The Heritage Samples Archives: A Guide for Management aims to improve the care and preservation of these collections – ensuring they remain accessible, meaningful, and protected for future use.
The guide offers practical support for managing sample collections, helping transform them from isolated assets into dynamic, networked resources accessible to the wider research community.
- Part I: Managing a Samples Collection as an Archive focuses on improving the organization, description, housing and preservation of collections.
- Part II: Developing a Statement of Significance guides stakeholders in articulating the value of their collection, helping policy-makers and users understand its relevance and potential and make informed decision-making.
- Part III: Creating an Access Policy offers tools to facilitate access and support the reuse of samples for research purposes.
Throughout the guide, readers are directed to in-depth resources, while real-world examples illustrate how these principles can be adapted to different contexts.