COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
After being hired as the Circulation and Technical Services Technician at WCC in 2000 my role quickly evolved and before long I managed all print and media acquisitions. It is here that my passion for library collections really bloomed - I wanted to be the librarian choosing the items!
Working in this role and closely with the Collections Librarian gave me a window into the art and science behind Collection Development while also providing me with a comprehensive background in the technical considerations of building a collection. My coursework at the Information School has augmented that understanding.
Working in this role and closely with the Collections Librarian gave me a window into the art and science behind Collection Development while also providing me with a comprehensive background in the technical considerations of building a collection. My coursework at the Information School has augmented that understanding.
Careful Selection
The ability to provide useful content in a format that is accessible by users is an increasingly complex challenge, but good policies based on user needs and institutional objectives can assist in that selection process. In the Information School's Collection Development course I had the opportunity to examine collection development policies and evaluate how well they instructed selectors and informed stakeholders. My Collection Development Policy Review looks at the policy statements of two correctional facilities from the perspective of a concerned tax payer. This exercise emphasized the importance of writing clear statements outlining institutional goals understandable to all stakeholders.
In the same course I was able to work on a real collections project through my current employer. I had $4000 to spend on interdisciplinary sports titles. In order to fully understand our current holdings, needs, and objectives I ran thorough lists of titles, subject headings, circulation statistics, visited the stacks for a visual intake, conducted a curriculum review, reviewed our collection development statement, and met with our Head of Collections. This process, although extensive, provided me with a clear understanding of what specific sports were covered and which were not in our collection, how old our sports titles were, the different broader subjects the titles could be mapped to (e.g. sociology or health studies), and our collection development philosophy. After familiarizing myself with the collection, curriculum, and philosophy I was able to complete a climate change project the next quarter much more quickly.
In the same course I was able to work on a real collections project through my current employer. I had $4000 to spend on interdisciplinary sports titles. In order to fully understand our current holdings, needs, and objectives I ran thorough lists of titles, subject headings, circulation statistics, visited the stacks for a visual intake, conducted a curriculum review, reviewed our collection development statement, and met with our Head of Collections. This process, although extensive, provided me with a clear understanding of what specific sports were covered and which were not in our collection, how old our sports titles were, the different broader subjects the titles could be mapped to (e.g. sociology or health studies), and our collection development philosophy. After familiarizing myself with the collection, curriculum, and philosophy I was able to complete a climate change project the next quarter much more quickly.
Working with Vendors
While working in acquisitions at WCC I was responsible for choosing our primary and alternative vendors for both firm and standing orders. Starting with diplomatic communication with vendors, and then conducting a complete analysis of discounts received and service levels provided, I was able to select a variety of services that met our needs. Through this work and my experience in monographs at UW I gained the analysis and communication skills necessary to work with a variety of library vendors (and their online ordering systems) including but not limited to: Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Facets, Alibris, Blackwell's, BookHouse, Midwest, and many individual publishers.
Working with Funds
During my first year working at WCC our collections budget doubled and it became clear that we needed to start tracking our expenditures more efficiently and effectively. I worked with the Technical Services Librarian to move our order tracking from a paper file to an acquisitions database, which I would build annually in MS Access. This transition allowed me to better track individual orders and our overall budget expenditures. It also made it much more feasible to develop and track individual fund codes and spend our money more appropriately, in accordance with institutional needs. The implementation of a database allowed me to report out regarding specific funds, subject and format expenditures, and other relevant collection matters while simultaneously teaching me relational database skills. I have since had the opportunity to work for a university that subscribes to the acquisitions modules within its ILS, providing me the ability to use those same reporting skills with different and more sophisticated databases.