AREAS OF SELECTION AND WEEDING

Collection Development:

Collection Development: Selection and Weeding

This presentation is based on my research regarding areas of collection development for academic libraries. My three topic questions are: How does library staff know what their patrons want? How do librarians choose what methods to use to select materials, and what role does weeding play in the selection process?

Selection

1. How does library staff know what their

patrons want?

Word-of-mouth by students, staff and faculty

Emails by staff and faculty

Need to support academic curriculum

Citations:•Thomas, Dr. Pamela J. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.•Gregory, Vicki L. Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Libraries: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. Print.

Selection

2. How do librarians choose what methods to

use to select materials?

Journals such as Booklist and Library Journal

Other online resources Locate areas needing updates, reinforcing or gaps in the collection

Choose materials to meet needs of new courses `

Citations:•Thomas, Dr. Pamela J. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.•Gregory, Vicki L. Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Libraries: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. Print.

Selection

Current cities - an electronic newsletter containing useful reviews of numerous electronic resources as well as print sources in various areas of information technology. (Gregory 73).

eReviews – A section of the Library Journal website where Cheryl LaGuardia, Research Librarian, Widener Library, Harvard University, reviews newly released or updated electronic resources. Her reviews are both descriptive and evaluative. (Gregory 73).

iGuides - A web-based directory of web resources and internet guides. (Gregory 73).

Citations:•Thomas, Dr. Pamela J. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.•Gregory, Vicki L. Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Libraries: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. Print.

Selection

Trial offers from e-resource vendors

Demonstrations from vendors- often vendors are willing to come to your library and demonstrate their electronic products to you.

Visits to other libraries – view product and see it in action as well as talking with that library’s staff about the product and their experiences with it.

Vending machines – some libraries are experimenting with rental kiosks for new DVD’s. Such kiosks are popping up in many locations.Citations:

•Thomas, Dr. Pamela J. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.•Gregory, Vicki L. Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Libraries: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. Print.

Weeding

There are two aspects to weeding according to the American Library Association:

The first is the writing of a collection development or selection policy that is appropriate for your community; this will serve as a guideline as you make decisions about your collection.

The second is applying that policy as you make decisions about the materials in your collection.

Citation:"ALA Library Fact Sheet 15." American Library Association. N.p., Nov. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.ala.org/tools/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet15

Weeding

3. What role does weeding play in the selection process?

Shelf Space

Collection Development

Purge Outdated Materials

Citations:•Gregory, Vicki L. Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Libraries: An Introduction. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2011. Print. •Vnuk, Rebecca. "Weeding Tips: The Basics." Booklist Online. American Library Association, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. http://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=5346510&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1>

Weeding

Helps to determine areas that need to be weeded and/or updated.

Book circulates 30 times, but not in the past 4 years, it could be the content is outdated, so the book should be updated/ or replaced.

Areas may appear where we might not need books. (Example: If we own 5 books on a topic and they have been

in the collection for 5-10 years, but none of them have circulated, that might indicate that there is no need for that topic in the collection)

Citations:

•Thomas, Dr. Pamela J. Personal interview. 13 Nov. 2013.

•Vnuk, Rebecca. "Weeding Tips: The Basics." Booklist Online. American Library Association, 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=5346510&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1>