Adam Matthew - Updates to Mass Observation Project Collections –Significant Title Count Reduction

Overview

We are implementing a one‑time, provider‑requested metadata update for the following three Mass Observation Project collections from AM. As part of this update, customers will see a substantial reduction in title/portfolio counts for each collection:

Reason for the Change

Previously, MARC records for the Mass Observation Project were generated at the individual document level. This resulted in very large numbers of highly similar records. AM reported receiving customer feedback that this level of granularity could overwhelm library catalogs and negatively impact user discovery.

To address this, AM has produced:

• New MARC records, and
• Updated KBART files aligned with a simplified structure

The updated metadata now represents content at the level of the overarching directive, rather than per‑document. This approach significantly reduces the number of records while still providing access to the full collection.

Impact on Customers

• Customers will see large decreases in portfolio/title counts in all three collections.
• This is an intentional change made by the provider.

• Article last edited: 30-Mar-2026