Collection Development In Academic Libraries Research Articles

New horizons for academic library collection development: Creating a community curated collection through student empowerment

As the role of the academic library in university life changes, libraries are seeking ways to better engage their communities – university students, faculty, and staff. Student success and engagement have come to the forefront of these efforts. In 2019, Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University implemented two programs to engage students in collection development. The first program enriched subject areas within Kent Library’s collection that were selected by the student body. The second program awarded grants to student groups for the purchase of library materials that supported their focus. This case study shares details of the two programs, their implementation, and the results, including the impact of student engagement in collections on student success and the creation of a community-curated library collection.

Collection Development in Academic Libraries: Challenges and Way Forward

The core of the library is the collection. Library, being an information bank, its pivotal role is enshrined in the basic mandate of stocking information materials to meet the needs of users. The quality of the collection remains the litmus test of service delivery effectiveness in the academic world. It is the functional domain of collection development to peg collection quality high. Well-conceived collection development encompasses a range of activities such as selection, acquisition, user studies, stock evaluation, weeding and interlibrary cooperation. None of these activities is inconsequential in the bid to achieve high quality collection as they all work in synergy. The collection development which composed of the information resources, constitutes the basic instrument of service delivery in the library. Thus, librarians involved in collection development roles must now reach as far as possible into the larger world of prints and web scholarly content to add, organize, promote and make quality material discoverable and accessible. Librarians need to expose the research materials housed in repositories and on the open web, even as these materials are often hidden from scholars due to lack of indexing, inadequate crawling by major search engines, existence of poor quality metadata, or a lack of librarian effort at marketing of material that might maximize usage and accessibility. Therefore, Collection development librarians and subject specialists are best poised to know which public domain materials might best be needed and made more accessible to institutional scholars and to local communities.

民国时期参与图书馆馆藏建设的学界代表朱自清

民国时期参与图书馆馆藏建设的学界代表朱自清

Strategies for Collection Development in Academic Libraries

This study discusses the importance of collection development in libraries. Various factors have to be taken into consideration while developing a qualitative collection for the benefit of the users. These factors include policies, principles, techniques and procedures, problems associated with collection/ development and weeding out as well. It is equally important to evaluate the collections to assess its use and moreover the usefulness of collection development in electronic environment. Authors conclude that, library professionals need to take utmost care in developing a balanced collection, which enhances the quality of the library. The study is attempted on the basis of experience. Selection policies and practices play fundamental role in developing a strong collection. Collection development involves a number of activities by which a library acquires materials of all types by implementing the selection policy and the plans for document acquisition. Collection development is a dynamic and continuous activity. It involves the users, the library staff, and the subject experts on the selection team. It is not an end in itself, but a means to develop a need-based, up-to-date, and balanced collection fit to meet the document and information needs of the users.

“A Lot of Flexibility within the Structure”: Academic Library Collection Development & E-Resources Management from an Athletics Perspective

There is an established history of academic libraries collaborating with their institutions’ athletics departments to provide learning and research support to student-athletes in order to achieve positive educational outcomes. It is rarer to find documented the effect that athletics has had on the professional life of an academic librarian. The author details how the skills acquired and lessoned learned being an athlete and collegiate coach directly influenced his approach to providing leadership in various collection development and electronic resources management initiatives at a medium-sized academic library.

Russian market of electronic resources: providers and users

Aim. The article aims at the analysis of the dynamics and the structure of the Russian markets of scholarly electronic information broken by reference groups of providers and users.Materials and Methods. Materials comprise results of the data processing of the Russian surveys on acquisition budgets in 2012–2018 and published results of the international surveys. We analyze three main reference groups and four sub-groups of the Russian organizations and three reference groups of providers of the electronic scholarly information. We obtained market shares of different reference groups of Russian subscribers and analyzed temporal dynamics of the market structure in 2012–2018.We obtained subscription chains and preferences broken by resource providers in Russia and compared our results with the results of the 2018 survey of American academics. We developed Russian rating of information providers and estimated market shares of each reference group.Results. The market of electronic scholarly information shows continuous concentration towards the group of universities. In 2018, relative share of the university segment of the market of electronic resources made 94%. Since 2015, the share of the reference group of the universities of the 5/100 project increased from 36% to 46%, whereas the share of two national Russian universities shrank from 12% to 9% in 2017–2018. The Russian market of electronic resources is broken in three nearly equal parts related to three groups of resource providers and producers: 35% belong to the group of international publishers, 36% – to the Russian subscription agents and 29% – to the Russian producers and providers of electronic information. Nine of ten organizations responded that they subscribe via Russian information vendors and subscription agents and four of ten – directly via international publishers. This result corresponds to the results of the Academic Library Collection Development Survey 2018.Conclusions. One can conclude that the Russian market of electronic resources is monopolized as referred to the users/consumers of scholarly electronic information and non-monopolized referring the providers and producers of electronic resources. The market comprises three almost equal segments related to three reference groups of providers and producers of electronic resources. The majority of Russian organizations subscribe to electronic resources via Russian electronic information producers or agents.

Standards Collections: Considerations for the Future

Technical standards are a form of gray literature that describe consensus for a wide variety of applications. They promote safety, quality, and interchangeability of parts. In academic libraries, standards have largely been associated with engineering collections, despite having connections to many disciplines. Engineering and technology accreditation bodies and employers continue to expect graduates to have knowledge and experience with standards upon graduation. This article provides a brief history of standards collection development in academic libraries, discusses the challenges of standards collections, shares a case study of standards information literacy curricula integration, and offers considerations for the future of standards collections.

To stream or not to stream?

Purpose The University of Kansas (KU) libraries has faced increased requests for streaming video in the past five years. While we have provided access to many databases of films, feature films remained a problem. To write a collection development policy, the library undertook three investigations to ensure the outcome reflected the needs of the university. Design/methodology/approach Film titles included in Swank 300 and Criterion-on-Demand were checked against the CanIStream. it? website to check for availability through streaming, rental or purchase services. Student library users were surveyed to determine if they had streaming subscriptions and, if so, which ones. KU librarians also examined academic library collection development polices to understand how others have addressed this issue. Findings More than half of the feature films provided by the two vendors are available through subscriptions, renting or purchasing methods. A majority of students subscribe to one or more of these services. Many academic libraries are deciding not to provide streaming feature films. Originality/value There are no previous studies on students’ subscriptions to streaming services linked to availability of feature films offered from commercial vendors to libraries.

LGBTQ Collection Assessment: Library Ownership of Resources Cited by Master’s Students

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Studies and the broader discipline of sexuality studies are multidisciplinary fields that require a different approach to collection development in academic libraries. Many library collections budgets reflect the traditional divisions by academic department, and multidisciplinary fields often transcend these conventional boundaries. The concept of one selector for one department, while being a well-established and practical approach to collection building, is limited in breadth and scope and is not necessarily suitable for multidisciplinary fields. This study uses citation analysis to assess the LGBTQ collection at Concordia University Libraries, to ascertain collection strengths and weaknesses, and to recommend collaborative collection development as a viable method of building an excellent collection in a multidisciplinary subject area.

Collection Development in Academic Libraries in Imo State Nigeria: Status Analysis and Way Forward

The study was conceived to x-ray the performance of collection development function in five academic libraries in Imo State, Nigeria, in order to determine possible operational flaws and proffer solution. Data were collected from all the one hundred and nine professional and para-professional staff of the libraries using a self-developed questionnaire. Findings of the study include: absence of comprehensive collection development policy, lack of a coordinating unit for collection development activities, low participation of faculty in book selection, inadequate book votes and irregular weeding of stock. Measures addressing the flaws were suggested as a way forward in the discharge of the important function of collection development in the studied libraries.

Collection Development in Indian Academic Libraries: An Empirical Approach to Determine the Number of Copies for Acquisition ,,

Collection development in academic libraries has many challenges and one of them concerns determining the number of copies of some books that are required in multiple copies in the library. In the present study, five major academic libraries in New Delhi were surveyed to understand the prevalent policies and practices on determining the number of copies of books that are required in multiple copies. It was found that there was no consistency in the approach to deciding the number of copies in the libraries studied. Further it was noted that all the libraries arbitrarily decided on the number of copies to be purchased. The paper discusses a method that has been evolved to determine the number of copies. The method has been applied in one of the academic libraries under study which when combined with other measures have been found to be more effective in determining the number of copies required.

Pulp Poets and Superhero Prophets: A Case for Popular Culture in Academic Library Collection Development

abstractFor decades, popular culture was neglected and frowned upon by academics. In recent years, cultural critics, including librarians, have found popular culture materials to be didactic tools, and vital to the study of society and the zeitgeist that has prevailed at the time of their production. As a result, many academic librarians have found it useful to develop collections in their libraries that reflect a range of sociological change as demonstrated in these resources. With diligence and research, academic collection development managers may choose materials that will enhance the role of popular culture in their libraries.

The Past, Present, and Future of Demand-Driven Acquisitions in Academic Libraries

Demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) programs have become a well-established approach toward integrating user involvement in the process of building academic library collections. However, these programs are in a constant state of evolution. A recent iteration in this evolution of ebook availability is the advent of large ebook collections whose contents libraries can lease, but not own only if they choose to do so. This study includes an investigation of patron usage and librarian ebook selection by comparing call number data generated by usage of three entities: (1) an ebrary PDA; (2) Academic Complete, which is a leased collection of ebooks; and (3) subject librarian selections based on the YPB approval plan at Iowa State University. The context is provided through a description of the development and evolution of demand driven acquisitions programs with an analysis of where libraries have been and where they are going with enhancing the collection development in academic libraries.

Citation Analysis of Masters Theses: as a Tool for Collection Development in Academic Libraries

This study analyses the citations of Masters Theses on Sociology at the University of Peradeniya submitted from 1995 to 2012 to determine the format and age of materials used and most frequently cited journals. The citation analysis method was used as the data collection method and the citations were extracted from the title pages and reference lists of each of the theses. Data obtained from 12 masters theses were examined in June, 2013. The study found that 56% of cited items were monographs followed by 22% were journals, 8.5% were reports, 4% were web resources and 3.7% were conference proceedings. This is contrary with other citation analysis, which found that journals are the most frequently used format. The study also revealed that nine journal titles are the most frequently cited journals by sociology graduates. The study indicated that the average age of materials used was 10- 20 years. The findings and implications of the research for collection development have been discussed. This study could serve as a collection development tool that can be used as a model for the library to identify the primary sources for acquisitions and also as a guide for collection maintenance. Journal of the University Librarians Association, Sri Lanka, Vol. 17, Issue 2, January 2013, Page 88-103 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jula.v17i2.6647

Pattern of Collection Development in Academic Libraries in Andhra Pradesh: A Study

Pattern of Collection Development in Academic Libraries in Andhra Pradesh: A Study

Books in Print: indispensable or unnecessary for academic library collection development?

Purpose – ‐‐ This article aims to determine if, given the current economic climate in higher education, academic libraries are still using the database Books in Print (BIP) as a collection development tool.Design/methodology/approach ‐‐ The article discusses a survey distributed to the Learning Times Library Online Community; Marylib, the list‐serv for the Maryland Library Association; ili‐l, the American Library Association's Information Literacy Instruction Discussion List; and Libref‐l, sponsored by Kent State for Reference Librarians. Participants responded to a series of questions about whether they use BIP as a collection development tool; whether they use other resources and, if so, what they are; and if the BIP database was dropped, why this decision was made.Findings ‐‐ Many academic libraries have dropped BIP and are using a variety of resources to find book reviews, pricing, and availability information. Only a slightly lower percentage of academic libraries have kept the database and use it as an important collection development tool.Research limitations/implications ‐‐ The sample size was relatively small.Originality/value ‐‐ This survey and subsequent article fill a gap in the literature – no other survey results could be found that addressed changes in academic libraries' perception of BIP as the “go to” source for collection development.

The ethics of academic collection development in a politically contentious era

The ethics of academic library collection development are discussed within the context of the polarized political climate of the United States. The ethics are examined in regard to collection development and the exercise of professional judgment. Legislation introduced in the State of Colorado is used as an example of a manifestation of the political polarization. The legislation's possible effects upon the academic freedom of librarians are examined. The limitations of the ethical principle of neutrality and rationale for engaging in advocacy are explored. An expansion of the teaching role of academic technical services librarians is recommended.

Collaborate or Die! Collection Development in Today's Academic Library

SUMMARY The practice of collection development faces many challenges in the present and likely future library environment. The following text presents concepts for collaboration as viable solutions to these challenges for collection development in academic libraries. In particular, a model of collaboration involving department faculty representatives and library liaisons is discussed. Consulting professional literature on this topic has offered insight into the establishment of librarian-faculty relationships, the process of collaboration, benefits of collaboration, as well as problems that may result from such cooperative relationships. Examples are illustrated from experiences at three academic libraries: University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of South Florida, and Hillsborough Community College.

Collection Development at SJU Libraries

SUMMARY Collection development in academic libraries has become a difficult process in an era of technological change. Today's academic librarian must not only have subject expertise, but must also balance print and electronic collections, and have familiarity with budgeting skills such as a cost-benefit analysis. The creation and implementation of a Collection Development Policy Statement should be at the heart of all purchasing decisions. This statement should be a written policy, one which employs the ALA Guidelines of Collection Development and one that uses the university's and library's mission statements and strategic plan as its guiding force. The collection development policy needs to be revised in conjunction with the ever changing needs of the library's users and the growth of technology. This article will explore the creation and revision of the Collection Development Policy at St. John's University, New York. The focus is twofold: the need for a written Col

Environmental impact : a preliminary citation analysis of local faculty in a new academic program in environmental and human health applied to collection development at Texas Tech University Library

Abstract: New academic programs in environmental prompted a citation analysis of faculty by the Texas Tech University Library (TTU). The purpose of this study is to characterize the citation patterns of the interdisciplinary field of environmental and human health as compared with other disciplines and to apply the results to collection development. Twenty-four articles were selected from 1996 and 1997 with over 1600 citations to more than 950 listed references. The average age of citations was 10.5 years for journals and 9.4 years for books. On average, journals were cited 67% of the time while books were cited 17% of the time. Proceedings, theses, and technical reports were also cited but that data was not applied to collection development. The impact on collection development has been to identify a small number of specific books which were frequently cited but were not in the collection and to identify important subject terms with which to guide the selection of related books. Finally, 12 new subscriptions to frequently cited journals will be reviewed with faculty to determine their suitability as additions to the collection. This paper was also published in the March 1999 issue of the electronic journal LIBRES. (http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/sils/libres/libre9n1/toxcite.htm) INTRODUCTION In response to two distinct requests from life faculty on the TTU campus for a description of library support for new environmental studies programs, a document was prepared describing the collection, document delivery service options, spending patterns for acquisitions, etc. [Appendix E] In order to better understand how to support the research activity of these faculty, especially the group at the new Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), a citation analysis was undertaken which would allow for refining the original description of program support by the University Library. It was also hoped that such a study would add a qualitative dimension to the Library's effort to gather use data amidst an ongoing debate over the validity of journal reshelving counts. TIEHH was formed as a joint venture between Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in 1997. It is dedicated to be a leader in research and teaching between environmental and human health. It will implement science and technology in the interface of good environmental policy and economic development. The charter faculty of the Institute [Appendix A] established a solid record of original research and service while at Clemson. A representative sample of their scholarly output in 1996 & 1997 constitute the study sample for this analysis. LITERATURE REVIEW Citation studies reveal much about scholarly communication and can be an effective tool to guide collection development in academic libraries. These studies typically take one of two directions: local or global. Studies of local faculty are believed by many to yield more relevant results than global investigations to assist librarians making serials selection decisions for their institutions. Aside from practical applications, citation studies offer objective insight into the fundamental research behavior of faculty and graduate students. For example, citation studies have been used to better understand how invisible colleges communicate, to identify discipline specific core journals, to make distinctions in research patterns between pure and applied scientists, etc. In a study comparing two plant journals considered either applied or basic in scientific content, Nordstrom (1987) characterized each based on citation age, proportion of cited formats, number of citations per article, and the distribution of citations among sections of each publication. He reported that basic publications generally cited more works and that these works tended to be somewhat older than the applied counterpart. …