The Library Collection is a growing organism designed to support learning.

The library collection’s overarching Purpose:

• Assisting inquiry
• Transfer of information
• Development of knowledge.

 

Collections are constantly undergoing change and should be seen within the context of the school community. Collections must include the vast needs of all the stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, parents, staff, members of community, and anyone else connected with the learning community.

Effectively developing and managing a school library collection is incredibly complex, a perpetual process. As libraries continue to develop with hybrid collections of physical, electronic and digital resources in a variety of forms, extensive consideration must be given to every step.

Lamb and Johnson state “Collection development is a cycle that involves a number of phases that are repeated over time including establishing an area of need through some formal or information community and collection analysis, examining the existing collection for materials, developing a selection policy containing specific criteria, and recommending a set of materials that would address the need”.

This definition includes the process also noted the module reading

• identification (identifying potential and available resources)
• selection (choosing which of these resources will be obtained for the collection)
• acquisition (obtaining resources)
• evaluation

 

It is likely that the words ‘management’ and ‘development’ are interchangeable, as they both appear to include the process of forming the policies and procedures on how the collection is both brought together and delivered, for the needs of all its stakeholders.

In ALIA’s Schools policies and procedures manual it describes the rationale of The School Collection Development Policy. It states that the policy should include “The school’s vision and links the collection development policy to the values of the school. It refers to equitable access to resources and the importance of the school library collection in the development of lifelong, independent learners and responsible citizens”.

While, it is the Collection Development Procedures that describes and details how the policy is to be implemented and managed through daily practices of the School Librarian.

 

References

Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). (2016) ALIA School Policies and Procedures Manuel. Retrieved from            https://www.alia.org.au/sites/default/files/ALIA%20Schools%20policies%20and%20procedures%2         0manual_FINAL.pdf

Lamb, A & Johnson, L. (2004). The School Library Media Specialist: Information Access & Delivery: School             Library Collections. Retrieved eduscapes.com/sms/access/cd1.html