Accessioning is a term that is commonly used in libraries, museums, and archives. It is a process that involves adding new items or materials to a collection and making sure that they are properly identified, labeled, and cataloged. In this article, we will explore the meaning and definition of accessioning, as well as its origins, associations, synonyms, and antonyms.
Definitions
Accessioning refers to the process of adding new items or materials to a collection. It involves assigning a unique identifier or accession number to each item, recording its basic information (such as title, author, date, and format), and cataloging it in a database or inventory. The purpose of accessioning is to keep track of the items in a collection, ensure that they are properly organized and stored, and make them accessible to researchers, scholars, and the general public.
Origin
The term “accessioning” comes from the Latin word “accessio,” which means “an addition” or “a joining.” The concept of accessioning can be traced back to ancient libraries and archives, where scribes and librarians would add new scrolls, manuscripts, or books to their collections and record them in inventories or catalogs. Over time, the process of accessioning has become more formalized and standardized, with the development of cataloging rules, metadata standards, and computerized databases.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, accessioning means “the process of adding new items to a collection and recording their identification and location.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “the action of adding to a collection or archive, especially by the acquisition of new items.”
Associations
Accessioning is closely associated with other library and archival practices, such as cataloging, classification, preservation, and digitization. It is also linked to collection development, which involves selecting and acquiring materials that meet the needs and interests of the library’s users. Accessioning is often performed by trained professionals, such as librarians, archivists, or museum curators, who have expertise in handling and organizing different types of materials.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of accessioning include acquiring, adding, registering, and cataloging. These terms all refer to the process of adding new items or materials to a collection and ensuring that they are properly identified and recorded.
Antonyms
There are no direct antonyms of accessioning, as it is a specific process that involves adding items to a collection. However, some related concepts that could be considered antonyms include deaccessioning (removing items from a collection), dispersing (breaking up a collection), or neglecting (failing to properly care for or maintain a collection).
The same root words
There are several related words that share the same root as accessioning, including accession (the act of acquiring or obtaining something), access (the ability to enter or use something), and success (the achievement of a desired outcome or goal).
Example Sentences
- The library staff spent several weeks accessioning the new collection of rare books and manuscripts.
- The museum curator was responsible for accessioning the donated artworks and ensuring that they were properly stored and displayed.
- The archive’s accessioning policy required that all new materials be assigned unique accession numbers and cataloged according to established standards.
- The university’s special collections department was in charge of accessioning and preserving the historical documents and artifacts related to the institution’s history.
- The library’s accessioning process included verifying the authenticity and provenance of each new item before adding it to the collection.