographs, arial photographs
8) Sites and Monument Record records
9) Published books and journals
10) letters from antiquaries
And probably others.
So my question is, would it be useful to have some standard for this type of CLD? Who would the users be, and what would they want such a CLD to contain? Is MIDAS that standard, or is it MIDAS plus extensions, or something else?
Trevor Reynolds
Collections Registrar, English Heritage
Room G01, 23 Savile Row, London, W1S 2ET, UK
tel: +44 (0)20 7973 3482 fax: +44 (0)20 7973 3001 (GTN 3503 3482)
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