INVENTORY OR CATALOG COLLECTIONS

The survey may identify some collections that are not properly cataloged or inventoried. Sometimes these are gifts; the librarian or museum board has simply not yet decided whether to incorporate the items into the collection. If they are lost in a disaster, there will be no way to know what is lost. Insurance companies generally require an inventory in order to process a claim.

Often these materials are in boxes in basements or other areas, where they are exposed to humid conditions conducive to mold. Frequently they add to clutter. Decide whether the unaccessioned materials are pertinent to your mission. If not, discard, trade or sell them. If the materials are valuable to your collection, incorporate them into your catalog so they will be accessible to researchers.

Finally, safeguard your catalog or inventory. A very small institution with only one copy of the catalog is at risk of losing that information in a disaster. Make sure that there is adequate back-up and keep copies at another location.