MASC25
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UCL
Library Services currently leads a number of externally-funded
projects, representing initiatives in a wide range
of education support services, and is a partner in
many such projects based at universities nation-wide.
This is a growing trend as libraries across all sectors
are encouraged to collaborate to enhance their services,
and the access to them.
The
Mapping Access to Special Collections in the London
Region project (MASC25) is one such UCL-led project.
The project aims to create a unified online resource
guide to printed special collections held in Higher
Education and Public Libraries in the M25 area.
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Illustration
of Camomilla Camillen taken from Herbarius Latinus
by Johann Petri, published in 1485. A work held in
UCL's Incunabula collection; one of the special collections
in the M25 area.
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MASC25
has recently completed a feasibility study, funded by the
British Library Co-operation and Partnership Programme.
This feasibility study has created a detailed vision of
the direction that future work on the project will take.
The
London region is particularly rich in collections of a unique,
rare or special significance and it is envisioned that the
online guide will be an indispensable tool for researchers
hoping to identify collections relevant to their work.
The
project will develop with close links to the related venture
AIM25 (Archives in London and the M25 area), which is currently
surveying archival and manuscript material held by libraries
in the region.
A
project survey has revealed a wealth of special collections
in the M25 Consortium libraries. Descriptions of these collections
will be added to the data that already exists for the libraries
of the University of London and public libraries, to form
a comprehensive electronic resource. Standards to be used
for collection description, subject access, and the web
delivery of data to users have been identified to ensure
consistency in content, accuracy in indexing, and a high
quality format for ease of use in the final product.
Content
by Anna Grundy
Further
information from Janet
Percival
