503 Collection Policy

I thought it would be a straight forward task to revise the old School Library policy: fix up a few clauses throughout and then insertsome statements about e-resources. On closer inspection I realised the whole structure of the document needed an overhaul.

So where does one start? After examining a handful of policies from different schools I found that everyone does it a little differently. But some consistencies remain. They all have a set of goals about what the collection is meant to achieve and go into some depth about selection and weeding. I read through the existing policy and isolated anything to do with collection management. Revising it section by section I found that it wasn’t such a daunting job. I actually enjoyed the process as it was akin to editing. Deleting lines of redundant phrasing is something I enjoy. The end product is a crisp document that has lost a lot of its rambling vague statements.

When it came to addressing the topic of e-resources I found Evans and Zarnosky Saponaro (2012) instructive. But as change is rapid in this area it is an aspect of collection management policy that will need to be constantly monitored and revised. Unfortunately our TL has a ‘wait and see’ mentality when it comes to e-resources. She doesn’t embrace e-books and is very entrenched in her love of print resources even for students conducting research. It’s only a matter of time before many students read predominantly from Kindles or iPads at home. It is imperative that the library stay ahead of this wave of technological change.

I can understand her reluctance to make a poor selection on big budget items, and licensing agreements do make selection difficult but doing nothing isn’t staying true to the guiding philosophy of what the library is and what purpose it serves. It is our duty to provide information in a range of formats and to expose patrons to new technology. Revising the policy reinforces this connection between patrons and the service we provide (Selby, 2012). It also guides selection when the time comes for her to make a decision on e-resources.

Another aspect I added to the policy was a clause on evaluation. Currently the only collection evaluation that goes on is in the TL’s head. Using the LMS can be a quick way to gain relevant information on the age of the collection and what sections are poorly represented. Hard data can back up hunches on where imbalances occur. Hard data is also a language the business manager understands when discussing budget demands.

The section on challenged materials is heartening. It’s reassuring to know that there is a process to follow when people complain about an item in the collection. This bolsters selection choices, because controversial material would be omitted if the TL was worried about complaints.

References

Evans, G. E. and Zarnosky Saponaro, M. (2012). Collection Management Basics. (6th Ed.) Libraries Unlimited. Santa Barbara.

Selby, C. (2012). Honesty is the Best Policy: Collection Development Policy Revisions in an Era of Change. The CRIV Sheet Vol.34 No.2, Feb.