Core Characteristics of Learning Resource Collectors

Laura Molloy, Katarzyna Biernacka, Amy Nurnberger

”Core characteristics of learning resource collecting and servicing organisations (such as catalogues and registries)” provides a set of core descriptive characteristics that can help people evaluate and understand the types and extent of service approaches and learning content offered.  In addition, the identification of core characteristics can help the organisations themselves consider some of the factors that might help them build, structure and maintain their collections and the services they offer in support of researchers and data specialists who seek learning resources on research data skillbuilding topics.

The recommendations for the core characteristics are offered primarily as guidance to catalogues, registries, portals and learning platforms that collect and/or provide support services for learning resources in order to assist in structuring them for longer term sustainability.  In addition, making the characteristics known that apply to the service providing organisation should help improve the organisation’s ability to help learning resource searchers more easily find the resources they seek and discern whether those resources would fit their needs.

Recommendations for specific descriptors of learning resources within a catalogue or registry are out of scope for this set of core characteristics; however, a related set of recommendations for a minimal set of descriptors for learning resources that has been developed by the RDA ETHRD IG can help in this regard.  This set of core characteristics for learning resource collecting and servicing organisations is not intended to be exhaustive or listed in priority order. Characteristics may or may not apply to a given learning resource collector or service provider depending upon the services offered.  Feedback from adopters of this recommendation would be welcomed by this group.