I am collector.
I collect many things form horse figurines from the 80s to boxes that I like, my house is an eclectic mix of a large curated collection that has spanned many years.
This is not dissimilar to my library collection. It is a large curated space that, has had many interpretations as to what was needed according to the context at that moment in time.
The definition of a collection, as suggested by the Cambridge Oxford dictionary is ” a group of objects of one type that have been collected by one person or in one place” ( Cambridge dictionary (n.d) https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/collection) but is a library really just one type of resource? In my library we have the typical literature i.e. Fiction, non-fiction, but due to the changing nature of our work, our collection has expanded into digital forays such as E-books, digital media and electronic media – all of which is relevant to our current consumers.
One of the issues that I often come up against is the removal of non relevant resources. I say that i am collector – all of my collection is relevant, everything has its place – but does this make me a collector or a hoarder? Every collection “must undergo periodic reassessment to reflect changes in the community and in the Library’s goals.” (New York Library collection policy n.d.) I think many librarians struggle with this as it can be very difficult to “cull” resources as they may always seem relevant. This is where it is important to develop strong policy and procedures in order to ensure that collection management is always up to date.
Bibliography
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/collection
https://www.nyla.org/images/nyla/files/SPG-CollectionManagement-Buffalo.pdf
Activity: Choose a level of teaching and a curriculum topic and explore that area. Consider how you might go about resourcing that topic.
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What types of resources would you provide?
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How/where would you find them?’
For this activity, I am going to focus on my area of specialty which is Design and Technology. the curriculum topic I would choose the “Influence of design on the individual, society and environments” (Design and Technology 7-10 curriculum pg 28).
My first port of call would be to ask the classroom teacher of the types of media that the class is using. Since many students are now using digital means, I would consider starting there first. This would enable ease of access and readability to the resource.
I would then look at my own physical collection and see what we have in regards to the key words. I would consult with online databases such as SCIS and TROVE to help categorize each of the resources. Purchases would be the last avenue to consult unless a text is specifically prescribed by the classroom teacher.
bibliography
https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/technologies/design-and-technology-2019
