Building and Safeguarding the Nation’s Printed Heritage

John Scally

Overview

• Introduction

• Acquisition and disposal of rare books in Scotland

• Collaborative Collection Development now - some examples

• Collaborative Collection Development - a possible way forward

• Tangible Outcomes

Acquisition & Disposal - some issues

• Insufficient Information about who collects what in Scottish libraries (RCO & SCONE)

• Few formal mechanisms for alerting other libraries about Acquisition & Disposal (Scottish Book Exchange)

• Lack of information / clarity about what NLS/Rare Books can offer

Some Possible Ways Forward

• NLS to clarify its role & state what support it can offer

• NLS to mount a summary of its rare books CD policy on www.nls.uk/rarebooks

• NLS to host a summary of CD policy of all partner libraries on www.nls.uk/rarebooks

•NLS to clarify guidelines available on retention and disposal,

following CILIP, Rare Books Group guidelines

NLS to restate its willingness to be a hub

for the building up of the printedheritage through collaborative

Collection Development

Proposed Areas for CD Summary

• Overview - background to current holdings, breadth and depth

• Collection Strengths - distinguishing features

• Cataloguing Information - status, online on cards, in bibliography

• Budgets & Trust Funds - capacity to purchase

• Contact Information - name, address, library URL

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND – RARE BOOKS

SUMMARY OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

OverviewOn its foundation in 1925 the National Library inherited from the Advocates’ Library important historical and heritage collections built up throughpurchase, gift and deposit since the 1680s, making it the most important repository of printed material relating to Scotland. Since 1925 one of theLibrary’s principal functions has been to add to those collections, and this is work that is given a high priority within the Rare Books team. Althoughour collection development policy runs to over twenty pages (http://www.nls.uk/professional/policy/docs/NLS_COLLDEV.pdf), it essentially says thatwe collect the printed record of Scotland and of the Scots, from the earliest period up to ten years before the current date (1993), when our modernbuyers take over. Works by Scottish authors, works printed in Scotland, or works with Scottish content fall within our compass; fine bindings,photographs, and books with a Scottish provenance would also be included. Outside that remit we enjoy a certain degree of flexibility, especially inrelation to donations, where we can strengthen the diversity of existing non-Scottish printed Special Collections. In line with other national libraries,we also collect landmark publications that map the history and development of the book. Increasingly, however, and owing to the fact that there is aspace cost attached to every acquisition, we keep to our Scottish remit in the normal course of our activities.

Collection StrengthsOur collection strengths are many and varied. Since we have enjoyed the Legal Deposit privilege since 1710, effectively the right to claim a copy ofevery book printed in the UK, our holdings in this area have breadth as well as depth. Since the 1680s, the Library has also been buying books, fromcopies of the works of great Scottish writers published abroad to large collections of books on subjects as diverse as the Lutheran Reformation, theEnglish theatre, Scandinavian and Icelandic literature, and Giuseppe Verdi. We have over 150 special and named printed collections of books, eachone a library in its own right, a significant proportion of which cover the range of Scottish subjects such as Gaelic folklore and poetry (J.F. Campbell),Mary Queen of Scots (Rosebery), Jacobitism (Walter Blaikie), and Witchcraft (Keiller). All special and named printed collections are listed anddescribed at http://www.nls.uk/catalogues/online/snpc/index.html

Cataloguing InformationSince 1978, all books received into the Library have been recorded in the National Library’s OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue). For booksreceived before that date, the majority of the earlier card catalogue entries have now been added to the OPAC. However, the conversion process is notyet completed, and for pre-1801 books the RLIN ESTC file should be consulted (visitors to the Library should consult the fiche catalogue). The NLSOPAC can be viewed at http://main-cat.nls.uk/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First

Budgets and Trust FundsOur acquisitions activity runs according to the financial year in Great Britain (1 April to 31 March) and there is a noticeable cycle in the Britishbooktrade that mirrors this. We receive a slice of the cake known as the National Library’s Book Purchase Fund. This is supplemented bycontributions from internal trust funds and from applications to external funding bodies and charities, such as the Friends of the National Libraries,The National Art Collections Fund, and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Contact InformationAddress: Rare Books, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW. 0131 226 4531.Email: rarebooks@nls.ukWebsite: www.nls.uk

First Steps

Step 1: Agree to the general principle of a joined-up approach to collection development

Step 2: Supply us with a one page summary of your collection development policy

Tangible Outcomes

• Save time & effort by supporting each other

• Share information, including summary collection development policies

• Remove uncertainty about retention and disposal

• NLS to host summary CD policies - your policy is known

• A clear and simple network of support, advice, and information is established - NLS at hub