Mission Statement

The mission of the University Library for Special Collections is to develop its local history collections and the Cleveland Digital Library web site into a premier research resource that will be a significant asset in the study and teaching of the cultural heritage of the Cleveland area. The focus of Special Collections and its web site is the history of Cleveland and northeast Ohio and, as appropriate, spreading out to include the Great Lakes region. Within this framework, there is a particularly strong interest in the historical development of Cleveland into a major regional business and industrial center. As Special Collections becomes a meaningful vehicle for interacting with the local community and a major research center, it will be a source of pride for the Library and the University.

Guidelines for Evaluating Collections

The following guidelines are intended for use in evaluating collections that are offered to the Library, for collections that the Library is considering purchasing, and for collections that the Library is considering soliciting. These guidelines need to be considered in a flexible manner, but generally the more a prospective collection conforms to the guidelines, the more desirable it is.

Mission - the extent that the collection matches the mission of Special Collections.

University - the extent that the collection matches the goals of Cleveland State University and the curriculum interests of the faculty and students. >

Resources - the extent that it would be feasible for the Library to process the collection given available staff.

Condition - the extent that it the collection is in suitable condition to permit normal use and processing, including possible digitization.

Funding - the extent that the collection either comes with funding for processing or is likely to attract funding in a reasonable amount of time.

Linkage - the extent that the collection is likely to facilitate opportunities for other collections.

Conditions - the extent that the collection is free of restrictions or complications related to ownership, use, access, and copyright concerns.

Compatibility -- the extent that the collection compliments and strengthens existing materials and topics.

Uniqueness - the extent that the collection represents unique material for this library rather than duplication of material or similar material in other libraries

Digitization - the extent that the collection lends itself to digitization so that Internet access can be provided.