The Archival and Library Viewpoints of a Collection in a Digital Environment: Is There Any Room for Compromise?

ABSTRACT

This article explores the archivists' and librarians' definition of a collection, and how they respectively arrange their collections in the context of collection development and collection management issues in a digital library. It centers on possible cooperative solutions and highlights, as a case study, the efforts of the Auburn University Digital Projects Committee to meet these challenging collection issues.     

Hacking the Collection: Changing the Collection in Response to a Migration

Abstract

In 2016, the Munday Library at St. Edward’s University migrated to a new discovery layer. The Library had been an EBSCO Discovery Services (EDS) customer for six years, and the migration to Ex Libris’s Alma-Primo negatively impacted content discovery and collection usage due to issues with EBSCO’s proprietary metadata and Primo’s OpenURL link resolver. This article discusses switching the library’s collection using collection data analysis to respond to the change in discovery layer. The data-informed changes made to the collection improved collection usability and access.     

The Economics and Management of Digital Resources in a Multi-Campus,Multi-Library University

ABSTRACT

The three papers that follow detail the funding issues that underlie a multi-campus shared digital collection; the implementation of an experiment to determine costs incurred and avoided, usage and user preferences when print journals are relocated to storage and users must rely on the electronic versions; and finally, campus perspectives on UC libraries' collaborative environment, the co-investment models used to fund shared collections and University-wide participation in an extensive and complicated research project.     

Internet Reference Sources in the Humanities

Summary

Discusses collection development issues involving humanities Internet resources with a particular focus on sustainability, and highlights a few of the major Internet vendors and resources.     

Bursar Accounts,Payroll Deduction,and Debt Collection: A Three-Channel Approach to Lost Item Reimbursement

ABSTRACT

In 2003, Penn State Libraries implemented payroll deduction and collection agency programs to gain better control of accounts receivable. The author reports on the implementation processes and first year outcomes of the programs. She recommends careful consideration of several questions before implementing such measures.     

The Complexities of Digital Resources: Collection Boundaries and Management Responsibilities

SUMMARY

The boundaries that define a discrete collection of intellectual or informational resources have never been precise or immutable. With the proliferation of born-digital and digitized analog materials, these boundaries are becoming even less well defined. Supporting users' information needs in the current digital environment requires redefining the responsibilities of persons responsible for executing traditional library collection development practices and archival appraisal strategies. Developing and supporting the necessary technical and organizational infrastructure for long-term sustainability of digital collections will require intentional collaboration among information professionals. This article explores these issues in the context of both academic and state government entities, clarifying the need for a shift in roles for information professionals.     

The Use of Risk Management to Support Preventive Conservation

ABSTRACT

Risk management approaches have been increasingly used at the British Library to inform and support collection care decisions. This paper addresses the ways in which these methods have been used to address specific preservation issues at the Library, using appropriate case studies: rehousing the microfilm collection, adapting pest management protocols, replacing box-making equipment and assessing the environmental conditions of the philatelic collection. As well as allowing complex, multi-faceted preservation problems to be addressed, this approach also allows options to be presented in a succinct and readily understandable manner to non-specialist colleagues and other stakeholders and helps to ensure buy-in.     

How to Build a High-Quality Library Collection in a Multi-Format Environment: Centralized Selection at University of Wyoming Libraries

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, the composition of academic library collections has shifted toward electronic formats, resulting in a more complicated publication landscape to be navigated by selectors. Additionally, the workload of public services librarians has become more weighted toward instruction and research support, putting more pressure on the time of liaison librarians tasked with collection development responsibilities. These shifts have prompted academic institutions, including University of Wyoming Libraries, to consider a restructuring of collection development responsibilities. This article describes the evolution and implementation of a centralized model of selection at UW Libraries.     

Reconstructing or Deconstructing Labor Archives? Shaping Labor Collection Development in an Uncertain Future

ABSTRACT

Labor archival programs confront numerous challenges to remain viable in a changing academic environment and institutional culture. The marketing of higher education, the anti-union stance of some university administrations, and the transition of labor studies programs create a less-than-benign environment for labor collection development activities. Labor collection development hinges upon the labor archivist's ability to mediate the often-divergent interests of the academic and labor communities. Contraction of the labor movement and union restructuring also have important repercussions for future labor collections development. This article examines these issues from the perspective of the historical development of Penn State University's labor archives program–focusing on the institutional pressures inherent in serving both academe and labor unions, and prospects for labor collection development in an uncertain future.     

Reliability of Patron Addresses in a Library's Integrated Online System

ABSTRACT

Includes the rationale for a collection development policy for electronic resources, and a sample collection development policy.     

Collecting Sex Materials for Libraries

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes data gathered over a year-long survey of library employees' opinions of sexually related materials in library collections. Surveys generally examine patron attitudes rather than the attitudes of library employees, whose attitudes and beliefs can have a strong effect on the collection. The researchers discovered themes in the data, such as varying definitions and differences between pornography and erotica, legality issues and misconceptions, differing perceptions of censorship dependent on library type, and a possible lack of acceptance of non-heteronormative material. The survey and analysis serve as a contribution to the ongoing discussion of appropriateness of sexually related materials in libraries.     

Review of “The State of Open Access,” interviews by Richard Poynder

Abstract

Moves occur due to a variety of reasons. There can be changes in the mission, budget cuts, restructuring issues, changes in the staff, or the changes that technology brings about that are either forced on or desired by the library. Acceptance, helpful participation, and a conscious effort must be made to engage the staff in accepting what will be happening, participating in the areas that affect them, directly or indirectly, and motivating them to buy into the process. This is necessary or the success of the move will be in jeopardy. The level of change that occurs is more than what you might expect. Maneuvering between mission changes and having the collection reflect those changes takes planning, teamwork, use of volunteers, and some hard work.     

Cooperative Collection Management

Abstract

The online discussion, among some of the more capable practitioners, about the trials and tribulations of cooperative collection development brought forth an amazing number if insightful comments that should broaden the scope of understanding for anyone interested in the current state of collection development and management problems/solutions. While the concept of “local control” is not diminished, it is apparent (to these practitioners at least) that a self-sufficient research collection is both an oxymoron and an anachronism. Cooperative sharing of resources is the future!     

Identifying Holdings Unique to Your Library's Collections Using WorldCat

ABSTRACT

Having a good understanding of the variety and concentration of rare holdings in our libraries is becoming more and more important, not only for preservation and access purposes, but also for collection management and marketing. This article details how WorldCat's standard search interface can be used to identify holdings unique to particular institutions, or to compare the holdings of one or more institutions based on the relative rarity or ubiquity of the materials in their collections.     

论数字馆藏质量控制需考虑的因素

针对目前数字馆藏建设中缺乏质量意识等问题,探讨数字馆藏的质量控制,介绍对购入式数字馆藏、自建式数字馆藏和开发式数字馆藏进行质量控制需考虑的因素,以期引起对建设高质量数字馆藏的重视,为数字资源服务质量的提高提供保障体系,提高图书馆的整体服务水平。     

Balancing Act for the Future: How the Academic Library Engages in Collection Development at the Local and Consortial Levels

ABSTRACT

Collection development remains a major focus and concern of current interest for all types of libraries. Consortia began as a means of sharing resources and of leveraging purchasing power for its members. How does a library balance its individual collection needs, both present and future, when it is a member of a consortium? Do the expectations of the consortium outweigh the needs of the individual library member? This article will address how an academic library engages in collection development at the local and consortia levels, addresses the benefits and challenges of consortia memberships, and responds to its local patrons in light of its obligations and commitment to a consortium.     

Moving from Analysis to Assessment: Strategic Assessment of Library Collections

ABSTRACT

Collections are one of the core resources provided by libraries and are often seen as what defines a library. Collection policies and priorities are put into place to guide the growth of libraries’ collections. However as time passes, are the collections created best suited to the current patron population? Collection assessment can be used to evaluate how well the developing collection follows the guidelines that have been put into place. Collection assessment can also be beneficial in the library strategic planning process by identifying strengths and weaknesses in the collection, particularly in new areas of interest. It can also help identify areas that may need additional funding to continue the level of support previously maintained for an area.     

The Role of the Center for Research Libraries in the History and Future of Cooperative Collection Development

Abstract

Almost fifty years ago, when the organization that now is the Center for Research Libraries (CRL) was founded, university and research libraries were facing issues similar to those challenging them today: lack of space in libraries to shelve growing collections; new library materials formats to absorb into acquisitions budgets; more or more expensive research materials to which patrons needed access.

In 1949, higher education looked for solutions in cooperative programs. CRL evolved as a unique endeavor-a program for cooperative collection development and a library that acquires and makes available essential research materials. CRL has endured because of its members' commitment, the gradual building of a unique, centralized library collection, and the organization's capacity to serve as a coordinator for cooperative decisions and implementation of programs. These strengths will support CRL into the future.     

New Tools for Collection Development

Abstract

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in San Jose, California is a unique dual-use library serving the students of San Jose State University and the community of San Jose, California. The reference collections of the two libraries are merged and interfiled to promote ease of access for both populations served. Economies of scale were realized through collaborative collection development activities for major reference purchases between the two institutions. This article describes the planning and creation of the King Library's merged reference collection and reviews the literature of collaborative collection development and merged or interfiled collections.