Collection development in libraries and information centers

¶ … challenging in most cases. Whether an organization focuses on services or products, aspects of collection management helps to enhance interaction with today's customers. Studies concentrating on the history of collection management in outbound customer contact have generated aspects of optimization strategies and capabilities. The concept of collection management is a systematic process of developing collections like libraries to satisfy the recreational and the study needs of the users (Leseure, 2010). This study focuses on the critical aspects of collection management and the importance of development policies during the process.

The process of collection management entails the de-selection and selection of retrospective and current materials, evaluation of collections, and planning of strategies for progressive acquisition to establish how effective they serve the needs of users. This suggests that collection management incorporates many operations ranging from withdrawing expendable materials and selection of titles for individuals for purchase. All these processes must undergo four distinct phases involving collection planning, organizing, directing, and controlling (Tadajewski, 2011). The diagram below demonstrates that the four stages of collection management are interlinked and are interdependent.

Figure 1: Collection Management Cycle

It is crucial to recognize other aspects associated with collection management process before identifying the importance of its development policy. First, the debate about quality vs. demand is heating up. They are often created to provide current and accurate information for user using collection management libraries. Therefore, it must contain quality materials and make them accessible in times of demand. The second aspect involves concerns about the explosion of information. The number of researchers and amount of research is rising. Similarly, there is an increasing volume of published materials, which challenges librarians in their pursuit to increase accessibility to such volumes of information (Tadajewski, 2011).

However, library institutions have been attempting to cope with the escalating cost of the materials and the reduction of space in the physical facilities. Technological impacts have created challenges in accessing information. While library institutions try to purchase appropriate and relevant print materials, they are also trying hard to provide these information materials in diverse formats. Although digitization of data is not a new issue, it tends to create problems to library institutions operating on limited budgets. As a result, the final aspect entails interlibrary cooperation. With technological improvements, libraries have acquired the ability to engage in electronic networks (Tadajewski, 2011). Such frameworks enable them to share information and other materials at a relatively minimal cost.

The importance of collection development policies

A collection development policy is necessary in the planning process. Although the value of collection development policies is not universally applicable, an emerging thought among library institutions is that collection development policies are vital devices in promoting informed and consistent decisions. An appropriate collection policy must be revised and reviewed frequently because it guides and organizes the processes of providing access and acquiring information and material sources, combining them into coherent sets and managing their maintenance and growth, besides making decisions concerning withdrawal, cancellation and preservation (Tadajewski, 2011). An overall collection development policy will facilitate communication and consistency between library institutions while collaborating with the community of libraries.

A formal collection development policy is designed to facilitate cooperation and coordination while clarifying objectives. This is done both among cooperating library institutions and within the library system. If well implemented, the policy could serve as a daily working tool providing the appropriate guidelines to carry out most tasks under the area of collection management. Evidently, collection development policies cover various functions and roles that must be revised regularly (Leseure, 2010).

Essentially, this section argues that collection development policies qualify as planning documents. Users, their needs, and resource availability are at a dynamic state. Collection development policy must create awareness through a baseline data for operations and benchmarks parameters for future developments. As a formal policy document, this policy will describe the purpose and scope of the collection management within the library and constituencies they serve. At the policy's most practical stage, it can guide individuals who frequently use and manage collections of a library (Tadajewski, 2011).

Besides the communication and planning aspects of collection management, we must learn how a collection management policy protects institutions such as libraries from unethical, illegal, and unreasonable pressures. Prevention of censorship and safeguarding of intellectual freedom could be attained through incorporating the Bill of Rights for Libraries and intellectual freedom policies tailored to the neighborhood community. A collection development policy can protect library institutions against such pressures to obtain and ensure access to irrelevant and inappropriate materials. In addition, strategically drafted guidelines protect institutions from the inappropriate handling of gifts (Leseure, 2010).