IASA 2017 Annual Conference

The concept of "Special collection" covers a wide range of notions that commonly refer to rare and unique material archives or cultural institutions possess. Its meaning ranges from precious manuscripts, to a particular material type collection, or an individual’s personal archives. Because these collections are special, they add to the uniqueness of the cultural institution general collection. However, precisely because they are special, they present specific challenges and require specific treatment. Given the vastness of the notion for the purpose of this tutorial we will narrow it down to one particular kind of special collection: sound fonds, intended as audio material created or collected by an individual or a public association and donated to, or sometimes just deposited in, a sound archive. By first attempting to define the main characteristics of sound fonds, this tutorial will then try to outline a framework and a methodical approach that should allow an archive to receive and treat correctly these fonds, to describe and contextualize them properly, and give them an appropriate place in the general collection. Great attention will be paid to the definition of workflows necessary to the management of these special collections.