The Role and Nature of School Library Collections
I was not sure what to expect from ‘Resourcing the Curriculum.’ I was thrown into the deep end of running a library solo at the end of last year and was hoping this class would give me the guidance I was searching for (McEwen, 2022, February 22). This class was indeed timely in deepening my understanding of the role and nature of the school library collection.
A school library’s collection supports the school community through the provision of resources and services. This purpose has been impacted by the digital revolution and has changed the way the library is perceived and used (Kimmel, 2014); this is something I have wrestled with in my new role. I looked online to see how other local schools have responded and I discovered most of them had no library website that I could find. I wondered if the nonexistence communicated a potential lack of value or understanding of the school library (McEwen, 2022, March 3).
It is no small task that teacher librarians have before them; we are facing change in technology that has had a ripple effect on how information is sought and used (Agosto, 2018). It has changed the publishing industry and has resulted in the development of new types of resources. This has impacted the way a library is managed and presents new challenges. Selecting resources for a library has become more complex, with new things to consider for example ownership versus subscription to online resources, the pros and cons of bundled online sets (McEwen, 2022, March 11), and options such as patron-driven acquisitions (McEwen, 2022, March 9). Thinking through these new challenges has been helpful. Understanding the importance of a Collection Policy that can outline a purpose and strategies to meet these challenges and ensure the library is relevant to users in the future is paramount.
Importance of the Collection Development Policy as a Strategic Document
One of the most important things I have learned from this class is the significance of the Collection Development Policy. I looked up my school’s policy and found the one and a half pages of it; it basically summarised the school’s religious ethos and how that influenced which books could be selected. When accessing the policy, the vice principal mentioned to me that the policy really needed to be rewritten. I pasted on a smile and nodded my head in agreement as I backed out of the room before he could see the panic in my eyes. I had no idea how to rewrite it or what it should even include.
Thankfully, I now understand the importance of a Collection Development Policy (CDP) (McEwen, 2022, March 2) and how it will benefit my school community by building a strong, relevant collection. The CDP will establish the ‘why’ or vision for our library collection (Johnson, 2018) and the Collection Management Policy will establish the ‘how’ to meet that vision (Kimmel, 2014). The CDP will be written specifically for my school context and its users, taking the school’s vision and goals into consideration. I have thought a lot about resource selection (McEwen, 2022, March 16) but I had not considered the need for writing out specific section criteria or selection aids, and how that can even protect me from community members who might challenge the resources. I have also realised it can protect me from self-censorship. I knew I wanted to have a balanced collection but I was not sure how to go about identifying gaps (McEwen, 2022, April 27) other than when a teacher asked me for resources on a topic and I found we didn’t have any. The Australian Library and Information Association provides a rubric for assessing a collection (Cooney, et al., 2018) that I will use periodically to evaluate strengths and weaknesses to ensure our library continues to provide for our community well in the future.
I find myself excited about putting into words the vision for my school library. There are already some management strategies in place, such as established book suppliers (McEwen, 2022, March 23), but now I understand why the strategies are there and how to refine them so that our library can support the teaching and learning in the school.
Future-Proofing the Collection through Collection Development Policy
I was really struggling with the idea of weeding our collection (McEwen, 2022, April 24). There is a part of me that feels like it is my job as a librarian to preserve all books, ‘just in case!’ I know our collection needs to be weeded to make more room on the shelf, but I was unsure where to start. Students are less likely to use libraries if they see resources with outdated information and images or if they do not reflect the society around them (debmille, 2011). Even eResources need to be weeded so it is easy for users to find relevant titles (Larson, 2012). Through this process, I have realised the importance of the CDP to outline criteria, a process and a timeline for deselecting.
By using a CDP, teacher librarians can ensure they are evaluating their collections and access, identifying gaps and needs in the collection, recognising resources according to established selection criteria, selecting and acquiring resources through their selection aids, and providing users with access to the resources and then starting the cycle again (Kimmel, 2014). Particularly with the changing digital environment, a huge challenge for schools is to predict future needs so they can meet students’ needs (Seadle, et al., 2016). Through this repeating sequence outlined in the CDP, the collection can evolve and adapt to new innovations and trends in education and the school community.
Fleshing out our school policy will be a priority in my own practice. Instead of pasting on a smile and nodding my head as I back out of a room in panic, I look forward to collaborating with leadership and the school community on the rewriting of the policy. Through this process, I can engage a sense of ownership among the community and promote awareness of collection development issues.
References
Agosto, D.E. (2018) Information literacy and libraries in the age of fake news. Libraries Unlimited.
Cooney, E., Galvin, M., Graetsch, S., Mitchell, P., Ryan, S., & Stoove, T. (2018, March 17). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian School Library Resource Centres. Policy Development Manual. Retrieved April 27, 2022, from https://asla.org.au/policy-development-manual
debmille. (2011). Weeding not just for gardens [Slideshare]. http://www.slideshare.net/debmille/weeding-not-just-for-gardens
Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management. ALA Editions.
Kimmel, S.C. (2014) Developing collections to empower learners. American Association of School Librarians.
Larson, J. (2012). CREW: a weeding manual for modern libraries. https://www.tsl.texas.gov/sites/default/files/public/tslac/ld/ld/pubs/crew/crewmethod12.pdf
Seadle, M., Stöckel, U., Crumpton, B., & Chu, C. M. (Eds.). (2016). Educating the profession : 40 years of the ifla section on education and training. Walter de Gruyter GmbH.