COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

COURSE CODE: 9206 UNITS: 1-9

STUDY GUIDE
BS-LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCES

AIOU website: https://aiou.edu.pk

LIS Department website: https://lis.aiou.edu.pk/
LIS Facebook page: LIS@AIOU official

Department of Library and Information Sciences

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
2019

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Compiled by: Dr. Sajjad Ullah Jan
Reviewed by: Dr. Amjid Khan

Program Coordinator
Muhammad Jawwad

Course Coordinator
Dr. Muhammad Arif

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 Table of Contents
Sr# Title Page#
1 Course organization 4
2 Assessment/evaluation criteria 4
3 Course introduction 4
4 Objectives of the course 5
Unit 1 Introduction to collection management and development 7
Unit 2 Organization and staffing 9
Unit 3 Policy, planning, and budgets 11
Unit 4 Developing collections 15
Unit 5 Managing collections 19
Unit 6 Marketing, liaison, and outreach activities 25
Unit 7 Electronic resources 29
Unit 8 Cooperative collection development and management 34
Unit 9 Collection analysis: evaluation and assessment 38

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Course Organization
This course has been organized in a way so as to help you in completing your required course
work. There are nine units in this course. Each unit starts with an introduction which provides an
overall overview of that particular unit. The introduction part is followed by objectives in each
unit that shows the basic learning purposes. Similarly, the rationale behind these objectives is
that after reading unit a student should be able to explain, discuss, compare, and analyze the
concepts studied in that particular unit. Hence, this study guide is intended to be a concise
appetizer and learning tool in which the course contents are briefly introduced.
This study guide is based on prescribed reading materials. Students are bound for studying these
materials so as to have successful completion of the course. After the section of ‘Objectives’ few
self-assessment questions and activities have been put forth for the students. These questions are
meant to facilitate students/you in understanding that how much student/you have learned.
For this course, a 3-days workshop and four tutorial classes are arranged in university’s study
center. These tutorial classes are not formal lectures given in any formal university. These are
meant for group and individual discussion with tutor to facilitate you. So, before going to attend
a tutorial, prepare yourself to discuss course contents with your tutor. (04 classes in total for each
course in every semester with non-compulsory attendance) and workshop (03 days for each
course in every semester with at least 70% compulsory attendance) support will also be
provided.
After completing the study of first 5 units the ‘Assignment No. 1’ is due. The second assignment
that is ‘Assignment No. 2’ is due after the completion of next 4 units. These two assignments are
to be assessed by the relevant tutor/resource person. Students/you should be very careful while
preparing the assignments because these may also be checked with Turnitin for plagiarism.

Assessment/Evaluation of Students’ Coursework

Multiple criteria have been adopted to assess students’ work for each courses, except Research
Thesis, as under.

a) Written examination to be assessed by the Examination Department, AIOU at the end of each
semester = 70% marks (pass marks 50%). AIOU examination rules apply in this regard.
b) Two assignments and/or equivalent to be assessed by the relevant tutor/resource person =
30% marks (pass marks 50% collectively).

All the matters relating to Research Thesis will be dealt with as per AIOU rules. However, the
pass marks for Research Thesis is 50% both in evaluation of research report and viva voce
examination separately.

Course Introduction
This course is of three credit hours and contains nine units. The introduction provided at the start
of each unit summarizes contents within that unit. The students should study this carefully so as
to have idea of the syllabi and prepare themselves for the solution of assignments, assessment
questions, activities, and final examination. A brief introduction of the entire course is provided
in the following paragraphs.
Collection development and management are very important for libraries. If you don’t have a
collection, you don’t have a library. In the earliest libraries, people concentrated on building

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collections and locating materials to add. By the late 1970s, the idea of collection development
and management as a professional specialization gained acceptance. Over the last few decades,
collection development and management have come to encompass a suite of responsibilities.
Library collection development is the process of building the library materials to meet the
information needs of the users in a timely and economical manner. According to
the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), acquisition
and collection development focuses on methodological and topical themes pertaining to
acquisition of print and other analogue library materials (by purchase, exchange, gift, legal
deposit), and the licensing and purchase of electronic information resources.
Collection development involves the; identification, selection, acquisition, and evaluation of
library resources (e.g., print materials, audiovisual materials, and electronic resources). While it
is the goal of collection development to meet the information needs of everyone in a user
community, this is not ever entirely realized due to financial constraints, the diversity of user
information needs, and the vast amount of available information. Nonetheless, public libraries
strive to provide the greatest number of library resources to meet the information and
recreational needs of the majority of their user community, within the confines of fiscal realities.
Collection development is at the heart of what libraries do. It is in being able to meet the needs of
individuals with the "right stuff" that we fulfill our missions. For some the "right stuff" will be
the technology we make available while for others it will be just the right book, the right fact, the
great article, the best movie, or the audio book to entertain the whole family on a long drive. For
others it might be our recognition that just having a welcoming, quiet safe place to hang out is
the “right stuff” and for still others the programming we provide is part of the "right stuff" for
our information and cultural resources. In order to do this well, we have to have some
understanding of both the potential world of the "right stuff" and our unique community of
potential library users.
The work of collection development and management is being profoundly changed by the
Internet and increasing options for resources in digital format. Librarians select print materials
that will be digitized, remote e-resources to which they will subscribe e-books and CD-ROMs
that they will purchase, and free web resources to which they will direct their library community.
Decisions about e-resources cannot be separated from the decisions that librarians make on a
daily basis that is selecting, budgeting, planning, assessing and evaluating, canceling and
withdrawing, and so on. Nevertheless, e-resources continue to present unique challenges, and a
separate chapter addressing these remains necessary. Collection development and management
does not exist in a vacuum. It is done well only when its practitioners interact constantly with
others within a library and with the collection’s users and potential users. In short, this course is
intended for those with little experience in collection development and management that is LIS
students preparing to enter the field of librarianship and experienced librarians with new or
expanded responsibilities.

Objectives of the Course

After studying this course the students will be able to:
1. Explain the concept of collection development and management in libraries
2. Describe the importance of collection development in libraries
3. Discuss the role collection management in delivery of right information to right user
4. Explain the collection development policy, planning, and budgeting
5. Discuss the importance of collection development and management in electronic era

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6. Explain the role of collection analysis in collection development in libraries

Recommended reading
 Johnson, P. (2014). Fundamentals of collection development and management. American
Library Association, Chicago, USA. Available at:
http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=C1210225644D894C9E7A149743B23EFE

Suggested readings
 Adams, K. E., & Cassner, M. E. (2001). Marketing Library Resources and Services to
Distance Faculty. Journal of Library Administration, 31(3/4), 5-22.
 Alabaster, C. (2002). Developing an Outstanding Core Collection: A Guide for Libraries.
Chicago: American Library Association.
 Albitz, B., Avery, C., & Zabel, D. (2014). Rethinking collection development and
management. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.
 Barreau, D. (2001). Information Systems and Collection Development in Public Libraries.
Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services, 25(3), 263-79.
 Biery, S. S. (2001). Team Management of Collection Development from a Team Member’s
Perspective. Collection Management, 25(3), 11-22.
 Branin, J., Groen, F., &Thorin, S. (2000). The Changing Nature of Collection Management in
Research Libraries. Library Resources and Technical Services,44(1), 23-32.
 Evans, G. E., Ward, P. L. & Rugaas, B. (2000). The Planning Process. In Management Basics
for Information Professionals, 161–90. New York: Neal-Schuman.
 Farmer, L. S. J. (2001). Collection Development in Partnership with Youth: Uncovering Best
Practices. Collection Management, 26(2), 67-78.
 Flowers, J. L. (2001). Standing Orders: Considerations for Acquisitions Method. Library
Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services, 25(3), 323-28.
 Gillespie, J. T. (1998). Guides to Collection Development for Children and Young Adults.
Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited.
 Handman, G. (ed) (2002). Video Collection Development in Multi-Type Libraries: A
Handbook. 2d ed. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood.
 Jaguszewski, J. M., & Probst, L. K. (2000). The Impact of Electronic Resources on Serial
Cancellations and Remote Storage Decisions in Academic Research Libraries. Library
Trends, 48(4), 799-820.
 Gessesse, K. (2000). Collection development and management in the twenty‐first century
with special reference to academic libraries: an overview. Library Management, 21(7), 365-
372.
 Wicks, D. A., Bairdiella, L., &Swords, D. (2001). Four Birds with One Stone: Collaboration
in Collection Development. Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services 25,473-
83.
 Wu, C., et al. (1994). Effective Liaison Relationships in an Academic Library. College and
Research Libraries News,55(5), 254-303.

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 UNIT NO. 1
INTRODUCTION TO COLLECTION MANAGEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT
1.1 Introduction
Collection development is the means by which the library provides high quality information
resources of print and non-print materials and provides access to electronic resources that will
meet instructional requirements. Through collection development, we also strive to meet the
cultural and recreational needs of the community. Collection development is an ongoing process,
undertaken by librarians and library services staff, with input from faculty, administrators, staff,
and students. Collection development is the thoughtful process of developing or building a
library collection in response to institutional priorities and community or user needs and
interests. Collection development covers several activities related to the development of library
collections, including selection, the determination and coordination of selection policy,
assessment of the needs of users and potential users, budget management, identification of
collection needs, community and user outreach and liaison, planning for resource sharing, and
perhaps e-resources contract review and negotiation. Although collection management has been
proposed as an umbrella term under which collection development is subsumed. Collection
management covers decisions about weeding, serials cancellation, storage, and preservation and
the activities that inform these decisions such as use studies and cost/benefit assessment.

1.1.1 Mechanism of Collection Development and Management

Many librarians use the terms collection development and collection management synonymously
or in tandem. For example, the professional organization with Inala’s Association for Library
Collections and Technical Services that focuses on this topic is called the Collection
Management Section. The Reference and User Services Association’s comparable section is
called the Collection Development and Evaluation Section (CODES). The Medical Library
Association has a Collection Development Section, and the Association for Library Service to
Children has a Children’s Collection Management Discussion Group. The professional literature
also uses the terms interchangeably. Nevertheless, librarians generally have a common
understanding of the practice and purpose of collection development and management. Those
who practice collection development and management are variously called selectors,
bibliographers, collections librarians, subject specialists, liaisons or subject liaisons, collection
development librarians, collection managers, and collection developers. In smaller libraries, the
individual developing and managing collections may simply have the title of librarian or, in
schools, school librarian or media specialist. Additional titles for those who build and manage
collections also are used. In many libraries, collections responsibilities are part of duties that
librarians are assigned. Collection development and management responsibilities include:
 Selecting materials in all formats
 Reviewing and negotiating contracts to acquire or access e-resources
 Managing the collection through informed weeding, cancellation, storage, and preservation
 Writing and revising collection development policies
 Promoting, marketing, and interpreting collections and resources
 Evaluating and assessing collections and related services, collection use, and users’
experiences
 Preparing budgets, managing allocations, and demonstrating responsible stewardship of funds
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 Working with other libraries in support of resource sharing and cooperative collection
development and management
 Soliciting supplemental funds for collection development and management through grants and
monetary gifts.

1.1.2 Collection Development Policy

The collection development in libraries required a sound collection development policy that
addresses such as:
 Material selection and acquisition which may include general selection criteria, criteria for
specific subject area, jurisdiction, formats, languages, and duplication.
 Replacement of worn or lost materials
 Removal (weeding) of materials no longer needed in the collection
 Planning for new collections
 Developing library mission
 Establishing cooperative decision-making with other libraries or within library consortia for
acquisition of reading materials that is collection development.
The future of collection development will be influenced by the rapid spread of digital technology
both as a means for information creation, access, and delivery and as a primary influence on
society. Electronic formats are leading to libraries that extend beyond their physical walls and
see their collections as drawing from all the information sources that can be found and used
without regard to location or time. The global network is creating a new community of resources
and information and of seekers after resources and information. The intrinsic nature of society
and how it defines and perceives itself is changing. This is the contact zone on which librarians
should concentrate and the direction in which their future lies.

1.2 Objectives
The study of this unit will enable you to:
 Explain collection development in libraries
 Describe collection management in libraries
 Discuss collection development and management policy
 Explain ‘Weeding’ in library collection

1.3 Self-assessment Questions

Q1. Define collection development and discuss the philosophy of collection development in
special libraries.
Q2. Discuss in detail the collection development process in academic libraries.

1.4 Activities
 Visit a university library and identify the department/staff responsible for collection
development and discuss issues of collection development with them.
 Discuss the reasons of ‘weeding’ with a concern university library staff.

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 UNIT NO. 2
ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING

2.1 Introduction
Any library activity that relates to library collections both on-site and accessed remotely may be
assigned to the collection development and management librarian. Assignment of responsibilities
and placement of collections activities within a library will vary depending on the library’s size,
budget, mission, and user community. In small libraries, all activities may be handled by one
individual. In very large libraries, responsibilities may be highly centralized or widely dispersed
according to subject responsibility, user community, physical location of staff members, or a
subset of functions. The trend is toward combining collections responsibilities with others,
though full-time collection development and management librarians are found in larger libraries.
Many functions that were once the purview of professional librarians have migrated to
paraprofessionals. Those that remain solely the responsibility of collections librarians are
programmatic in nature because they have the potential to change the library’s direction, create
new programs, and influence how the library’s constituents perceive it.
Larger libraries of all types often have a senior collection development officer. This individual
may have direct line responsibility for all librarians with collection development and
management responsibilities or may serve a coordinating function. The collection development
officer usually has budgetary authority and provides the guidance essential for coherent,
coordinated collection development and management. Many libraries also have committees with
permanent or rotating membership that provide coordination, consistency, and help with problem
solving by virtue of members representing various units, branches, or divisions.

2.1.1 Staffing
Collection development implies selection, acquisition and evaluation of the library collection in
order to see that both print and non-print materials that are available in a library are really useful
to the library costumers. Its purpose is to find out the users’ information needs, select and acquire
documents that are really useful to the library costumers, periodically review the collection for
weeding out unwanted and outdated documents from it. For fulfilling these functions of
collection development qualified library professionals need to be assigned. The library staff,
first, analyzes their library costumers by identifying their different segments on the basis of
academic subject, age, and ongoing academic projects etc. The concern staff develops collection
development policy. This policy expresses its relationship with the objectives of the parent
organization / library. Such policies also include; the basis for planning collection development,
practical guidance in day to day selection of reading material free from personal bias,
determining the best method of acquisition, support and assists in justifying the selection of a
collection, acts as a rational guide for budget allocation, and also helps in long range budget
planning by stating priorities and outlining growth and development goals.
The idea of subject specialist positions responsible for portions of the collection was developed
in Germany in the 1800s. Subject specialists were seen to be most appropriate in libraries with
complex bibliographic, linguistic, acquisition, and processing problems that required specialized
expertise to solve. Some have seen the shift of selection decision making from teaching faculty
to librarians as both a force toward and an indication of the professionalization of librarianship.
For a time, the phrase subject specialist or subject bibliographer was under-stood to mean a
librarian who was assigned full time to collections activities. This has changed, and now a

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librarian who is called a subject specialist or bibliographer may have additional library
responsibilities, such as reference service or cataloging, using his or her unique language
expertise. In short, a subject specialist librarian can develop relevant collection in a more
effective way.

2.1.2 Collection Organization

Collection organization means systematic arrangement of library materials in a planned way to
achieve some functional goals. In a library, the document collection should be organized in order
to achieve effective use of the collection. Once a library acquires information records under its
collection development policy they should be put to real use. That can be achieved only by
organizing the collections. Documents procured will have to be systematically arranged in the
library. Then only they can be searched with ease and comfort. We may think that arrangement
of things or documents is very simple. But we face several problems as we begin arranging
information records in a library. The documents so procured should be made accessible to the
users because satisfying users’ needs is a major concern of a collection development policy.
Shelf arrangement, classification and cataloguing techniques followed should help in this regard.
Several problems crop up in collection organization in deciding the way the documents should be
grouped, and how they are to be classified and catalogued.
Circulation service, reference service, interlibrary loan and other cooperative activities
and the like will help the users in getting the information they need and will result in maximum
use of the library collection. Care and preservation of the library materials is also significant for
collection organization. Library materials should be protected from misuse, mutilation and theft.
They should also be protected from insects and environmental dangers. Collection development
can fulfill its objectives by periodic evaluation of the collection. Shelf rectification and stock
verification will help the evaluation process. In order to ascertain whether the collection is really
useful in quality and scope surveys can be conducted and services of the subject experts can be
taken. Evaluation is an integral part of library management and administration. Evaluation of the
document collection is an essential and inevitable component of the collection development
policy. Through evaluation only library can improve its quality of service.

2.2 Objectives
After studying this unit, you/student will be able to:
 Discuss the role of library staff in collection development procedure
 Describe the collection organization concept in libraries
 Discuss the issues in collection development and management in libraries

2.3 Self- assessment Questions

1. Define subject librarian. Discuss the conception of subject librarian in collection development
in university libraries
2. Discuss the hierarchy of responsibilities of library staff in collection development and
organization.
3. What are the issues in collection development and management in Pakistani academic
libraries? Discuss in detail.

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2.4 Activities
 Prepare a list of competencies that needed for the position of a collection development
librarian
 Visit websites of five different university libraries and identify the scheme used for collection
organization/collection management.

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 UNIT NO. 3
POLICY, PLANNING, AND BUDGETS
3.1 Introduction
For smooth running of routine and successful activities every organization needs proper
planning. Planning is both an organizational and individual responsibility in about every type of
organization. Plans, by analyzing the organization’s environment and mission, improve the
quality of all decisions. That is, every organization has a better understanding of its desired
future and how to apply available resources to obtain that future. Thus, meeting the future
demands and effective utilization of available resources, proper planning and policy are needed
for libraries as well.

3.1.1 Planning in Libraries

Planning is one of many responsibilities librarians have. Formal planning should not be viewed
only as the responsibility of managers and administrators. Planning should be part of all
activities in the library. Planning means ‘devising a method for accomplishing something’.
Planning occurs every day because outcomes are sought, decisions are made to reach those
outcomes, and actions are taken based on those decisions. The distinctions between informal
planning, which people do daily and formal planning, which has a structure within which
conscious, intentional planning occurs.
Librarians may follow one or more models in formal planning, depending on the particular
situation and the methods endorsed by its parent organization. Strategic planning, with its
specific focus on understanding and responding to a changing environment through continual
revision, is a commonly applied planning model. The process of planning brings librarians to a
better understanding of their library’s mission and goals. A plan, which includes desired goals
and objectives toward reaching these goals, shares this information with constituents. Both
library users and parent agencies are provided benchmarks against which to measure the library’s
effective use of financial resources.

3.1.2 Collection Development Policy in Libraries

The purpose of a library collection development policy, a central planning document, is to
inform and protect. It defines the scope of existing collections, relates the library’s collecting
goals to the resources available to meet them, incorporates the parent institution’s mission, and
recognizes current and future user needs. A policy protects the library against external pressures,
particularly in the areas of intellectual freedom and censorship. The policy’s audience is the
library’s staff, its users, and its governing or administrative body. The purpose of a collection
development policy is to create a collection of library materials that supports the library's
mission. All decisions about the kinds of materials to be collected or accessed should be made
with the mission statement in mind. For example, if an elementary school library's mission is to
support the curriculum, it will not be interested in collecting adult fiction. However, if the library
also has a mission to be a resource for teachers, it will collect some professional materials on
elementary education. The collection development policy sets goals for the collection that reflect
the library's mission. The collection development policy provides information to the library's
stakeholders about how the collection is chosen, and it explains who is responsible for making
decisions about the collection.

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3.1.2.1 Purpose of the Collection Development Policy
The many purposes that collection policies serve can be divided into two broad purposes that are
to inform and to protect. The audience being informed must also be considered when creating a
policy. Collection development policy statements inform by describing current collections in
terms of strengths and weaknesses and setting future goals. By identifying future collection
levels, policies provide a benchmark against which to measure success in reaching those levels.
Collection policies provide the information needed to establish priorities for the library. Priorities
for collection development and management are an obvious result. In addition, collection
policies can inform decisions about cataloging, retrospective conversion, space allocation,
budgeting, and fund-raising priorities. They can guide those individuals responsible for
managing personnel, fiscal resources, space, and other resources in support of collections. By
establishing collection priorities, policy statements guide libraries in establishing staffing needs
and allocating available personnel. In short, the purposes of collection development are:
 To guide library staff for in decision-making regarding the selection, management, and
preservation of the collection
 To identify responsibilities for developing collection
 To guide staff in developing budgets and allocating resources
 To respond to changes in teaching and research programs
 To state library’s commitment to intellectual freedom.
Collection development policy statements protect the library against external pressures. Policy
statements can serve to protect intellectual freedom and prevent censorship. Many libraries’
statements repeat or reference the “Library Bill of Rights” and other intellectual freedom
statements. A policy resists the exclusion of certain materials, it can protect against pressure to
include inappropriate and irrelevant materials. A statement can protect against undue special
interest pressure from those who demand that the library accept gifts or purchase certain
materials. A policy makes clear that materials are rejected because of collection guidelines, not
because of who may or may not wish their acceptance. Policies can protect by guiding the
handling of gifts. The policy specifies the conditions under which the library accepts and rejects
gifts. The gift policy should address the economic, social, and political situation in which a
library exists.

3.1.3 Budgeting in Collection Development

Once a library’s goals and objectives are understood through the planning process, its budget
serves both to document those decisions through allocations and to coordinate achieving those
goals and objectives. Budget allocations are a measure of the financial commitment to support
activities necessary to reach the goals outlined in a plan. A well-crafted budget becomes an
internal control that can measure operating effectiveness and performance. The materials budget,
also called the acquisitions budget, collections budget, or the resources budget, is one portion of
a library’s total budget.
The word ‘budget ‘is used in two ways. In the planning sense, the library’s budget is its plan for
the use of money available during a fiscal year and reflects allocations, expected revenues, and
projected expenditures. A proposed budget is presented to funding authorities as both are quest
for funding and a plan for what the library will do with the money it receives. Budget also can
mean the total amount of funds available to meet library’s expenditures over a fixed period of
time. The budget will vary from year to year. The planning process should make clear which
budget will cover which types of expenses. The materials budget may be intended to cover the

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purchase of equipment to house collections, costs to support the technological infrastructure that
provides access to electronic resources, binding and other preservation and conservation
treatments, vendor service charges, and shipping and handling fees.
Approaches to the budgeting process vary from library to library. The parent institution may
mandate the approach, and in some organizations, this may change from year to year. Zero-based
budgets require a fresh start each year. The library is asked to begin with a blank page and
determine how much to spend in each category of the budget. Each funding request is proposed
and defended without reference to past practice. Few government and nonprofit organizations
take this approach because of the amount of work involved. A program or performance
budgeting approach looks at allocations for specific activities or programs and provides very
clear connection with planning documents and the objectives set each year. Most organizations
use a historical or incremental budget approach, which determines the needed incremental
changes in various categories. Combining incremental budgeting with program budgeting is a
common practice. The library begins with the previous year’s base budget and identifies
programmatic priorities that should be funded at higher level. The librarian should approach
budget preparation in the manner required by his or her parent institution. An effective budget
system provides the tools for making reasonable decisions about allocation or reallocation of
resources.
Collections budgets are an important part of the planning process and also a mechanism for
tracking effectiveness. A good collections budget is one that reflects the goals of the parent
institution. It provides a mechanism to show the library’s commitment to its goals in concrete
fiscal terms and to monitor progress toward those goals. Good budgeting does not replace good
selecting. They are complementary processes. Collections policies and budgeting are part of the
planning process that informs collection development and management.

3.2 Objectives
After studying this unit students will be able to:
 Explain the concept of collection development and management in different types of libraries
 Describe purposes of collection development in academic libraries
 Discuss the importance of planning/policy in collection development in libraries
 Argue the significance of budgeting and allocating in collection development

3.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. What is meant by collection development policy statement? Discuss its main elements.
2. To inform the audience and to protect library against the external pressures are the two main
purposes of collection development policies. Write a detail note on these purposes of
collection development.
3. Discuss the importance of budgeting in collection development in libraries.
4. Define planning. Write a comprehensive note on planning in libraries keeping in view
collection development.

3.4 Activities
 Visit a university library and identify stakeholders who might be consulted in writing the
collection development policy.
 Prepare and allocate a rough budget for collection development in an academic library.

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 UNIT NO. 4
DEVELOPING COLLECTIONS
3.1 Introduction
Developing collection encompasses all those activities that help in developing/building library
collections both on-site and accessed remotely. Earlier, it was called ‘Selection’. Selecting
between two or more options is part of nearly every decision collections librarians make as they
seek to implement collection development and management goals. Selection of reading materials
for libraries is not an easy task, particularly, among the vast number of materials published each
year. Book title as well as journals and other reading materials production is increasing every
year. During 2001, more than 141,700 book titles were published in the United States and more
than 43,500 in Canada. The forty-first edition of Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory (2003) listed
more than 164,000 periodical and irregular titles. So, librarians are challenged by increasing
materials costs as well as the vast number of publications. The costs of reading materials are also
increasing all over the world. In this scenario, librarians go through proper procedures to develop
collection. These include; selecting types of materials, selection process and selection criteria,
selecting sources for identifying titles, interaction with the acquisition process, acquisition
options, diverse user communities and alternative literature, and censorship and intellectual
freedom.

4.1.1 Types of Reading Materials

A first step in selecting materials is to separate them into categories and assign responsibility for
their selection and management. Format is a typical typology and distinguishes, for example,
between print, microforms, video and audio recordings, and electronic resources. Format often
guides how the material is handled in the library. Who catalogs it and how it is marked, shelved
or stored, and serviced or circulated. Other formats are maps, slides, pictures, globes, kits,
models, games, manuscripts and archives, and realia. Genre is often mixed incorrectly with
format when discussing types of materials. Categories within genre include monographs,
monographic series, dissertations, musical scores, newspapers, application software, numeric
data sets, exhibition catalogs, pamphlets, novels, plays, manuals, web sites, encyclopedias,
ephemera or gray literature, indexes and abstracts, directories, journals, magazines, textbooks,
and government documents. A single genre may be presented in several formats. For example,
serial publications can be acquired in print, microform, and various digital formats.
Resources may be categorized by subject. These may be broad divisions (humanities, social
sciences, sciences), more narrow (literature, sociology, engineering) or very refined (Pakistani
literature, family social science, chemical engineering). Often, the categories are described by
divisions in a classification scheme, typically the Library of Congress or Dewey decimal
systems. Some genres are more frequently found within subjects and disciplines. For example,
the sciences rely heavily on proceedings and research reports. Tests and other measurement tools
are part of the education and psychology literature. Materials can be subdivided by language in
which they are produced or geographic area in which they are published or which they cover.
Academic and research libraries may distinguish between primary (source documents),
secondary (reviews, state-of-the-art summaries, textbooks, interpretations of primary sources),
and tertiary resources (repackaging of the primary literature in popular treatments, annuals,
handbooks, and encyclopedias).

15
4.1.2 Selection Process and Selection Criteria
There are four basic steps involve in the selection process for developing collection: (1)
identification of the relevant material, (2) assessment (i. e. to see is the reading material
appropriate for the collection?) and evaluation (i.e. is the reading material worthy of selection?),
(3) decision to purchase, and (4) order preparation. Identifying possible items requires basic,
factual information about authors, titles, publishers, and topics. Many tools and resources exist to
help librarians in identifying possible materials/acquisitions.

4.1.2.1 Selection Tools and Resources

Bibliographies are one of the best sources for material selection. Bibliographies and lists may be
issued by libraries, library publishers, school systems, professional societies, and commercial
publishers. National bibliographies and trade lists have been standard tools in libraries for
decades. Similarly, indexing and abstracting resources provide a list of the titles indexed, which
can be checked against library holdings. Some resources identify specific types of publications,
such as Proceedings in Print. Others focus on both a specific discipline and specific types, such
as Index to Social Sciences and Humanities Proceedings. Book Reviews appear in the library-
oriented press, popular media, and discipline-based journals. An Internet-based resource,
Bookwire, indexes book review resources on the Internet, containing more than 5,000 links to
book sites worldwide. Apart from these, book fairs and bookstores, Amazon.com, and purchase
requests from users can be used as a tool for developing collection.

4.1.2.2 Evaluation and Assessment Criteria for Monographs

Evaluation and assessment assist the collections librarian in deciding if the title/book should be
added. Evaluation looks at item-intrinsic qualities. Each item is first considered on its own
merits. These will vary from item totem and between categories of materials but generally
include several of the following criteria:
 Content or subject of book/material/item
 Language of the item
 Currency of the item
 Authenticity of the item
 Completeness and scope of treatment
 Reputation, credentials, or authoritativeness of author, publisher, editor, reviewers;
 Geographic coverage
 Quality of scholarship
 Reading or user level to which content is directed
 External resources that index the publication
 Physical quality - illustrations, paper and binding, format, typography

4.1.2.3 Criteria for Selection of Serials

Serials are defined as titles issued periodically and expected to continue indefinitely, often
with numbered parts. The serials collection includes newspapers, journals, annuals and
monographic series. The purchase of print serial subscriptions requires special consideration
regarding space, maintenance, and long-term commitments of money, unlike monographs which
are one-time purchases. Most serials are now published online, with varying licenses. Titles are
added very selectively, and serials are charged to special Library-controlled budget lines.
Following are the specific guidelines for the selection of serials:

16
  Relevance of the title to the curriculum.
 Strength of existing subject coverage in the collection and a title's ability to add to the
existing coverage.
 Indexing availability. For most journals the Library acquires, there should be indexes
available in sources the Library owns.
 Cost and projected availability of funds.
 Audience for whom the title is intended.
 Reputation of editors or publisher.
 Currency of information.

1.1.2.4 Criteria for Selection of Databases

Databases will be selected using the same basic principles as print and non-print media.
Criteria to consider include:
• Appropriate retrospective and current coverage
• Spread of disciplinary coverage among selected titles
• Duplication of content with other products
• Basic and advanced search capabilities
• Economies of scale reflected in print
• Local and remote access
• Ease of user interface
• Minimal support required of Library staff
• Compatibility with current telecommunications and campus technological infrastructure
 Adequate documentation, training and bibliographic services provided by vendor
 Stability of the product
 Flexibility and responsiveness of the vendor
 Long-term support by the vendor
 High benefit but low cost threshold
 Availability of usage statistics from the vendor
 Inter-product links
 Evidence of progress by vendors to meet the accessibility needs of those with disabilities.

1.1.2.5 Weeding of Library Materials

Materials are weeded from the Library in order to maintain a current, active, and useful
collection, which reflects the goals of the Library and its users. Consultation with the
faculty is especially important as a safeguard against withdrawal or cancellation of
materials with special qualities or significance. Consideration of the costs of weeding of
materials should be kept in mind. The following criteria have been established to provide a
guideline for weeding of materials which are not a part of a series:
 Quantity and recency of past use (browsing should be considered)
 Language
 Superseded editions
 Superseded volumes
 Obsolescence (especially in specific fields such as science, technology)
 Textbooks
 Dissertations

17
  Discredited materials
 Trivial material
 Appropriateness of subject matter to collection
 Likely future use
 Damaged, lost, long-overdue titles
 Titles acquired more than 20 years ago that have not circulated in 20 years
 Availability at area libraries
 Books on highly specialized topics essentially covered in other works
 Biographies of obscure people

4.1.3 Acquisition Options

There different ways to develop a library collection. These include the following

4.1.3.1 Exchange Agreements

Many academic libraries use exchanges as selection process. Exchanges are most
frequently with foreign exchange partners and can provide materials not available in other ways
or more economically than direct purchase. The library supplies local institutional publications to
partner library or institution, which sends its own publications to the library. Partners may be
libraries, scholarly societies and associations, university academic departments, and research
academies and institutes. Exchanges should be established and monitored within the library’s
collections priorities.

4.1.3.2 Gifts and Other Free Materials

A gift is transferred voluntarily without compensation. Gifts may bring individual items
or a collection of items to the library. No payment to the donor does not mean the library has no
costs associated with the gift. Costs arise when it is reviewed by the selector, cataloged and
processed, shelved and re-shelved, and repaired and preserved. Gift serial subscriptions have
ongoing costs just as paid subscriptions do. Most selection decisions about gifts can be reduced
to a trade-off between the cost of adding the item and its value to the library. Gift materials are
desirable because they can strengthen a library’s holdings, fill gaps, supply replacements, and
provide materials not available through purchase or that the library cannot afford to purchase.

4.1.3.3 Purchase from Sellers

Librarians usually develop their library collection by regular purchasing of book materials from
book sellers. The following points should be kept in mind while purchasing reading materials.
 Price of books
 Edition
 Format
 Out of print items
 Quality of paper etc.

3.2 Objectives
The study of this unit will enable you to:
 Discuss developing collection in libraries

18
  Explain the procedures of different reading materials in collection development in
libraries
 Explain the standard criteria of selecting reading materials

3.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. What is meant by document selection tools? Discuss various tools in detail.
2. Define database. What standard criteria should be adopted in the selection of scholarly
databases for a library? Discuss.
3. What are the different sources/acquisition options for a librarian to develop library
collection? Write a comprehensive note on each one.
4. Argue the evaluation criteria for different types of reading materials in collection
development/developing collection process.

3.4 Activities
 Identify the weeding criteria of a Pakistani university library and write down the
procedures in your note book.
 Meet an acquisition librarian in any large library and ask him/her about the procedures of
serials acquisition.

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 UNIT NO. 5
MANAGING COLLECTIONS

5.1 Introduction
Collection management is an umbrella term covering all the decisions made after an item
is part of the collection. These decisions often become critical tasks because of condition, budget
or space limitations, or shifts in the library’s user community and priorities. Collection
management often is more politically charged than collection development. User communities,
administrative agencies, and funding bodies may be suspicious about the disposition of materials
for which money has been spent. They may have an emotional investment in the library’s
collections. Some preservation reformatting products are less comfortable to use. Moving
materials to remote storage sites delays access. Canceling journals will distress at least part of the
user group. In short, collection management involves making decisions about withdrawal,
transfer to storage, preservation, serials cancellation, and protecting collections from theft,
mutilation, and natural disasters.

5.1.1 Withdrawal
Withdrawal is the process of removing materials from the active collection. Other terms
used for this activity are weeding, pruning, thinning, de-selection, de-accession, relegation, de-
acquisition, retirement, reverse selection, negative selection, and book stock control. Items
withdrawn from the active collection may be offered for sale, given to other organizations,
discarded, or transferred to a storage site or to a special collection. Materials in a non-circulating
reference collection may be moved to a circulating collection.

5.1.1.1 Reasons for Withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal are usually related to saving money or improving services and
collections. More effective use of the library’s space and staff required to maintain the collection
represents one justification for withdrawal. Libraries can dispose materials that are no longer
useful or appropriate. Little-used materials can be sent to a site less expensive to maintain or put
into compact storage in a less accessible area of the main library building. These tactics can
alleviate space problems and make servicing the active collection easier. A more important
reason is to assure continued quality in the collection. When weeding is justified on the grounds
that user service will be improved, the rationale is that borrowers can more easily find up-to-date
materials. Out-of-date and possibly inaccurate materials will no longer be available, the general
appearance of the library will be improved, and browsing capability is enhanced.
A library should have established criteria, documented in a written policy, guiding withdrawal
decisions. The library then has a measure of protection in pointing to a systematic plan for not
only building, but also managing its collection. Criteria will vary from library to library,
depending on the library’s mission, priorities, users, physical facilities, staffing, and age and type
of collection. The important elements in successful weeding are; a clear purpose (improving the
collection, making materials more accessible, freeing space, etc.), sound planning, good
communication, sufficient time to do it well, and careful consideration.

5.1.1.2 Weeding Criteria

Criteria for weeding are similar to those used in selecting items, remembering that all
libraries are different and criteria are more or less relevant depending on the subject area, format,

20
and user community. The three most frequently asked questions are: Has it been used? Is it
worn? Is it outdated? An author states that the amount and time of use should be the principal
criteria for deciding what items to remove. However, the following questions also should be
considered.
 Is the content still pertinent?
 Is it in a language that current and future users can read?
 Is it duplicated in the collection?
 Is it available elsewhere?
 Is it rare or valuable or both?
 Has it been superseded by a new edition?
 Was it selected originally in error?
 Is it cited in standard abstracting or indexing tools?
 Is it listed in a standard bibliography of important works?
 Does it have local relevance?
 Does it fill regional need?
 If available in electronic format, is continued access to retrospective files ensured?
Besides, librarians should consider the following points in the weeding process.
Shelf Scanning: The most frequently applied technique for weeding is shelf scanning, which
involves direct examination of volumes. Title-by-title review provides information about the
size, scope, depth, and currency of materials.
Variations in Library Types: School, public, and smaller academic libraries are more likely
than large
research libraries to withdraw and dispose of items.
Storage: Whatever libraries run out of room, librarians face the choice of withdrawal or storage.
Larger libraries are facing space/storage problem. In such situation only constant elimination,
convenient storage, frequent rearrangement can resolve the issue. The books less wanted must be
stacked away . . . and the
books most valued must be brought forward.
Journal Back Files: Digitally stored journal back files offer one area of electronic access
through which libraries may gain space savings. The decision to store or remove print journal
volumes remains complicated. A library may consider removing rather than storing older runs of
journals when continued access to the older materials is assured, but this is not always certain.
Many files remain available only from publishers or vendors. Access maybe available only as
long as the library pays an annual subscription fee. Libraries, therefore, own the material from
the electronic files to which they subscribe.

5.1.2 Preservation
Preservation encompasses activities intended to prevent, retard, or stop deterioration of
materials or to retain the intellectual content of materials no longer physically intact.
Preservation includes selecting replacement copies, moving items to a protected area, and
selecting materials for reformatting. Binding, rebinding, repairing, using protective enclosures,
controlling use, monitoring environmental conditions, and conserving are preservation activities
intended to prolong the useful life of materials.

21
5.1.2.1 Repair and Conservation
School library media centers, small and medium-sized public libraries, and special
libraries commonly focus on treatments that extend the physical life of items. They are unlikely
to have full-time preservation staff. These libraries do not have a primary responsibility to retain
materials or their intellectual content in perpetuity. They do have an obligation to extend the life
of the items in their collections, to protect the investment reflected in their holdings, and to keep
their collections as attractive as possible. Many activities contribute to extending the useful life
of materials. At the top of the list is good housekeeping-keeping materials and the library free of
dust and food or other wastes that attract pests. Controlling temperature, humidity, pollution, and
exposure to light protect collections.

5.1.3 Replacement and Reformatting

If the item is worn beyond repair or the cost of repair is too high, a library may replace it.
Options are a commercial paper reprint or microform copy, a used copy through an out-of-print
(OP) dealer, or local reformatting. Commercial publishers reprint and provide microforms of
high demanded titles. Local reformatting should not be pursued unless the librarian has
exhausted other replacement options. A library may decide to photocopy the original when it
expects moderate use and cannot locate reprint. Microfilm and microfiche are less appealing to
users but withstand more use. Reformatting is expensive. The collections librarian must decide if
the intellectual content of an item has sufficient enduring value to justify reformatting and if the
format selected will capture the content and support current and future use. In all these, copyright
law should be strictly followed.

5.1.4 Preservation Plans

Many libraries prepare a systematic preservation plan. The plan will vary in scale and
complexity depending on the size and nature of the library. A comprehensive preservation plan
prepares the library to deal with complex preservation challenges on an ongoing basis. Initially,
it increases knowledge among library staff members of existing condition and use issues,
possible approaches, existing capabilities, and the financial and technical resources currently
available. A preservation plan is also apolitical instrument. It can serve to raise awareness in the
library and the parent organization about preservation problems and help develop a consensus on
how to address them. The first element of a preservation plan is a survey of the collection
condition. This involves determining the extent to which all parts of the collection are at risk
from acidic paper, embrittlement, loose or incomplete text blocks, deterioration of the text,
image, or medium damaged bindings, or lack of protective enclosures. A second component of a
plan is gathering data on environmental conditions (temperature, relative humidity, cleanliness),
disaster preparedness, and staff and user education. This will include information about fire
prevention, detection, and suppression systems and security measures. Identifying the protective
measures in place allows the library to assess the degree to which collections are exposed to
future deterioration and sudden damage.
Once librarians have an understanding of collection and environmental conditions, they
can begin establishing preservation priorities. Priorities balance the importance of materials with
treatment capacities within the context of available and potential funds and staffing. Possible
strategies for selecting materials for preservation might be to treat those materials at greatest risk,
those that can be treated quickly and inexpensively, those that need a particular type of
treatment, or those materials most important to the library.

22
 A library looks at available and potential resources for preservation activities. This means
reviewing available staff time, staff competencies, and on-site equipment and funding sources.
Technical expertise and resources available locally and regionally are inventoried. Information
about the condition of the collections, their environment, and potential risk is weighed against
the resources and technical capabilities available to address the needs identified. The result is a
systematic plan to meet preservation needs now and in the future.

5.1.5 Serials Cancellation

Serials cancellation is one of the important collection management tasks. Serials and
standing orders are considered nondiscretionary purchases because a decision, once made,
becomes a continuing commitment until itis reversed. The process of serials cancellation begins
with a review that parallels that for other collection maintenance functions. Ideally, active serial
subscriptions are reviewed regularly as part of ensuring that the collection continues to meet user
needs and library goals and objectives.
Many reasons may involve behind serials cancellation. Such as, a library may aim for a constant
ratio between expenditures for serials and for monographs. Libraries may cancel titles because
they seek to maintain expenditure ratios between disciplines or between user groups. For
example, journals in the children’s and young adult room do not cost as much nor increase in
price as rapidly as titles provided in the business section. Therefore, the library may opt to cancel
more titles and set a higher dollar target when reviewing the business section serials. The focus
of the curriculum or the user community may make some titles less relevant. Similarly, a
compelling reason to cancel a journal is declining quality or content that is no longer appropriate.

5.1.6 Collection Protection and Security

Collection protection is another collection management responsibility. This includes
proper handling of items by staff members and users, appropriate environmental conditions,
security against theft and mutilation, protection of electronic resources, and planning for and
responding to disasters. Some libraries hold regular training for staff members, covering such
topics as how to remove volumes from shelves, the importance of not shelving volumes too
tightly, and the need to use approved supplies for simple mending. Libraries often run publicity
campaigns to educate users in the proper care of library materials and to protect against food and
drink near collections and computers. A proper environment protects collections. This
encompasses sound shelving and storage containers, moderate temperature and humidity with
minimal fluctuations in each, cleanliness including pest control, and the avoidance of excessive
light and ultraviolet radiation.
Several steps help protect libraries from theft. All holdings should be documented
through a catalog or other means. All items should carry ownership markings, unless
inappropriate to the items. The library should conduct regular inventories. The library should
have limited entrances and exits with, ideally, some sort of monitoring. Book theft detection
systems are common. Some libraries employ surveillance camera systems. Rare books and
special collections usually have more stringent security measures, such as excluding users from
the stacks and prohibiting briefcases and bags in the reading room. Protecting against theft needs
to be balanced with users’ access to the collection and their privacy rights. So, several activities
can help librarians protect their collections. A staff training program can address proper handling
of library materials, monitoring security issues, and responding to emergencies. A security audit

23
and risk assessment will detect problem areas where the library and its collections are vulnerable.
The library should have a clear reporting procedure and designated leader for each situation.

5.2 Objectives
After reading this unit you will be able to:
 Explain collection management methods and procedures in libraries
 Understand the weeding policy and its importance in the growing space and monetary
issues
 Know and explain the procedures of preservation and conservation of library materials.

5.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. Define collection management. Discuss at least three essential decisions in this regard
2. How to avoid the library materials from theft, mutilation, and natural disasters? Discuss
3. Fumigation is a process of preserving library reading materials. Explain this procedure
with examples from Pakistani university libraries.
4. Define weeding. Explain the various reasons involve behind the weeding in libraries.

5.4 Activities
 Visit websites of five university libraries and compare the adopted procedures of
collection development
 Meet with few university head librarians and discuss with them their weeding policy.
 Visit a big university library and inquire about the chemical/procedures use for
preservation in that particular library.

24
 UNIT NO. 6
MARKETING, LIAISON, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

6.1 Introduction
Every library that serves a constituency seeks to build collections and develop services to
match its service or user community. The challenge facing collection development librarians is
learning about and keeping current with users’ changing needs, wants, and demands in order to
develop collections and services in response. To be truly effective, collection development must
consider future needs, not simply those of today’s most frequent or vocal users. Regular
communication with clientele is essential for gathering the information needed both to perform
routine collection development and management activities and to plan for the future. Regular
communication, formal and informal, is equally fundamental for sharing information about the
library-new acquisitions, new programs and services, successes, problems, and constraints.
Regardless of library type, understanding the library’s users, governing and funding bodies,
community leaders, and administrators and consulting with these groups are fundamental
responsibilities of librarians.

Liaison and outreach are terms that describe aspects of the same activity- communication
with the library’s community to share and gain information. Communication is a two-way
enterprise. Librarians need to learn about and listen to their constituents’ concerns and ideas as
well as share information. Academic libraries tend to use liaison to refer to communication with
their constituents. Liaison is communication for establishing and maintaining mutual
understanding and cooperation. Public and school librarians more commonly use the term
outreach to describe the act of reaching out or extending services beyond current or usual limits.
Part of outreach is informing constituents about the library’s collections and services, especially
those for special groups. Such targeted groups may be people who are homebound or visually
impaired, preschool children, small business owners, and so forth. As librarians come in contact
with users through the promotion and delivery of collections and services, they gain information
that can translate user needs and suggestions into responsive collections. Much of this outreach
and liaison work includes the very tasks associated with marketing, and all librarians can benefit
from knowing the basic marketing concepts.

6.1.1 Marketing
The concept of marketing, more often used in the for profit sector, can be applied to
libraries’ liaison and outreach activities. In a library context, the aim of marketing is to satisfy
the library user and achieve a set of articulated goals, which may be increased use, community
support, more patrons, a larger budget, or increased donations. For the collection development
librarian, marketing means understanding the library’s public (users, potential users, supporters,
funding and administrative bodies) in order to develop a product (the collection). The success of
that product is then measured or evaluated to ensure performance is responsive to the public and
gains support. Library marketing always occurs within the context of the library’s mission, goals,
and objectives. Successful marketing helps position the library to plan for that future.

Marketing as part of collection development in libraries is not a new idea. Marketing is

one of the important responsibilities comprising collection development. Marketing, as
promotion, in libraries has an even longer history. An author reported 114 publications,

25
published between 1981 and 1989 alone, on marketing in libraries. A common misconception is
that marketing is the same as advertising or hard-sell promotion, which has had a negative
connotation in the nonprofit sector. Although, marketing does include promotion but this is only
one aspect. The aim of marketing in collection development is to understand the library’s present
and future users in order to develop a collection that satisfies their needs, wants, and demands.
Once the library understands its potential market, it formulates marketing strategies. These
include developing overall plans to maximize impact on the market in both the short and long-
term, deciding which information resources and services to offer, and establishing standards and
measures for performance. In other words, marketing is market analysis, planning,
implementation, and control. These activities are increasingly important in the nonprofit sector
such as libraries. A library’s marketing activities begin with knowing its public-its community.

6.1.2 Marketing Concepts in a Library Context

Marketing begins with an understanding of the market’s needs, wants, and demands. A
need is a state of felt deprivation of some basic satisfaction. Need requires solution. Wants are
desires for specific satisfiers of these deeper needs. Demands are wants for specific products or
services. Marketers can influence wants. For example, I need information. I want the library to
help me find this information, by either giving it to me or directing me to a resource that will
provide it. I demand, in the marketing sense of this word, to use an online resource. I have been
influenced by marketing, either by the library or the commercial sector, to prefer electronic
information resources instead of traditional printed information tools. Products and services are
anything that can be offered to satisfy a need or want. Libraries provide products in the form of
information, books, journals, multimedia, online resources, customized bibliographies, handouts,
library web pages, and so on. Library services are reference service, interlibrary loan, reader
counseling, training, story hours, class visits, and anytime a staff person comes in contact with a
patron. Collection development librarians can see the collections they build and manage as the
product.
The librarian gains information that will help develop outreach activities that more
clearly and completely convey to users what the library has and does. When a user’s
dissatisfaction is based on real problems, not misunderstanding, the selector takes on the role of
advocate in trying to solve these problems within the context of available library and institutional
resources. In marketing, value and satisfaction define how consumers choose between the
products and services that might satisfy a given need. The market consists of all the potential
customers sharing a particular need or want and who might be willing and able to engage in
exchange, which may be money, time, effort, or all three, to satisfy that need or want. A
marketer is one who engages in marketing, who analyzes the market, develops a product or
service for that market, and monitors satisfaction. Marketing can be understood in relation to
four Ps: product, price, place, and promotion. Two additional factors can be added to four Ps list
to make it more applicable to libraries that are performance measurement and the library’s
public. A collection development librarian can develop a marketing plan that organizes activities
around each of these mutually dependent factors.

6.1.2.1 Product, Price, Place, and Promotion

Product refers to both library collections (on-site and remote) and services. The library
examines the needs, demands, and wants of all segments of its public and the long-term
requirements of the communities it serves and designs a product: services and resources. Does

26
the public library’s community want more electronic resources, more copies of popular novels,
more large-print materials, or fewer books and more journals? What services and types of
contact do faculty members want from selectors? Can the library or the librarian modify current
practices to satisfy the public better? Libraries face challenges building collections that balance
formats, monographs and serials, and immediate needs and long-term mission. Developing and
modifying the collections and services the librarian provides are what librarians do constantly,
though they seldom think of this as marketing activities. The contact between librarian and
community is an important product. The librarian should develop, monitor, and modify these
liaison or outreach activities so that they become a valued service, for which the user community
members willing to exchange time, effort, and support.
Price and place are aspects of the product. Librarians should understand these
components and can adjust them, when appropriate, to increase the likelihood a patron will use
and be satisfied with the library’s collections and services. Price is what it costs the public (i.e.
user community) to acquire and access the library’s products and services. Price can be measured
in financial cost or the time or effort needed to obtain the product. The librarian’s goal is to set
the price of using the collection and services as low as is feasible, given the constraints placed on
the library by its budget and staffing. Generally, traditional or routine services have nonfinancial
cost for primary constituents. Fees are seldom charged to borrow books and audio recordings,
read journals, consult reference materials and staff members, and use the library’s electronic
resources. Some libraries charge fee from users for receiving interlibrary loans, borrowing videos
and best-sellers, requesting recalls, being placed on a waiting list, and using reference services
extending beyond a certain length of time. Most libraries charge for photocopy services, printing,
and retrieval and delivery to a home or office, though special libraries may be budgeted to absorb
these costs. Place is the point at which the exchange of value for product and service occurs. It
can be in the library, media center, or a bookmobile; via a web site; or closer to the user’s office,
home, or classroom. The librarian’s goal is to design a place, point of contact, or distribution
system that allows patrons to get what they want, which may be information, an item, the
collection development librarian’s attention. Some users may find it extremely convenient to
access electronic resources from home or office instead at library.
Promotion is another important marketing tool. In libraries, all liaison and outreach
activities are promotional in nature. Many users have very little idea of what librarians do or
what they and the libraries in which they work offer. Liaison and outreach are the librarian’s
chance to inform and educate. The librarian should take every opportunity to promote the
library’s collections and services along with his or her availability. Information about the library
should not focus only on collections and information resources. The selector keeps constituents
aware of all relevant library services, programs, and policies. Some services may be offered by
selectors. Others may be the responsibility of various library units. These might include current
awareness services, routing of journals, document delivery services, preparation of library
handouts tailored to specific class needs, workshops offered by the library, guest lectures by
librarians, and library tours and demonstrations. Relevant policies may address collection
development and management, gifts, Internet use, user privacy, course reserves, copyright,
authorized access to electronic information resources, and borrowing privileges.
Promotional activities are both formal and informal. Formal activities are structured and
planned interactions, such as scheduled presentations and meetings and the preparation of print
and digital informational materials. Informal promotion can occur every time a librarian comes
in contact with a member of the library’s community. Advances in telecommunication options

27
are expanding opportunities for library outreach and liaison activities. These include sending e-
mail messages to individuals and groups and creating library web pages, with online
opportunities for comments and questions and forms for suggesting materials for purchase.
Academic librarians can try some of the following activities:
 Attend academic departmental meetings and special events and let people know they are
representing the library.
 Seek opportunities for collaborative teaching projects, research, and grants.
 Participate in university orientation programs for new students, teaching assistants,
research assistants, and international and graduate students.
 Send notes of recognition when faculty members get grants and awards.
 Meet with new faculty members within their first academic term and tell them about the
library collections and services.
 Meet regularly with department chairs and library-faculty liaison groups. Develop a
mailing list and send regular announcements of library activities, acquisitions, and events
of interest.
Librarians in public libraries, special libraries, and school libraries can apply similar approaches
to promoting their collections and services.

Performance measurement is the final P in marketing. This is monitoring and analyzing

ongoing results and taking corrective actions where necessary. Developing a marketing program
for the library or for an individual selector’s services is pointless without a performance
measurement component. Collections are evaluated to determine how well they support the
needs of users and the goals of the parent organization. Collection assessment seeks to examine
or describe collections in their own terms or relative to other collections and checklists.
Measuring the community’s response to collections is essential. Feedback should inform change.
Performance measurement should occur as an integral part of working with the library’s public.
The selector seeks not only to learn the users ‘needs, wants, demands, and interests, but also the
extent to which collection resources are meeting these preferences. Performance measurement
seeks to answer many questions. Are library users satisfied with the collection and information
resources? Are faculty members happy with how they interact with selectors? Do users feel the
library is responsive? Do they know what the library offers?

6.2 Objectives
After studying this through you will be able to:
 Explain the marketing concept
 Discuss various marketing tools
 Identify marketing products in libraries

6.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. Define marketing. What library products and services can be marketed?
2. Describe liaison and outreach activities? Discuss these terms in relation to libraries.
3. What is meant by 4Ps in marketing? Discuss its use in libraries.

6.4 Activities
 Prepare a marketing plan for public library
 Identify and prepare a list of outreach activities of university libraries of Pakistan

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 UNIT NO. 7
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

7.1 Introduction
The Electronic resource (e-resources) is an umbrella term which encompasses all digital
resources. Digital information exists in a format (numeric digits) that a computer can store,
organize, transmit, and display without any intervening conversion process. Some digital
information is created in that format, often described as “born digital.” Digitized information has
been transformed from an analog source. The printed page is analog. Digitization projects can
make print materials more easily accessible to users, create surrogates that are less vulnerable to
theft and wear, and serve as a preservation medium. Electronic resources include many genre,
format, and storage and delivery mediums. Genre includes newspapers, reference books,
journals, nonfiction books, novels, indexes, and abstracts. Tools such as applications software,
educational software, and systems for electronic document delivery can be considered part of the
digital library. Formats, in the broad sense, include numeric and geospatial data, images, text,
video, and audio. More narrowly, file formats are used to encode information in a file. The
medium that is used to store and deliver content sometimes is called the container. This may be a
CD-ROM, magnetic tape, or a server accessed through a network. Electronic resources offer
libraries and their users many advantages. Potential benefits include the following:
• Ease of searching and powerful search and retrieval capabilities
• Remote access to resources from outside a single physical library
• Consolidation of many volumes and years into one searchable file
• Inclusion of video and sound
• Reduction in theft and mutilation
• Content, including formulae and graphics, that can be extracted and manipulated
• Use by several people simultaneously
• Easy export of information to a personal database
• Reduced costs for binding, storage, and stack maintenance
• Hyperlinks, which move beyond the linearity of print within documents and link citations
with full-text documents
• Access outside the library’s normal hours of service

7.1.1 Challenges of Using Electronic Resources

The challenges associated with e-resources include technical issues, costs for equipment
and connectivity, equity of access, copyright, security, bibliographic control, indexing, archiving,
licensing, user instruction, and (in the case of the Internet) questions of authority, quality,
accuracy, instability and mutability, and mobility of information. Slow response time can be
much more frustrating for users than waiting for another patron to return a print index to the
shelf. Remote users trying to connect from outside the library may experience technical problems
with no assistance available. Searching success depends on the quality of indexing, keywords,
and text markup and the effectiveness of the search engine. The duration and amount of work
required in negotiating license agreements can be significant. Authorization and authentication
issues may be complex. Libraries typically lose access to back files at the termination of a
contract for an e-resource. E-resources can be extremely expensive. Librarians who seek to
identify, monitor, and direct users to free web-based resources face particular challenges like;
tracking, organizing, and maintaining access to such online materials.

29
 Standards and best practices for e-resources are still in the developmental stage in many
areas. This includes the ability to handle exchange of materials between systems, that is, the
compatibility of systems and datatypes used for transfer of information. Work continues on such
areas as model license agreements for electronic resources, standard format and content for
vendor-supplied use statistics for e-resources, requirements for digitally reformatted books and
serials, standards to support interoperability, and a data-encoding and transmission scheme to
convey information about structural, administrative, and technical characteristics of digital
objects (e.g., metadata).

7.1.3 Historical Development of E-Resources

An initial distinction is made between resources accessible through a stand-alone or non-
networked computer (e.g. one that is not connected to a network) and computers that are
networked. A stand-alone computer may have the electronic resource stored on the hard drive or
use CD-ROMs. Only one person can use the e-resource via a stand-alone computer at a time. A
local area network(LAN) includes a local server and two or more computers that can handle
many users using (potentially) several e-resources simultaneously. The resource is loaded on the
local server, and the library is responsible for maintenance and network connectivity. Remotely
accessed resources are accessed via wide area networks (WANs), which span large geographic
distances. The Internet is the largest WAN. The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network
(ARPANet) was an initial step towards the Internet. ARPANet was created in the 1960s
and1970s by the U.S. Department of Defense to link military, research, and academic computer
centers. As other networks connected internationally, the Internet, a worldwide network,
evolved. Use of the Internet for electronic mail became more common in the early 1990s. With
the development of the World Wide Web (WWW or, simply, the Web) in the mid-1990sand easy
access to large remote files through graphical user interfaces such as Netscape, access to and,
therefore, selection of electronic resources changed dramatically in libraries.

7.1.3.1 Electronic Journals

Electronic journals (e-journals) are serial publications available in digital format. Serials
include magazines, newsletters, newspapers, annual publications, journals, memoirs,
proceedings, transactions of societies. Some e-journals are distributed via e-mail or on CD-
ROMs; most now are available through the Internet. Some are free, and some are available only
by subscription. Increasingly, publishers are using standards-based native formats, such as XML,
in the creating of products but rendering the content in multiple formats (e.g., HTML and PDF)
for delivery. This ensures easy delivery of content and increases options for consumers. The
growth of electronic journals parallels the growth of the Web.E-journals can be an electronic
version of an established journal, an “electronic only” journal, or a journal that is issued in both
electronic and print format. Some e-journals are digitally reformatted versions of print journals
and may contain all or only portions of the print version.

7.1.3.2 E-Books
An e-book is a literary work in the form of a Digital Object consisting of one or more
unique identifiers, metadata, and a monographic body of content, intended to be published and
accessed electronically. This type of e-book has been delivered electronically on CD-ROMs,
USB or via networks to terminals and workstations since the early 1980s. An early
noncommercial initiative is Project Gutenberg, which began in 1971 when Michael Hart and a

30
group of volunteers began to convert what Hart called“ the world’s great literature” to electronic
versions and make them widely and freely available.
The term e-book now most often is used to refer to digital objects specifically made to be
read with reading applications operating on either a handheld device or a personal computer. An
e-book is usually a collection of several digital objects or documents, consisting of content files,
stylesheets, metadata, digital rights, navigation, and other components. The content consists of
text documents and image documents. Style sheets give typographic and layout directives on
how to display the content of the book while other files organize the order of the book’s content.
Metadata provides a summary about the book (e.g. authors, publisher, ISBN, and price), while
digital rights management (DRM) files specify the rights of the owner of the book. All of these
different documents are collected in one publication in a proprietary format.

7.1.4 Selection of E-Resources

The most important criteria when considering an e-resource is whether it serves the mission,
goals, and objectives of the library for which it is being contemplated. However, the complicated
nature of e-resources can mitigate this first rule of good selection. Some points should be kept in
mind while selecting e-resources. For example, a selector evaluating the currency of an e-journal
will ask whether issues are available as quickly as the paper version. Questions about authority
and credibility will look at the organization or entity mounting a web site as well as the
credentials of the author. Selecting and pointing to free third-party Internet resources should call
forth the same rigor with which purchased content is reviewed and evaluated. Some aspects of
e-resources suggest additional criteria. A selector may consider:
• Response time
• Local service implications
• Support for information transfer (output options)
• Physical and logistical requirements within the library, including space, furniture,
hardware, wiring, and telecommunication and data ports
• Effective use of technology
• Licensing and contractual terms, limitations, and obligations
• Pricing considerations, including discounts for retaining paper subscriptions and
discounts for consortial purchase.
• Availability of data to measure use and effectiveness.

7.1.5 E-Resources and the Role of Collection Librarians

Documents selectors need to understand the universe with which they are dealing that are
file formats, methods of access and delivery, hardware, software, pricing options, licensing and
contracts so they can test, explore, and evaluate options and involve the right people in their
library and parent institution in making choices. Many libraries have separate policies or specific
sections within their general collection development policy dealing with e-resources. Selection
decisions are never made in isolation. More than any other format, electronic information
requires broad communication and cooperation of staff across various units working toward
common goals and applying common values. Typical consultations involve automation or
systems staff, legal counsel, reference and cataloging staff, and, perhaps, senior library
administrators. The final responsibility for evaluating the intellectual content and potential use of
electronic products and services normally remains with collections librarians. However, a
committee should be constituted with the following responsibilities:

31
 • Developing and maintaining policies and procedures for ordering, implementing, and
evaluating electronic resources
• Setting up and overseeing trials of electronic resources
• Identifying and deliberating critical licensing issues
• Making recommendations regarding purchase and renewal of multidisciplinary resources
• Working with the technical service unit to assure effective acquisition of and intellectual
access to electronic resources
• Ensuring adequate technology infrastructure to support resource(s) under consideration
• Organizing staff and user training and user promotion Seeking out and pursuing
opportunities for institutional collaboration and potential funding opportunities related to
electronic resources

7.1.6 Issues in Developing E-Resources Collection

There are some issues involve in bringing e-resources in libraries such as;

7.1.6.1 Budged
Budgeting for e-resources presents several challenges. These include:
• the high cost of some access agreements and increases in percentage of budget
spent on e-resources
• A variety of payment options that make comparisons difficult
• Supplemental costs not associated with print and other traditional formats
• Difficulty in determining cost-benefit comparisons between options
• Shifting expenditures from acquiring capital assets to leasing access rights
• Accountability and being able to report to library boards, funding agencies,
institutional administrators, and constituents that how money is being spent on e-
resources is an important responsibility.
The extremely high cost of some bundled e-resources and some individual products
increases the impact of choosing the wrong product. The potential financial loss resulting from a
poor choice is often significantly higher for e-resources. Similarly, a variety of payment options
for the same product makes comparisons difficult and complicates the negotiation process. Price
based on number of physical sites or Internet Protocol (IP)addresses to which access is granted,
passwords issued, size of acquisitions budget spent with publisher. Libraries typically have a
salaries budget, an operating budget, and a materials budget. Each library faces decisions about
the sources of funding to cover costs associated with acquiring, servicing, managing, and
accessing electronic information. Possible costs include initial purchase for separate items and
back files; continuing annual lease or subscription costs; hardware, furniture, software, and
search engines and their upgrades; loaders (if files are loaded locally); connect time to remote
files; storage and file refreshing; initial wiring and telecommunication installation; continuing
technical support; staff and user training; and documentation.

7.1.6.2 Legal Issues

The contracts for e-resources presented to librarians have no standard format, order of
content, or labeling of contract elements and clauses. A discussion of legal issues begins with an
understanding of terms. Many familiar words have different and distinct meanings when they
become part of a legal agreement. Such as; contract, authorized user and authorized site,
authentication, grant of rights and restrictions, penalties, and warranties etc. A contract is a

32
formal, legally binding written agreement between two or more parties. At its most basic, a
contract consists of an offer, acceptance of the offer, and consideration, which is the exchange of
something of value in the eyes of the law (e.g., a good, service, or money). The publisher or
vendor (e.g., licensor) offers a product with terms and conditions set forth in the contract, the
library accepts the offer, and the vendor provides access to the product for which the library pays
a fee. The licensor is free to ask whatever price and set whatever conditions on use the market
will bear. A license or license agreement is a legally binding form of a contract through which a
library (the licensee) pays for the right to use or access a resource, usually for a fixed period of
time in exchange. A lease is a contract by which one party grants access to another party to use a
resource for a specified term and for a specified amount. Once a contract is signed, fair use and
other rights granted under copyright law are superseded by the terms of the contract which,
mostly, bearing many legal issues regarding the access and reproduction etc. of electronic
resources.

7.1.6.3 Collection Management Issues

Collection management covers what one does with collections after they are acquired that
is decision about retention, cancellation, withdrawals, preservation, storage, and protection.
Decisions about e-resources, after they have been selected and are in use, involve assessment of
the e-resource’s ability to meet user needs and evaluation of the product. Locally digitized
documents require an infrastructure that guarantees data Permanence and data access when
hardware and software are constantly changing. Similarly, decision about the retention of paper
versions of materials now available electronically may require consideration. There may be so
many other issues in handling of e-resources in libraries.

7.2 Objectives
The purpose of this unit is to help you/student understand:
 E-resources and its nature
 Problems in handling e-resources
 Usefulness of using e-resources in libraries

7.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. Define e-resources and discuss the potential benefits of its uses.
2. Write a detail note on the selection of e-resources in libraries.
3. Explain the issues a collection developing librarians face in the acquisition of e-
resources.

7.4 Activities
 Visit a university library and use different types of e-resources
 While using e-resources identify issues in its use.

33
 UNIT NO. 8
COOPERATIVE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

8.1 Introduction
A working definition of cooperative collection development is “the sharing of
responsibilities among two or more libraries for the process of acquiring materials, developing
collections, and managing the growth and maintenance of collections in a user-beneficial and
cost-beneficial way. “The umbrella term used into the mid-1980s was resource sharing and
applied to cooperative cataloging, shared storage facilities, shared preservation activities,
interlibrary loan (ILL), and coordinated or cooperative collection development. Today, resource
sharing usually means the sharing of resources or materials through ILL.ILL, the reciprocal
lending and borrowing of materials between libraries, has a long history. One of the earliest
references dates from 200 B.C., when the library in Alexandria is known to have lent materials to
Pergamum. The Library of Congress issued its first policy governing ILL in 1907, and the
American Library Association published its first ILL code in 1916. ILL is the most pervasive
form of library cooperation and links most libraries across the United States, Canada and many
other countries.
Cooperative collection development is now understood to mean much more than resource
sharing. Some authors have sought to distinguish between cooperative, collaborative, and
coordinated collection development. However, some have used these terms interchangeably.
Cooperative collection development and management is an overarching planning strategy that
libraries employ to provide materials and information for their users that a single library cannot
afford to have on its own. The goal of cooperative collection development and management is
improving access to information and resources through maximizing the use of those resources
and leveraging available funding. Cooperative collection development and management have
three interdependent components: resource sharing, bibliographic access, and coordinated
collection development and management. First component that is resource sharing is a system for
making requests and providing delivery of information, chiefly through the ILL process. ILL
handles both returnable (items that must be returned to the lender) and non-returnable
(photocopies or digital transmissions). ILL may be strengthened by agreements among members
of a consortium to expedite service to members and permit on-site use of collections by clientele
of member libraries. The second component in cooperative collection development is
bibliographic access or knowing what is available from other sites through printed or microform
catalogs, a shared or union catalog, or a regional, national, or international bibliographic utility.
The third component, coordinated collection development and management, is, in its ideal
manifestation, a coordinated scheme of purchasing and maintaining collections. Cooperative
collection development’s aim is the building of complementary collections on which the
cooperating libraries can draw. Cooperative collection development seldom saves money.
Cooperative collection development leverages available funds by increasing access to a wider
collection of information resources. It enlarges the universe of titles available to library users
and, when properly supported, speeds the delivery of materials through interlibrary lending and
borrowing systems.

8.1.1 Types of Cooperative Collection Development

Several varieties of cooperative collection development have evolved. For many years,
libraries have practiced the “status quo approach” to cooperative collection development. This

34
approach presumes that libraries’ total collecting activities will build, on a national scale,
reasonable depth in every area of interest. The second approach is synergistic cooperation, in
which different libraries take responsibilities for collecting different publications, according to
some coordinated and collaborative plan. This also could be called distributed responsibility for
collection development. Underlying all efforts at cooperation is a widespread belief that
cooperation in building collections can improve significantly the quality of library service by
broadening and deepening the range of materials collectively available. Formal coordinated and
collaborative collection development and management programs are normally guided by written
agreements, contracts, or other documents outlining the commitments and responsibilities of the
participants. The synergistic approach calls for dividing the information universe into core and
peripheral materials and then dividing the periphery between the consortium members. An
academic library has a responsibility to maintain a core collection on-site that serves immediate
needs, especially those of its undergraduates.
Simultaneously, the library will develop collections of peripheral materials that respond
to local priorities but also serve consortia needs. This local collection, in turn, is backed up by
the collections of consortia partners built through distributed responsibility for peripheral
materials in complementary fields. Generally, materials in the periphery are considered to be
research materials that will not be in heavy demand. One problem is that any library’s
understanding of the core tends to shrink and expand in response to the funds available to that
library during each budget cycle. Predicting what will constitute core materials is also a
challenge. Thus, the only application of synergistic cooperation that is both logical and practical
is one in which a library accepts responsibility for collecting in areas that also meet local needs
and reflect local strengths. A third approach to cooperative collection development relies on
cooperative funding for shared purchases with agreed locations. This approach, sometimes called
cooperative acquisition, depends on a pool of shared monies used to acquire less used expensive
items. The items purchased are placed either in a central site or in the library with the highest
anticipated local use. A fourth approach to cooperation is coordinated weeding and retention.
These agreements seek to reduce the costs of maintaining collections by distributing
responsibilities and sharing costs. Other cooperative initiatives directly related to cooperative
collection development and management are: library automation, cataloging, and preservation.
Many libraries, particularly smaller libraries, have joined together in shared library automation
projects to save money through the implementation of a single system and to provide easy
bibliographic access to holdings in all participating libraries. Some cooperative initiatives
distribute responsibility for cataloging materials according to language or subject.

8.1.2 Barriers to Cooperative Collection Development

The persistent problem thwarting formal cooperative collection development is a
continuing tension between local priorities and the priorities of the larger group seeking to
cooperate. This tension, which has defined the history of library cooperation, has several
components. At its simplest, the library’s obligation to provide materials to meet present and
local needs is a more powerful force than any external agreement to acquire materials to meet the
needs of unknown, remote users. One source of this tension is the reality that every library serves
a local community, which may be a higher education institution, local citizens and governing
body, school students, partners in a legal firm, hospital staff members, and so forth. Any
cooperative program that requires a library to buy materials needed at another library at the
expense of materials needed locally will fail. The challenge of balancing local priorities and

35
group commitments plagues every cooperative development initiative, but it must be managed if
the initiative is to succeed. Librarians, since the beginning of collection building, have seen
meeting current and future community needs rapidly and effectively as their goal. This has
resulted in tremendous pride in being able to do so in a self-sufficient. This desire for self-
sufficiency in collection is also a problem.

The culture of collection development and the feeling that the role of every selector is to
build the most complete collection possible also pulls against cooperation. This form of turf
professionalism leads subject specialists in research libraries to see themselves as developing
competing collections rather than cooperating to build a shared resource. A major challenge
facing cooperative collection development is to change these selection virtues of the past. Pride
among all types of librarians continues to focus on the quality of the local collection. Attitudes of
faculty members at academic institutions are equally constrained by the belief that large local
collections equal academic status and prestige. Faculty fear that reductions in local collection
growth, regardless of the wealth of resources readily available, will reduce their own program’s
reputation and negatively affect decisions about accreditation, joining the department, and
faculty retention, promotion, and tenure. Apart from these, money remains a major barrier to
successful cooperation. When funds are limited, priorities tend to be internal. However, the
serials crisis, resulting cancellations, and the inevitability of depending on others have increased
interest in formal cooperation even while making it difficult.

To summarize, cooperative collection development needs three components to succeed.

These are efficient resource sharing, easy bibliographic access to collections elsewhere, and
coordinated collection development and management. Resource sharing was the first form of
library cooperation. Escalating materials costs combined with budget constraints and increasing
volume in publication are leading libraries to depend more on others to meet user needs and
expectations. Library automation and the resulting ease of searching other catalogs have
facilitated awareness of holdings elsewhere. Cooperative, coordinated collection development
and management remains the greatest stumbling block because of the tension between local
priorities and those of the larger group with whom cooperation is sought. Cooperative collection
building and maintenance can take several forms. The status quo approach assumes coordination
and comprehensive coverage will just happen. In the synergistic approach, different libraries take
responsibility for collecting in different areas according to a coordinated and collaborative plan.
Cooperative funding is used for shared purchases in agreed-upon locations. Coordinated weeding
and retention mean that different libraries take responsibility for continuing to hold materials in
different subjects or indifferent formats. Many libraries are participating in cooperative ventures
to secure acquisition of and access to electronic resources at group discounted prices. Library
cooperation also can apply to shared automation, cataloging, and preservation activities.

8.2 Objectives
Objectives of this unit are to enable you to:
 Understand the library cooperation in respect of collection development
 Know the forces that compel libraries towards cooperative collection
development
 Learn about the obstacles in the way of cooperative collection development


36
8.3 Self-assessment Questions
1. Define cooperative collection development. What are the three components for
successful cooperative collection development? Discuss
2. Explain with examples the different types of cooperative collection development.
3. How we can overcome the barriers to cooperative collection development?
Discuss in detail.

8.4 Activities
 Search world wide web and identify the consortia for cooperative collection
development
 Meet with senior librarians and discuss with them the priorities for cooperative
initiatives among Pakistani libraries.

37
 UNIT NO. 9
COLLECTION ANALYSIS: EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

9.1 Introduction
The term collection analysis encompasses analysis of both the library’s collection and its
use. Analysis provides information on various aspects of the collection for example; the number
of pieces and titles in a particular subject, formats represented, age and condition of materials,
breadth and depth of coverage, language in which the resources are available, and patron use and
non-use of the collection. Although librarians tend to think of collection analysis as measuring
the collection’s quality, the real intent is to measure the collection’s utility or how well it is
satisfying its purpose and users’ needs. The library’s goals and purpose, therefore, must be
clearly stated before any meaningful evaluation of a library’s collection take place. Collection
analysis is part of the effective and efficient management of resources. It can provide
information that documents how fiscal resources are being used and investments are being
maintained. Increasing calls for accountability require evidence that libraries are delivering the
collections and services expected on investments. In addition, collection analysis can serve as an
internal control mechanism to measure individual performance. Decisions about other areas such
as cooperative agreements, space limitations and needs, and ownership and access are informed
through collection analysis.

Librarians often use the terms evaluation and assessment interchangeably. They can,
however, be distinguished from each other according to the intent of the analysis. The aim of
assessment is to determine how well the collection supports the goals, needs, and mission of the
library or parent organization. The collection (both locally held and remotely accessed materials)
is assessed in the local context. Evaluation seeks to examine or describe collections either in their
own terms or in relation to other collections and checking mechanisms, such as lists. Both
evaluation and assessment provide a better understanding of the collection and the user
community. Librarians gain information that helps him or her decide if collection is meeting its
objectives, how well it is serving its users, in which ways or areas it is deficient, and what
remains to be done to develop the collection. As librarians learn more about the collection and its
utility, they are able to manage the collection that is; its growth, preservation and conservation,
storage, withdrawal, and cancellation of serials etc. in relation to users’ needs and the library’s
and parent institution’s mission.

9.1.1 Collection Analysis Techniques

Two typologies are used in discussing the various approaches to analysis. Techniques are
either collection-based or use- and user-based and either quantitative or qualitative. Collection-
based techniques examine the size, growth, depth, breadth, variety, balance, and coverage of
library materials, often in comparison with an external standard or the holdings of one or more
libraries known to be comprehensive in the relevant subject area. Techniques include: checking
lists, catalogs, and bibliographies; looking at materials on the shelf; and compiling statistics.
Collection-based techniques provide information that can guide selector decisions about
preservation and conservation treatments, withdrawals, serials cancellations, duplication, and
storage. Use- and user-based approaches look at who is using the materials, how often, and what
their expectations are. Emphasis may be on the use or on the user. Quantitative analysis counts

38
things. It measures titles, circulation, interlibrary loan (ILL) requests, transactions with electronic
resources, and money spent. Quantitative analysis compares and contrasts measurements over
time within a library and with other libraries.
An academic library may analyze total collection expenditures in relation to number of
students, faculty members, and degree programs. A public library may consider annual
expenditures or circulation transactions per user group or branch library. Quantitative methods
demonstrate growth and use of collections by looking at collection and circulation statistics, ILL
requests, and budget information. Once a baseline is established, the size, growth, and use of a
collection can be measured. Automated systems have made the collection of use data much
easier. Qualitative analysis is more subjective than quantitative analysis because it depends on
perception and opinion. The goal of qualitative analysis is to determine collection strengths,
weaknesses, and non-strengths, which reflect conscious decisions not to collect. It depends on
the opinion of selectors and external experts and the perceptions of users.

9.1.1.1 Collection-Based Analysis Methods

The following methods are collection-based. Some are quantitative, some are qualitative, and
some have aspects of both approaches.
 List Checking: The selector compares lists of titles against the library’s holdings. The list may
be another library’s catalog, general list, specialized list or bibliography, publisher’s or dealer’s
catalog, annual subject compilation, list prepared by a professional association or government
authority, course syllabi or required or recommended reading list, list of frequently cited
journals, list of journals covered by an abstracting and indexing service, recent acquisitions list
from a specialized library.
 Direct Collection Analysis: Direct collection analysis means that a person with extensive
knowledge of the literature physically examines the collection. The person then draws
conclusions about the size, scope, depth or type of materials (textbooks, documents,
paperbacks, beginning level, advanced level, professional level), and significance of the
collection; the range and distribution of publishing dates; and the physical condition of the
materials. Preservation, conservation, restoration, or replacement of materials may be taken
into consideration in this process.

 Comparative Statistics Compilation: Libraries have used comparative figures on collection

size and material expenditures to determine relative strengths for many years. Comparisons are
meaningless without consistency. Libraries typically measure size of collections in volumes
and titles and by format, rate of net growth, and expenditures for library materials by format
and by total budget. Additional collection comparisons may include volumes bound and
expenditures on preservation and conservation treatments.
 Application of Collection Standards: Collection and resources standards, which have been
developed by professional associations, accrediting agencies, funding agencies, and library
boards, may be used by those types of libraries for which standards have been developed.
These standards have moved away from prescriptive volume counts, budget sizes, and the
application of formulas to addressing adequacy, access, and availability.

39
9.1.1.2 Use- and User-Centered Analysis Methods
The analysis methods described in the following lines focuses on studying collection use
and users. They may be quantitative, qualitative, or a combination of the two. Collecting and
analyzing use and user data must be handled in a manner that protects and respects users’
privacy.

 Citation Studies: Citation studies are a type of bibliometric, which is the quantitative
treatment of the properties that describe and predict the nature of scholarly literature use.
Source publications are searched for bibliographic references, and these citations are used to
analyze the collection. Citation studies assume that the more frequently cited publications are
the more valuable and will continue to be heavily used, and, consequently, are more important
to have in the library collections.
 Circulation Studies: Circulation studies analyze local circulation transactions. Information
can be collected for all or part of the circulating collection by user group, location, date of
publication, subject classification, and type of transaction, such as loans, recalls, reserves,
renewals. Circulation studies can identify those portions of the collections that are little used.
These materials can be weeded, transferred, or placed in storage.
 In-House Use Studies: Several techniques are available for recording the use of materials
consulted by users in the library and re-shelved by library staff. This type of study can focus on
either materials used or the users of materials. It can focus on the entire collection or a part of
the collection or on all users or a sample of users. In-house use studies are most often used for
non-circulating periodical collections or to measure book usage in non-circulating collections.
 User Surveys: User surveys seek to determine how well the library’s collections meet users’
needs and expectations and to identify those that are unmet. Surveys may be administered in
various ways: verbally in person or on the phone, electronically by e-mail or pop-up screens on
the library’s catalog or webpage, or as written questionnaires, which are handed to users in the
library either as they enter or exit or mailed to them at offices and homes. Information from
user surveys can be used to assess quantitatively and qualitatively the effectiveness of the
collections in meeting users’ needs.
 Shelf Availability Studies: Shelf availability studies, also called retrieval studies, are intended
to find out if an item that the library is supposed to own can be located and retrieved by the
user. This approach has the advantage of studying users as they seek materials in the collection.
By monitoring user inquiries directly, availability studies measure how often the collection is
deficient when a user cannot find an item and how often the user’s error causes an item to be
inaccessible.
 Interlibrary Loan Analysis: Items requested through ILL represent a use of the collection
because the requester has checked the collection, found the item lacking (either not owned or
missing), and decide that he or she still needs it. ILL analysis can identify areas in which the
collection is not satisfying patron needs and specific current or retrospective journal titles to be
purchased and can monitor resource-sharing agreements.
 Document Delivery Test: This technique is used to check the library’s ability to provide users
with items at the time they are needed. It is similar to the shelf availability study, but searching
is done by library staff, who simulate users. Document delivery tests build on citation studies
by determining first if the library owns a certain item and then if the item can be located and
how long it takes to do so. The most frequent approach is to compile a list of citations that
reflect the library users’ information needs.

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9.1.2Functions of Collection Analysis
A primary goal of collection analysis is increasing selector knowledge about the
collection and its use so he or she can measure its success and manage it effectively. Collection
analysis also provides information that may be used for many purposes. Analysis can be used to
demonstrate accountability by marking progress toward performance goals and showing how
investments are being used effectively. A collection analysis provides a detailed subject profile
that can inform new library staff members and users about the nature of the collection. It can
assist in the writing or revision of a collection development policy and provide a measure of an
existing policy’s effectiveness. Collection analysis can help explain decisions and expenditures.
Information collected through collection analysis can be used in the planning process, including
justifications for budget requests and funding referendums. It can guide and inform decisions and
policymaking throughout the library, including budget and staffing allocations. Similarly,
reports from collection analysis projects can be used in accreditation reports and other external
purposes. Information about collection strengths can be used to recruit new faculty members and
students. Collection analysis positions a library to share information with other libraries with
which itis involved through existing or proposed partnerships.

9.2 Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
 Explain the concept of collection analysis in libraries
 Discuss the various methods of collection analysis in libraries
 Discuss the importance of research studies in collection analysis process of libraries

9.3 Self-assessment Questions

1. Write a note on the collection analysis techniques use in libraries
2. Discuss the purposes of collection analysis in libraries
3. What is meant by citation analysis studies? how these studies are helpful in collection
analysis? Discuss

9.4 Activities
 Identify two collection-based and two use- or user-based analysis methods that a
university library in Pakistan can employ to know her collection and its users.
 Prepare a plan for collection analysis of a public library

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