Collection role changing GUI

A Collection Role Changing GUI has the ability to dynamically change GUI "roles"-the sets of menus and toolbars provided to human users-thereby making it possible to optimize the match between provided GUI functionality and current user functionality requirements. In operation, a Collection Role Changing GUI receives a role change request, obtains associated role definition data from a role data storage means, and modifies visible GUI display elements to reflect the new role menus and toolbars. Collection Role Changing GUIs provide users with extensible, customizable, and sharable GUI interfaces that can be precisely configured to meet specific user functionality requirements, thereby increasing user productivity in ways that were not previously possible.