Collectioncensuses
Collectioncensuses are systematic inventories conducted on a defined collection to document the presence, quantity, and attributes of items within it. They aim to produce a comprehensive snapshot of holdings, including physical objects, digital files, and related metadata, and to reveal representation and gaps across categories such as format, date, language, provenance, and condition.
Institutions such as libraries, archives, and museums undertake collection censuses to support planning, stewardship, and accountability.
Methodology commonly involves defining the collection boundary, developing a taxonomy, and creating an enumeration plan. A
Outputs typically include counts by category, coverage metrics, and visualizations of representation. Collection censuses support budgeting,
Limitations include resource intensity, time lags, and reliance on metadata quality. Dynamic or growing collections require