Overview
The systematic, consistent, and purposeful gathering of information and data about holdings, resources, and users can enable repository staff to support a variety of strategic decisions. When time and resources are limited, a thoughtfully constructed assessment can help ensure that the repository staff is working efficiently and effectively towards responsible stewardship of collections in order to:
- Measure and communicate the extent and scope of repository holdings;
- Prioritize work, including descriptive and preservation activities and processing queues;
- Allocate current resources;
- Advocate for additional or new resources or funding; and
- Improve and refine practices and policies.
Conducting a comprehensive assessment is a shared responsibility. This requires those with different responsibilities within the repository to come together to collect and analyze data so that a more complete picture of a repository’s strengths and weaknesses can be evaluated, and a plan for moving forward can be created.