Issues in developing a religious studies collection

The study of religion has developed over recent decades into an interdisciplinary, multifaceted field which requires special considerations for the academic library. The implementation of a program of collection development for religious studies is dependent on the place of religious studies in the total mission of the institution, the needs of the users, the strengths and weaknesses of the existing collection, and the resources available to develop it in needed areas. Collection managers also need to be aware of their role in interpreting the collection to users.