Do collections have an expiration date? Shifting interests evolving social contexts and
discursive developments influence when a collection or its presentation is said to be outdated
and what that implies for the constraints on or options for the actions to be taken in
response. The revision or reorientation of a collection presuppose a critical engagement with
the criteria regarded as valid at the time which concern the origins composition objectives
and significance of a collection among other aspects. The contributions to this volume
intertwine historical case studies with contemporary questions about the reasons and
circumstances that give rise to the assessment that a collection has outlived its shelf life.
