use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items
With the proliferation of published materials today, even with an unlimited budget it’s nearly impossible for a library to have one of everything. And since budgets are generally limited, it’s important to have standards that guide selection and evaluation of potential library materials. Once materials are acquired, standards of organization and preservation keep them accessible and in usable condition. Organization is a long-standing aspect of the professional role for librarians, and in the digital age organization has remained an important task. Even though our information is increasingly in digital form, these principles are still applicable for maintaining an effective collection.
One of the first principles of selection is an obvious but important one—select for your readers. This is one of many reasons why evaluating demographic data is important for a library. In a public library setting for instance, fiction and other recreational reading is popular. In nonfiction, a modest coverage of a broad variety of subjects, especially subjects of recent interest, is common. For academic libraries, having a feel for what resources are important to the classes being offered is a step in the right direction in establishing acquisition targets.
Having a thorough selection policy is essential in most cases. While the librarians responsible for acquisitions generally have the final say in what is acquired, stakeholders such as board members or even patrons sometimes like to see the established rationale. A prime reason for making sure a selection policy is in place would be to respond to any objections raised against controversial acquisitions or questions regarding the collection addressing one topic more heavily than another. Following documented evidence like the selection policy can make one’s case more readily accepted.
Evaluation is an important tool for determining what areas of the library’s collection are sufficient for users’ needs, and what areas are lacking. When acquiring books or journals in electronic format, it’s important to consider the cost in relation to the anticipated demand, as contracts with vendors tend to be significantly more expensive for libraries than for private users. In the academic library, researchers and professors will have a bevy of journals integral to their research field of which they cannot entertain cancellation.
When evaluating possible selections, librarians will also consult book review sources. Sources such as Kirkus Reviews and the ALA’s Booklist evaluate a broad range of releases and help guide the librarian in determining whether the book would be appropriate for the library’s collection. In some cases, it can also be helpful for the librarian to review collection and circulation information from similar libraries if available.
An important part of evaluating the library’s collection is deselection, or weeding. Maintaining a collection in the library takes time and energy, so often it is best to discard material that is not used or unlikely to be used. With the progression of time, books get new editions and information falls out of demand or becomes obsolete. It’s often a challenging task, but if done successfully weeding streamlines the existing collection to feature the best material available.
The organization of library materials is essential for connecting the user with the desired information. In the physical location, materials will tend to be organized according to a classification system, which allows searchers to go from catalog to desired item with no hassle. Well-organized shelving can help librarians identify possible missing titles or gaps in coverage. In the digital domain, librarians should take care to have a well-organized website and search feature so users are not confused and can access desired information.
Preservation of library resources is a comprehensive policy which aims to keep library information available to its patrons “at the time needed and in a usable format” (American Library Association, 2001). This encompasses physical materials, determining whether worn or otherwise damaged items can be salvaged for return to circulation, and whether accessible copies for hearing- or visually-impaired patrons can be made. It also applies to digital documents—if the library is part of a repository or other storage scheme, care should be taken to store documents in common archival formats (such as PDF/A) and maintain multiple copies, most likely following the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe) Program.
Evidence
Like some other competencies I’ve worked on, this concept was addressed in more than one class along the way. However, as an in-depth exploration of the concepts behind the competency, Collection Management was the class that I felt presented the most effective assignments to demonstrate my competency.
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Collection development policy
This particular assignment is a demonstration of a document that any library should maintain, a collection development policy for a fictitious city library. Part of the assignment is to develop a mission statement, and the process for accepting gifts and addressing challenges are touched on. A large part of the document (based on the assignment’s details) outlines the usefulness of some key sources of selection information. I believe this assignment shows my ability to examine the issues that go into a collection development policy.
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Collection development policy
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Weeding exercise
Always a challenge for the book-loving librarian, this weeding assignment had us review a section of a library’s collection, deselect ten percent, and present our rationale. I reviewed a shelf in the county library’s nonfiction section under music. I was able to eliminate from contention newer books and books that were circulating at the time and went from there. I believe this assignment demonstrates my ability to make the tough calls needed for deselection and the ability to document why deselection was the right choice in each case.
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Weeding exercise
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Article Critique #2
The article I reviewed for this critique addresses a more recent development in collection policy—patron-driven acquisition. While patrons’ desires are always part of the consideration in acquisition, these authors explore how collections develop if patrons’ requests were the primary driver behind selection. I believe this critique shows my ability to examine the issues of a new selection process and evaluate the authors’ stance on that process.
LIBR 266: Collection Management—Article Critique #2
Conclusion
A librarian’s goal to build a collection to best serve the library’s user base is never truly complete. Users’ information needs are always changing, new information is released continuously, and some books age with less grace than others. The principles of selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation are the librarian’s best tools to come close to that goal. I believe that my ability to understand this process developed through the MLIS program will lead to my being able to contribute to the process in whatever way is asked of me in the library.
References
American Library Association. (2001). American Library Association preservation policy. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/alcts/resources/preserv/01alaprespolicy
Life is information, information is life. 