Facilitating the discovery of diverse content: some notes from Sotheby's Institute of Art

Abstract

When the diversification of collections is a priority for a library, making diverse content in existing holdings more discoverable is a useful complement to the acquisition of new resources. Artists and authors from diverse groups, and material written from diverse perspectives, can be made more visible to patrons, either through enhancements to catalogue records or the creation of standalone indexes focussed on those groups. With the conscious, ethical diversification of collections a relatively new enterprise for many libraries, certain aspects of how best to proceed are not yet clear, meaning librarians need to make time to reflect on, and review, the methods they are using to improve discoverability.