Ways into the Collection: Serendipity: Reading Race, Collecting Cultures - Research Skills Series

The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Relations Resource Centre (AIU Centre) is an open access University of Manchester facility which is both public and academic facing. The Research Skills Series of blog posts is designed to promote insight into how the AIU Centre's collections can enrich the work of students and researchers. The blog post 'Ways into the Collection: Serendipity'' is the last of four 'Ways into the Collection' pieces. It explains the concept of serendipity and its power as a way of uncovering resources relevant to particular interests in a facility such as the Centre. Serendipity relies on the individual keeping an open mind and a watchful eye, and case studies are provided (from the Centre's Roving Reader category of blog posts) which illustrate the powerful effects serendipity can have on the quality as well as content of different research projects. Other 'Ways into the Collection' pieces cover: Questions to ask yourself; Databases; 'Human Interface'.