G. Edward Evans defines “collection development” as “the process of assessing the strengths and weaknesses in a collection, and then creating a plan to correct the weaknesses and…
Abstract
G. Edward Evans defines “collection development” as “the process of assessing the strengths and weaknesses in a collection, and then creating a plan to correct the weaknesses and maintain the strengths.” He goes on to describe the collection development policy as “the written statement of that plan.…” Many librarians have acknowledged a responsibility to provide documentation of this process in the libraries they serve, yet few have done so. When the flush days of the sixties' Great Society were followed by the information explosion, inflation, and an era of accountability for service‐oriented institutions, the need for collection development policies became more urgent than it had been for decades. While selection of library materials has been of vital professional concern during most of the history of modern librarianship, it is only in the past decade that the preparation of selection or acquisitions policies (the terms have commonly been used interchangeably) and of collection development policies has received concentrated attention in library literature.
Danuta A. Nitecki and Eileen G. Abels
As I make my last contribution as editor of Advances in Librarianship, I would like to say a few words about my twelve years’ experience with this annual. My tenure has greatly…
Abstract
As I make my last contribution as editor of Advances in Librarianship, I would like to say a few words about my twelve years’ experience with this annual. My tenure has greatly enriched my life both professionally and personally. My first association with Advances goes back to 1980 when I was asked to submit an article on library materials budgeting for volume 10. Later, in 1992 I joined Advances as a member of its editorial advisory board. At that time, Irene Godden (Colorado State) edited the volume. I owe her a great debt for her counseling and guidance. After Godden resigned in 1998, I took over as co-editor of Advances and from 2001 (volume 25) I have been its sole editor. Through all these years, I truly enjoyed working with my colleagues on the editorial board and with the many prominent librarians whose papers appeared in Advances. I am especially grateful to Nancy Allen (University of Denver), G. Edward Evans (Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles), and Mary Jean Pavelsek (NYU), longtime editorial board members, who constantly provided encouragement and support. As editor I worked closely with the publishing staff, first at Academic and later Elsevier. I would like to single out both Marvin Yelles (Academic) and Christopher Pringle (Elsevier) and their assistants, Naomi Henning and Julie Neden, for their excellent work in turning manuscripts into the fine finished books that the reader sees.
Defines terms associated with consortia – co‐ordination, co‐operation and collaboration – and identifies critical success factors for consortia. Provides four case studies based…
Abstract
Defines terms associated with consortia – co‐ordination, co‐operation and collaboration – and identifies critical success factors for consortia. Provides four case studies based on the author’s personal experience indicating the reasons for the success or failure of these collaborative ventures. The outcomes are discussed and conclusions drawn. The evidence indicates that successful consortia require time to develop a high level of trust between partners and a willingness to contribute. Part one appeared in Library Management (2002), Vol. 23 No. 4/5.
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Readers of this article probably do not need convincing of the importance of building library collections for diverse populations; some readers will also know how time consuming…
Abstract
Readers of this article probably do not need convincing of the importance of building library collections for diverse populations; some readers will also know how time consuming and difficult it is to do so. Interest in the topic is not new; you can find entries in Library Literature on the subject as far back as the 1920s, and from then on interest in the topic fluctuates. It waned in the 1970s along with the reductions in library funding, but today there is increasing concern with building collections to serve the needs of an ethnically diverse population.