kokoelmia

Kokoelmia is the partitive plural form of the Finnish noun kokoelma, meaning collection. It is used when referring to multiple collections whose exact number is not specified or when speaking about a portion of collections. In Finnish, the partitive plural is common with verbs of possession and existence, as in minä minulla on useita kokoelmia or museossa on useita kokoelmia.

In Finland and in general, kokoelmia can refer to groups of related items gathered for study, display, or preservation. These may be physical, such as books, coins, or artworks, or digital, such as image sets, audio files, or datasets. A collection is typically organized by a curator, librarian, or archivist and is described by metadata that covers its scope, provenance, and access conditions.

The management of kokoelmia involves cataloging, provenance research, conservation, and decisions about access. Digital collections require digitization, digital preservation, and metadata standards to enable effective search and long-term availability; common standards include Dublin Core and MARC. Institutions often publish catalogs or databases that allow users to browse kokoelmia and learn about their contents and history.

In everyday language, kokoelmia is used when discussing multiple collections in contexts such as libraries, museums, archives, or private holdings. The term emphasizes the plural, non-specific set of items grouped under a common theme or purpose.