Collection Evaluation in the Research Library

Abstract

Among many unflattering characterizations of librarians is the one that accuses us of wishing to keep our collections neat, clean and in proper order on the shelves. That is, not being used. This is a half‐true, if exaggerated, statement. As rational professionals, librarians realize that if a collection is well used it is not always in order and available, or else the collection is not as good as it should be. Control—knowing where an item is, who has it—is the goal librarians strive to achieve, rather than maintaining every item in its place.

Citation

Hyman, F.B. (1989), "Collection Evaluation in the Research Library", Collection Building, Vol. 9 No. 3/4, pp. 33-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb023253