LIS  5443: Collection Development and Management / Fall 2018

Instructor: Adri Edwards-Johnson

 

Student Learning Objectives:

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• Understand the significance of “the collection” within different types of libraries.

• Explain issues relating to the importance of cultural diversity and intellectual freedom in the development and management of different types of collections.

• Describe the purposes and the essential elements of a collection development policy.

• Identify key components of a collections budget.

• Describe selection criteria and acquisition options for developing collections.

• Be familiar with major vendors in a specific collections area.

• Describe important issues relevant to collections management including deselection, preservation, and storage.

• Evaluate a collection using a variety of collection-centered and user-centered techniques.

• Interpret the influences of current legal, social, and technological changes on collection development and management.

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My experience:

 

     Through this class, I learned the many different types of collections that libraries offer and what is involved in building, growing, and maintaining a collection. Through assignments, I discovered the different parts of a collection development policy, why it is imperative to have a policy in place, not only to meet the unique needs of the community that is being served, but, also to protect the institution in times of challenge.  A collection development policy also includes elements that not only state the objectives of a policy such as scope and acquisition of a collection, but also puts in place protocols for gift acceptance and in the event of challenges to the collection.  With all these elements in place, the collection development policy works to spell out the objectives of growing and maintaining a collection, including deaccession. 

       

     I was able to compare public libraries to academic library and special collections.  I enjoyed exploring the differences in terms of types of collections.  Through field trips to my libraries of choice, I asked questions that helped me ascertain what it means to be responsible for a collection and its well-being, while at the same time working within a limited budget. I was able to see and appreciate the challenges that collection librarians face. I learned of the different vendors that a public library uses as opposed to an academic library.  In both cases of my academic and public library experiences, I was told of the many benefits of belonging to a consortium to pool resources in order to maximize budget dollars.

 

     My final assignment, which I used my academic library for, allowed for me to experience the process from acquisition to cataloging of items that were chosen, as well as weeding out items that no longer meet the needs of the library.  This was all done within the collection development policy criteria.  The collection development policy not only works to offer a collection that meets the user needs  in a community, but also works to support the library strategic plan. 

 

    As we were taught, the collection of any information institution is a living and growing being.  It is the analogy of a garden that we must grow and weed in order to maintain its optimum health in order to meet the needs of our community, that really complements my whole understanding of the amazing process. I truly enjoyed this class and consider it a major practical skill to know of and have for my career.

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