Conspectus Collection Assessment

Conspectus collection assessment is a structured method for describing and evaluating a library collection subject by subject using a standardized framework of collecting levels. Developed by the Research Libraries Group (RLG) and elaborated by the Western Library Network (WLN), the conspectus partitions the universe of knowledge into subject divisions aligned with Library of Congress or Dewey classification and rates each on a 0-to-5 scale that runs from out-of-scope to comprehensive. Crucially, it separates the existing strength of what a library already holds from its current collecting intensity and its collection goal, producing a profile that supports cooperative collection development and comparison across institutions. Howard D. White's Brief Tests of Collection Strength (1995) gave the method an objective verification layer, using graded checklists to corroborate the otherwise judgmental level assignments.