RLUK and OCLC Research Library Partnership
Unique and Distinctive Collections Meeting

29 March 2012
University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen, Scotland

Exclusively for OCLC Research Library Partners

Research Libraries UK (RLUK), together with the OCLC Research Library Partnership, hosted this meeting to report on the OCLC Research/RLUK survey of special collections in the UK and Ireland and to explore and shape the RLUK Unique and Distinctive Collections (UDC) project.

The meeting took place in the afternoon of Thursday, 29 March from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at the University of Aberdeen. It was followed by an opportunity to visit the new University Library and tour its new Special Collections facilities as well as a formal reception for all delegates in the New Library at 6:00 p.m. sponsored by the University of Aberdeen. Dinner was provided for RLUK Member directors, OCLC Research Library Partnership representatives and speakers. There was no charge for OCLC Research Library Partners to attend the meeting, the reception or dinner.

Within the OCLC Research Library Partnership, we've invested considerable effort into projects falling into what we refer to as our Mobilizing Unique Materials theme. Similarly, work on Unique and Distinction Collections forms one of the key strategic themes for RLUK. This meeting offered the opportunity to learn about initial results from the OCLC Research/RLUK survey of special collections and to discuss the draft recommendations. It also offered an opportunity to learn about other UDC activities within RLUK. OCLC Research Program Officer Jackie Dooley spoke at the meeting; Senior Program Officers Titia van der Werf and Merrilee Proffitt also attended.