As a new teacher librarian seeking to create their own collection policy the world is sometimes scary and filled with an obscene amount of information that seems overwhelming (Kuhlthau, 2018). There are many resources to support you, but who should you believe?
I am not here to judge, but my criteria for investigating the following resources have been: currency, extensiveness, clarity of information, and authority. Omitted research is only done so due to the nature of this format and the mix of the criteria listed above.
Johnson’s 2018, “Fundamentals of collection development and management 4th ed.”
Johnson’s book is written for the beginner teacher librarian and so is ready to pick up and use day one, however, it provides equally relevant advice for seasoned professionals through comprehensive explanations of the collection development process. There is a focus on applicability of content demonstrated via the use of straightforward language to guide a reader, while challenging information is presented in an objective stance. The practical nature of the book is also demonstrated through the use of illustrative examples and case studies to build clarity of concepts highlighted throughout. Scaffolds that can be used including selection aids also work to deliver a resource that is ready to go.
Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) 2017, “A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres 2nd ed.”
ALIA’s document provides similar advice through the lens of Socratic questioning, where comprehensive information is not layered on each page, but rather thinking questions to guide the reader to understanding a core concept of collection development. Furthermore, links to external websites are used to provide the reader with specific advice in the Australian context and this sets the manual as a resource guide.
How are they both useful to a teacher librarian?
In comparison, ALIA’s manual is an at hand guide that would be on the desk of any teacher librarian, while Johnson’s would live in their pocket for the first few years, eventually migrating towards the desk or easy to reach shelf. Both texts, and many others, follow the standards set out in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions School Libraries Section Standing Committee’s school library guidelines document which demonstrates their consistency and applicability for teacher librarians in the Australian context to meet international benchmarks (2015).
Australian Library and Information Association. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres (2nd ed.). https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policies-procedures-manual_ed2.pdf
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions School Libraries Section Standing Committee. (2015). IFLA school library guidelines. https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf
Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management. (4th ed.). ALA Editions.
Kuhlthau, C. C. (2018). Information search process. https://web.archive.org/web/20210428065707/http://wp.comminfo.rutgers.edu/ckuhlthau/information-search-process/
