samlingsbeteckning

Samlingsbeteckning is a label used in Swedish archives, libraries and museums to refer to a collection of materials treated as a single unit. It functions as an umbrella designation that encompasses related items, rather than as the specific title of every individual document or object. The term is commonly found in finding aids, catalogs and inventories to indicate the scope and grouping of materials.

Etymology and scope: the word combines samling (collection) with beteckning (designation). A samlingsbeteckning may cover materials from multiple donors, institutions or carriers that share a common theme, function or time period. Individual items within the collection typically retain their own identifiers or sub-series, while the samlingsbeteckning signals the overall grouping.

Usage and purpose: the designation facilitates retrieval, understanding of context, and management of the holdings. It helps researchers grasp what is included in the collection and how it relates to related records. In practice, the samlingsbeteckning appears as the top-level label in catalogs and metadata, with items linked under it by hierarchical references such as series or file numbers.

Formation and management: the samlingsbeteckning is created and maintained by the repository’s archivists, librarians or cataloguers in accordance with internal guidelines. It may be revised when the collection is reorganized, expanded, or reclassified, particularly in digital catalogs where metadata can reflect changes.

See also: archives, fonds, series, cataloging, finding aid, metadata.