Collection development refers to most aspects of managing the library’s physical and digital holdings: selection, acquisition, processing, and maintenance. As one of the core processes in providing lending services, it is important to adopt collection development policies, procedures, and workflows that promote efficiency; strive to meet the information needs of the local community; incorporate a variety of perspectives; offer transparency in selection choices; and ensure that collections are well-maintained. Local practices will vary, depending upon the size of the library, community interests, budgetary constraints, and staffing level. For assistance, reach out to your KDLA Regional Library Consultant.
Selection
Each library should enact local guidelines and workflows for the selection of materials added to the collection. In larger libraries, this responsibility is often delegated to a Technical Services Department or to multiple staff members within the departments typically provided with a collection budget: Children, Young Adult, Adult, and Outreach. In medium and some smaller libraries, an individual in each area may be responsible for selection, or the director may personally take on the task in the case of especially limited staff size. In any case, the director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that selections fit within the parameters established by policy and procedure.
An effective collection development policy will establish criteria and identify tools for evaluating new material, in addition to a process for suggestions or requests from the public. Published reviews, best seller lists, and award lists may be consulted. Professional organizations, such as the American Library Association, publish guides to material selection and sample core lists to consider. Using these tools, selection should be targeted to meet the needs of the local community, providing access to a broad range of viewpoints and ideas.
Acquisition
Acquisition is the process for purchasing selected materials and is usually incorporated with or very closely aligned to the selection process. Individual libraries set collection development budgets and select vendors most appropriate to their specific situation. Staff responsible for acquisitions should explore the various programs or services offered by vendors – standing orders, lease programs, pre-processed material, and more – to best fit the needs of the library and patrons. Depending upon local needs and experience, some libraries may choose to utilize acquisition modules in their Integrated Library System (ILS) to help track purchases and streamline the collection development process.
Digital collections are an additional factor to consider during acquisition, as e-material budgets begin to match or exceed physical collection development costs. Many e-formats are included: books, audiobooks, magazines, graphic novels, movies, TV series, music, and more. Some vendors feature a single format, while others will include multiple media types. Purchasing differs dramatically from physical collections, with an assortment of licensing models that vary by vendor and publisher. Acquisitions staff should also determine how digital collection platforms can integrate with the library’s public catalog.
Vendors generally utilize the following models:
- A “pay as you go” model, allowing unlimited concurrent users, where the library will be charged for each individual checkout of an item.
- A time limited license, where only one user is typically allowed at a time, and the item will be available in the library’s collection until expiration. In this case, the library is charged a fee regardless of the number of checkouts and must repurchase.
- A checkout limited license, where only one user is typically allowed at a time, and the item is available for a limited number of checkouts before it expires.
- Some platforms offer alternative options or a combination of those listed above.
Most Kentucky public libraries participate in the Kentucky Libraries Unbound Consortium. The collection typically includes multiple formats to support the needs of member libraries. Users can access materials through the Kentucky Libraries Unbound website, included apps, or supported devices. Participating libraries pay an annual fee for access to the consortium’s collection, and an option to invest additional funds for specific material may be available.
Cataloging/Processing
All physical items added to the library’s collection go through some form of processing. The most basic step is adding the item to the library’s catalog, either by copying existing records or by performing local, original cataloging. This step ensures the item is discoverable in the patron-facing catalog and that it functions within the overall circulation system when borrowed. Most libraries will also utilize a variety of stamps, tags, barcodes, exchanged casing, mylar covers, and more to identify, organize, preserve, and make items more accessible. In some instances, libraries pay additional fees during acquisition for material that is pre-processed to local standards.
Maintenance
Maintenance is essential for a healthy library collection. Library material should be regularly evaluated and removed (referred to as deaccessioning or weeding) or repaired, as necessary. While a number of workflows may be used for weeding, some libraries utilize professional methodologies such as the CREW method (continuous review, evaluation, and weeding) as a starting point. Although weeding has been shown to increase circulation, staff should be trained and policy written to recognize factors beyond circulation statistics. The MUSTIE criteria included in the CREW method may be of service:
- Misleading and/or factually inaccurate.
- Ugly (worn out beyond mending or rebinding).
- Superseded by a new edition or a better source.
- Trivial (of no discernible literary or scientific merit).
- Irrelevant to the needs and interest of your community.
- Elsewhere (the material may be easily borrowed from another source).
Policy Considerations
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives offers a sample Collection Development Policy that may be adapted to local needs. As your library creates or updates its collection development or related policies, consider the following:
- What part of your staffing structure is responsible for selection?
- Are you utilizing circulation data to better allocate collection funding?
- Is Outreach provided its own collection development budget, or does it rely upon rotating materials in and out of the main collection?
- Do you have policy guidelines for both item selection and deaccessioning?
- Do your workflows match procedure and policy, and can they be made more efficient?
- Do you have an established process for members of the public to request specific items, make suggestions, or request the reconsideration of library material?
- How do you utilize or dispose of donated material?
- Does your library participate in Inter-Library Loan (ILL), and if so, how does this impact selection decisions?
- To what degree do you permit AI-generated content in your collection?