To Summarize

Summer Session II has been an invigorating and exciting term of study. Having the opportunity to incorporate a course at UVA's Rare Book School into an independent study at USC has been of tremendous value to me. It can be difficult, as a distance student with the goal of becoming a rare book/special collections librarian, to fulfill those needs within the general plan of study. Flexibility at the institutional level as well as a desire to meet student needs is of profound importance. I have been the beneficiary of both at USC.

The RBS course on special collections librarianship, taught by Alice Schreyer, focused on several important themes:

• Beginning with a definition of the term "special collections" and its use in the institutional context and culture; we consider special collections our cultural heritage community.
• Collection development exercises via book practicums helped us to develop an eye for collection needs and collection strengths.
• Access and public services are subjects of primary importance. These needs can be met through a variety of tools including reference, outreach, and instruction.
• Security as an issue to be considered when setting up exhibitions, public programs, and reading room rules and guidelines.
• Development as an increasing role of the special collections librarian, with a focus on donor relations and grants.
• Processing. Bringing hidden collections to the fore, cataloging materials, and providing metadata.
• Digitization. This is an area that will only increase over time. Libraries are no longer looking for the "special topic" for an exhibit but making digitization of materials an every day occurance for all special collections materials, not just the glitzy ones.
• Preservation and conservation. Definitions of these often interchanged terms and how best to assess and provide for the items under our care to ensure their use by future generations.
• The profession of special collections librarianship. The history, development and future of the profession.

This is a lot of ground to cover in a week's time. The reading list provided a strong background for the subject at hand. The workbook students received in class covers all the week's topics as well as documents and references that will prove to be an important on-the-job resource.

This class has provided each of us with a truly comprehensive look at the role of special collections in institutions and what it means to be special collections librarians.

There's a lot to do. Let's get started!