Collection Development in Alabama's Academic Libraries

Abstract

This study of the collection development practices in five of Alabama's academic libraries shows that a variety of methods of collection building and management have emerged as a result of different traditions and emphases in the state's libraries supporting higher education. Its findings are the result of interview and questionnaire responses from librarians who have collection development responsibilities in academic libraries in both public and private institutions. Because missions and user needs differ among the libraries as well as among their institutions, the patterns of collection development activities differ accordingly. It is on the differences in collection development techniques among these five libraries that this study concentrates.