UCL Museums and Collections Survey Results

UCL Museums and Collections

I thought that this might be of interest to anyone looking at the way in which musum collections are used and how they might develop in the future, particularly in the context of university collections. Issues addressed include everthing from internal (UCL) awareness of the collections and what they offer, to whether or not the collections should seek to acquire new items and/or dispose of existing ones. I found the report fascinating.

The results of a staff and student survey on UCL Museums & Collections, undertaken in June 2007, are informing the next stages of developing the collections for teaching, research and public engagement.

The survey solicited information and opinion including: the UCL community’s awareness of the collections; their experience as visitors, researchers, teachers and students; the types of services provided; and principles of acquisition and transfer.

Sally MacDonald, Director of UCL Museums & Collections, said: “We are grateful to the thousands of staff and students who took the time to complete the survey. It’s clear that people really value the collections – particularly as resources for teaching and research – but they want them to be much better housed and better marketed".

See the above page for more. The full results of the survey itself (Attitudinal Research to Support Development) can be found from a link at the top of the above page, or by clicking here (a 73 page PDF). The original questionnaire is supplied as an appendix.