Libraries house valuable cultural and academic treasures, yet many of these special collections are invisible to the communities that need them most. From rare manuscripts and historical photographs to oral histories and institutional archives, these materials can be windows into the past or serve as powerful research tools or both.
The problem? Most special collections stay undigitized, stored in boxes or only partially cataloged. When digital materials exist, they’re often scattered across different systems, limiting visibility. Without strong preservation and engagement strategies, irreplaceable content risks being lost forever.
Untapped potential sitting in storage
Special collections can offer opportunities to define institutional identity and legacy.
“We featured a digitized letter from a 1920s alum in our annual appeal, and it struck a chord… Alma Specto made it easy to find, present, and share that piece of our history.”
Director of Advancement in an academic library
These materials can strengthen alumni connections through emotionally resonant storytelling, support groundbreaking academic research through interdisciplinary collaboration, and elevate institutional profiles by showcasing unique contributions to global knowledge. The challenge lies in making them accessible and discoverable.
Open new doors to your special collections
Traditional approaches to managing special collections often create barriers that prevent meaningful engagement. Limited search capabilities make it a challenge for researchers to find relevant materials. Staff may lack the tools to create compelling presentations of their collections.
These challenges don’t just hinder access. They actively limit libraries’ ability to demonstrate impact and secure ongoing support. In an era where institutions must prove their value and relevance, special collections represent a largely untapped opportunity for meaningful engagement and even additional funding.
Empowering librarians as digital storytellers
Librarians are natural curators, educators and bridges between hidden treasures and public understanding. Traditional catalog searches fail to capture the rich context and interconnections that make these materials valuable. Users need intuitive ways to explore collections, understand relationships between items.
Alma Specto powered by Academic AI can:
- Automatically generate accurate, consistent metadata using full-text indexing and named entity recognition. This technology surfaces previously invisible connections across collections while ensuring materials are discoverable through both library systems and public search engines.
- Generate SEO-optimized pages help collections reach broader audiences, expanding visibility to researchers, alumni, donors and community members who might never otherwise discover these resources.
- Enable staff to create immersive online exhibitions, libraries can create compelling digital experiences that showcase their collections’ value.
Unlocking the value of special collections with Alma Specto
Special collections can be the key to targeted fundraising efforts, capital campaigns and diversity initiatives. By presenting them in compelling, accessible formats, libraries can tell their own and their communities stories. Whether curating cultural heritage or supporting research, modern solutions can open new doors to what your collections can achieve.
Ready to discover how libraries are maximizing their special collections’ impact? Download our comprehensive booklet, From Hidden Gems to Global Impact: Unlocking the Value of Special Collections with Alma Specto and explore proven strategies and practical steps for enhancing your collections into powerful engines for engagement and community connection.
