A digital collection consists of digital objects that are selected and organized to facilitate their discovery, access, and use. Objects, metadata, and the user interface together create the user experience of a collection. 

Principles that apply to good digital collections are: 

Collections Principle 1: A good digital collection is created according to an explicit collection development policy. 

Collections Principle 2: Collections should be described so that a user can discover characteristics of the collection, including scope, format, restrictions on access, ownership, and any information significant for determining the collection’s authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. 

Collections Principle 3: A good collection is curated, which is to say, its resources are actively managed during their entire lifecycle. 

Collections Principle 4: A good collection is broadly available and avoids unnecessary impediments to use. Collections should be accessible to persons with disabilities, and usable effectively in conjunction with adaptive technologies. 

Collections Principle 5: A good collection respects intellectual property rights. 

Collections Principle 6: A good collection has mechanisms to supply usage data and other data that allows standardized measures of usefulness to be recorded. 

Collections Principle 7: A good collection is interoperable. 

Collections Principle 8: A good collection integrates into the users own workflow. 

Collections Principle 9: A good collection is sustainable over time.