Goals and Approach
Collection surveys can be item-by-item or sampled, depending on the size of your collection. Surveys can focus on a single issue, such as rehousing, or on several issues at once such as rehousing, storage conditions and treatment needs. The goal is to identify the particular needs in your collection, whether rehousing or treatment, as well as to spot priorities. A survey involves time spent examining your collection and creating a database recording condition, treatment and rehousing needs and priorities. A final written report will outline recommended priorities and approaches.
Getting Started
If you have a sizeable collection and aren't sure where to start or if you need an overall picture of the needs of your collection to enable planning for future treatment and rehousing, a condition survey is a good preliminary step.