Collection Management and Collection Appraisal
Collection appraisal, part of the collection process, is that in which the collection is reviewed to ensure it is relevant and current in meeting user needs (Debowski, 2001). To make the best use of funding, the TL must work collaboratively with the teachers and all stakeholders to identify needs and review existing resources, in order to select new materials, and build effective learning environments (Bishop, 2007).
There are multiple ways the collection can be reviewed and evaluated for analysis, the methods used can include:
- Identify what is already available in the physical and virtual collection. A physical examination of materials can reveal the size, scope, and depth of a collection. An assessment of the timeliness of materials and their physical condition can help identify which items need to be repaired, bound, replaced, removed, or discarded. The number of resources in the physical collection is one measure of a collection’s quality (Bishop, 2007). This process can include the Weeding of the collection, an essential ongoing part of collection management (Debowski, 2001)
– Benefits of weeding are;
- more up-to-date collections
- makes the school library easier to use
- helps maintain a provision of reliable information
- provides feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the collection so the actual viability of the collection can be determined
- facilitates identification of works which need repair or replacement,
- provides a basis for lobbying for additional funds
- provides a more accurate basis for quantitative collection evaluation activities
- Creates space.
- Collection mapping –After examining the quantity and quality of a collection, a graphic representation can be produced to show the strengths and weaknesses of the collection. This “map” can then be used for decision-making activities (Lamb & Johnson, 2012).
Benefits of mapping are;
- shows the relationship between the collection and users,
- helps determine selection and weeding needs, and
- Justifies expenditures on materials.
- Method of visualizing the collection can help librarians who were overwhelmed by some of the more complex models of collection analysis.
- Mini Maps or emphasis maps are used to examine a specific area of your collection in-depth that has been identified within the larger map. There are a number of approaches to mini-maps.
Mini map benefits are;
- Identify those areas on your collection map that were seen as strengths and weaknesses.
- Look at the quality aspect to see if these are truly strong and weak areas. It may be that an area of strength simply needs to be weeded.
- User surveys, a survey is an effective tool for collection information for decision-making activities (Lamb & Johnson 2012). They can provide current information related directly to your users. A formal survey is more systematic and thorough. The formal approach involves a series of steps: identifying the objectives, selecting and designing the data collection technique, developing and testing the instrument, selecting the sample (the subgroup), collecting and analysing the data, and interpreting the results (Bishop, 2007).
Consider using surveys with some of the following people:
students- teachers
- library professionals and paraprofessionals
- administrators
- parents
- community members
Conducting separate surveys for students and teachers can be helpful.
These surveys should include;
- questions relating to the needs of the users and to the collection.
- The questions on the student survey should be written so students can clearly understand them.
- Choosing questions that are beneficial to the collection quality relating to user needs is of importance.
- Comparisons with published lists. The titles in the catalogue are compared to a bibliography, list, or catalogue of titles recommended for a certain purpose or type of collection. From this data the TL can obtain the percentage of recommended titles that the collection contains. Lists that you can use for this technique include specialised bibliographies; basic subject lists; current lists; reference works; periodicals; lists designed to meet specific objectives; citations in textbooks or curriculum guides; or catalogues from jobbers, publishers, and producers. Current lists of this nature identify highly recommended titles, but the TL must determine whether your collection needs those titles (Bishop, 2007).
Advantages of this technique to help evaluate a collection are as follows:
- A wide range of lists is available.
- Many lists are selective and include informative annotations.
- Lists of this nature are frequently updated and revised.
- Lists can be compiled to meet the needs of a collection.
- Searching lists is a comparatively easy way to evaluate a collection.
- Most compilations have been prepared by competent professional media specialists or subject specialists.
Some disadvantages for utilising this technique to evaluate a collection include the following:
- The lists that are readily available may be those used as purchasing guides.
- Some items may be out of print.
- The cost of the list may outweigh the benefit of its use.
- No single list can cover every subject or need.
- Bibliographies cover materials for all ages and may have limited usefulness for evaluating a collection established to serve a specific age-group.
- This approach does not give credit to titles in the collection that could be equal to or better than those the list recommends
- Analysis of usage patterns. Analysis of circulation data can help you examine the collection as a whole, or any part of it, in terms of publication data, subject, or user group. You can use this information to identify (Lamb & Johnson, 2012)
- low-usage materials, which may be ready to be removed from the collection
- high-usage materials, which may be titles to duplicate
- patterns of use in selected subject areas or by format
- materials favoured by specific user groups.
Advantages of usage patterns for evaluating a collection include the following: information is easily compiled and objective, data can be readily available with automated circulation systems and the types of users can be correlated with the types of materials they use. However, the disadvantages can be that it reflects only materials found by users and does not record whether the user did not locate a desired item or whether the collection did not have that item (Bishop, 2007).
During my research into Collection Appraisal, I have discovered that several techniques can be used to evaluate collections. The methods are usually categorised under collection-centred or user-centred approaches. It is important to use both qualitative and quantitative measures when evaluating a school library collection, in order to obtain meaningful results. The collection analysis process provides an opportunity to work with students, teachers, and administrators to ensure that a collection meets the needs of all stakeholders.
References
ALIA Schools & Victorian Catholic Teacher Librarians. (2017). Budgeting policies and procedures. Chapter 3, pp. 20-25. In A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. http://www.alia.org.au/sites/default/files/documents/events/policies.proce dures.pdf.
Bishop, K. (2007). Evaluation of the collection. In The collection program in schools: Concepts, practices and information sources (4th ed., pp. 141-159). Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited
Debowski, S. (2001). Collection program funding management. In K. Dillon, J. Henri & J. McGregor (Eds.). Providing more with less: collection management for school libraries (2nd ed., pp. 299-326). Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.
Kimmel, S.C. (2014). Developing collections to empower learners. American Library Association.
Lamb, A. & Johnson, H.L. (2012). Library Media Program: Approaches to Data CollectionProgram. The School Library Media Specialist. https://eduscapes.com/sms/program/datacollect.html
