The Collections Trust

The Professional Body for Collections Management

Facts & figures

• 23,000 users of our Collections Management standards in 13 countries

• 7,100 registered users of our online services

• Fortnightly email bulletin to 3,500 registered users

• Managing EUR15m of EU-funded digital/creative media programmes

• 2.3m digital cultural objects opened up for creative re-use

• 93% cited SPECTRUM as 1st priority when selecting new systems

• 95% cited CT services as ‘useful’ or ‘very useful’

• 87% rated Collections Link as ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’

Sector partnerships

Our fit with ACE prioritiesYou say… ...we deliver

Goal 1: Excellence is thriving and celebrated in museums and libraries

We define excellence in Collections Management & provide expertise and resources to help people achieve it

Goal 2: More people experience and are inspired by museums and libraries

Our public programmes open up collections for enjoyment & creative re-use by mainstream audiences

Goal 3: Museums and libraries are sustainable, resilient and innovative

Our standards & best practices help professionals & institutions achieve excellence, accountability & sustainability

Goal 4: The leadership and workforce in museums and libraries are diverse and highly skilled.

Collections Management provides non-academic routes to entry, helping to open up the profession

Goal 5: Every child and young person has the opportunity to experience the richness of museums and libraries.

Programmes such as ‘Hidden Treasures’ with the Independent encourage young people to experience collections

Mission from 2013

During 2012-13, the Collections Trust will become a professional body for the Collections Management community, under a revised Mission:

“Working with and on behalf of our members, we promote excellence and innovation in Collections Management and positively champion physical and digital collections and their public value within the museum, arts & related heritage sectors.”

Strategic Objectives from 2013

The Collections Trust will work towards 4 strategic objectives:

• Providing leadership and advocacy

• Celebrating excellence and innovation

• Building skills and capacity

• Delivering excellent member services

Skills & capacity-building

Our objective is to develop a workforce capable of delivering excellence in Collections and Information Management.

We are in the process of defining a skills/competency framework combining 4 elements:

• Core values• Practice-based knowledge• Subject-specific knowledge• Professional management skills

Collections Management Framework

Subject specialism & curatorship

Our objective is to re-assert subject-specific knowledge of the collection (and collection-specific policies) as the basis of excellence in Collections Management.

We will work with Tim Ewin and the Subject Specialist Networks to develop a line of strategic advocacy, specific programmes and supporting infrastructure (networks, online resources, face-to-face).

We will promote subject specialist knowledge and re-emphasise the role of the curator and curatorship as the foundation of an excellent service.

Nick PooleCEO, Collections Trust

WC209, Natural History MuseumCromwell RoadLondonSW7 5BD

www.collectionslink.org.uk