Prior to my study in ETL503: Resourcing the Curriculum, I had quite a basic idea regarding the role and development of information resources in a school library. One of my initial observations was that much of the professional literature reflects the basic principle that the primary goal of a school library is to provide resources that support the curriculum and meet the teaching and learning needs of its users (New South Wales Department of Education, 2019; Australian Library and Information Association and Australian School Library Association, 2016). In my blog post Collection Development & Collection Management (Prosser, 2022, April 23) I talk about a library collection never being static, changing as new resources are introduced or removed for various reasons. Making sure that the user’s needs are forefront when selecting resources will ensure that despite going through a constant evolutionary process, the collection will always remain current and relevant, now and into the future.

I initially struggled with the difference between the concepts of collection development (CD) and collection management (CM). This was in no small part due to the fact that these terms are interchangeable, synonymous, or extensions of the other (Khan and Bhatti, 2021). My thinking at the time was that laid in the meaning of the words ‘development and ‘management’. To me CD was concerned with activities that relate to the growth and evolution of a dynamic collection. CM was concerned with ongoing managerial decisions associated with what to do with the collection once items are included (Prosser, 2022, April 23). This thinking was extended by Evans and Saponaro’s assertion that “collection management is broader in scope” and covered CD practices along with additional elements of a Teacher-Librarians’ (TLs) role, such as preservation, and access of materials (2012, p. 22). My understanding was further supported after reading Khan and Bhatti (2021), who shows CM as a broad structure that encompasses CD as a separate element. This reinforced my thoughts on the CD/CM debate and gave me a good foundation for my thinking into what elements a collection development policy (CDP) should include.

 

As well as gaining better insight into what should be included in various policies, I also extended my understanding as to who should be included in policy decisions and who has final say about including resources in a collection (Prosser, 2022, May 19) I found this a rather interesting aspect to explore as previously I had simply assumed the TL decides what goes into a collection, without really considering other stakeholders. After further reading it became apparent that while my assumption was correct and supported by professional literature (Australian Library and Information Association and Australian School Library Association, 2016, para. 4; New South Wales Department of Education, 2019, para, 10; American Library Association, 2022, para. 12), I hadn’t really considered why the TL is the most appropriate authority on selection of resources. Although the TL may be working collaboratively with school leaders and teachers during the selection process, no-one else has the qualifications or expertise in this field to make informed, appropriate decisions on behalf of the school community.

 

Another way the course extended my knowledge and understanding of school library collections was exploring issues around censorship and challenged materials. after reading Moody (2005), I came to understand that there are many forms of censorship. In Censorship in School Libraries (Prosser, 2022, May 29) I identify three areas that I believe impact school libraries the most, self-censorship, adherence to community standards, and publisher/vendor censorship. Whilst self-censorship was something that most students identified with as being something that TLs needed to curtail, I found other covert censorship practices illuminating. I realised that issues around adherence to community standards, may lead to TLs censoring material due a perceived or possible future challenge. This can affect the strength of a school library collection, especially when aiming to balance the ethos of the school or trying to placate a school community (Jenkins, 2002). Also, surprisingly, I had never thought about censorship from a publisher/vendor perspective. It hadn’t occurred to me that the selection aids or tools that I might use could already be inherently biased (Moody, 2005).

 

A big part of this subject explored CD policies, and it became obvious that many of the issues that came up during study could, and should, be addressed within a well-developed policy document. Such a document, if ratified by the leaders of the school, can be a powerful strategic tool in advocating for the existence of the library collection. It outlines the school libraries’ purpose, how and why resources are selected, the libraries’ place within the school and how it aligns with the school’s vision and mission. It can also address issues such as who has authority over the collection, and policies regarding censorship and challenges to materials. A CDP can be used as a strategic document in that it provides a framework for how the collection is to be developed and identifies the parameters that guide development. A CDP can be used strategically to detect strengths and weakness in a collection (Johnson, 2018). I believe for this to be possible, there are two key things that need to be in place. First, it needs to be endorsed by the school leadership, and in doing so it increases the value and authority of the policy document. Secondly, it needs to be reviewed and updated regularly in order reflect current professional and educational practices and standards. Additionally, the CDP can assist in future-proofing the collection by addressing how it updates and keeps materials relevant through activities such as weeding. How it reflects changing and diverse student identity by offering materials that provide authentic voices and perspectives. How it looks ahead and commits to the provision and access of a balanced collection of print, digital, and new media resources (Tonini, 2021). When reading an article by Mitchell (2011) on the role of school libraries in resourcing the curriculum in the 21st century, I was prompted to consider one of the first principles that I came across in this subject. Perhaps the best way the CDP can future-proof the collection is by maintaining the tenet that it’s priority is to meet the needs of its users, and therefore in a school library, this means that resources aligned to the curriculum, in whatever iteration that may be now or into the future, need to be prioritised.

 

References

 

Australian Library and Information Association. (ALIA), & Australian School Library Association. (ASLA). (2016). ALIA/ASLA policy on school library resource provision. ALIA Policies, standards and guidelines https://asla.org.au/resources/Documents/Website%20Documents/Policies/policy_School_Library_Resource_Provision.pdf

 

American Library Association (ALA). (2022). Workbook for selection policy writing. https://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=dealing&Template-/ContenManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11173

 

Evans, G. E., & Saponaro, M. Z. (2012). Collection management basics (6th ed.). Libraries Unlimited, An Imprint Of Abc-Clio, Llc.

 

Jenkinson, D. (2002). Selection & censorship: It’s simple arithmetic. School Libraries in Canada, 21(4), 22-23. https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/selection-censorship-simple-arithmetic/docview/222536019/se-2?accountid=10344

 

Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management (4th ed.). ALA Editions.

 

Moody, K. (2005). Covert censorship in libraries: a discussion paper. Australian Library Journal, 54(2), 138–147. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/00049670.2005.10721741

 

New South Wales Department of Education. (2019, October 2). Library. Education.nsw.gov.au. http://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/pd-2005-0221

 

Tonini, S. (2021, July 1). 7 tips for future-proofing school libraries. ESchool News Guides. https://guides.eschoolnews.com/2021/07/01/7-tips-for-future-proofing-school-libraries/