collection development policy

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Resourcing the Curriculum

 The school library is like a treasure chest. The librarian holds the key that unlocks it, but without great resources in it, the chest itself is of no value. It is the resources that may or may not have the potential to transform the library users into lifelong readers and learners. The quality of these resources – their relevance to users, their needs and their interests is what makes the library essential in supporting and enhancing the curriculum.

Collection development – these words initially evoke a picture of a librarian, indulging in the world’s finest literature, using their flawless intuition to select the best ones for their students. This almost lyrical imagery, described well in Montgomery’s initial thoughts on collection development (2021), is not how it really works and deals with just a fraction of what the development of a school collection entails. Many aspects I was not fully aware of prior to starting this subject are a part of the collection development process. The ones of the highest priority for my own practice as a primary school librarian are discussed in this reflection.

The starting point is establishing the purpose of the school library collection, as this should provide the base for all further decisions (Braxton, 2016). Each library has a unique mission, serves different users, who have a unique set of needs and the school itself has a unique ethos, vision and mission. Therefore, the purpose of the library will also be unique and it is for this reason that collection development process cannot be uniform, which I found one of the most challenging aspects of this subject. The framework for collection development cannot be simply replicated from one library to another; it has to be exclusively designed to match the library and its context.

Being one of those who inherited a library with no formal policies and procedures, I have taken the collection development as something embedded into my daily routines. For example, when a damaged book was removed from the collection, I would automatically add the title to the list of books to be acquired. However, in order to build a balanced, most current collection, a deeper analysis has to be performed regularly and a set of principles applied to every resource considered for purchase. The collection development and management process has to be systematic and guided by principles that reflect the library users’ needs.

While some collection evaluation processes do happen informally, there is a need for a documented framework of principles that can be shared with others and provide support for collection development decisions (Hart, 2003 and Magdolenova, 2021, April 30). In my own practice this also means moving from passive acceptance of the current state of the collection to active and continuous modification and improvement. This requires critical approach where the purpose of each resource is ascertained, but also regular collaboration with other staff and students to find out what their current needs are. The same principle applies to weeding of unwanted items. As discussed in an earlier blog (Magdolenova, 2021, May 10), we often do not realize that keeping resources which do not fulfill the selection criteria in the collection is in fact detrimental to the rest of it and has a big impact on whether the resources are used effectively (Beilharz, 2007).

In my blog Time for a Policy! (Magdolenova, 2021, May 19), I conclude that many issues can be solved simply by having a well-formulated collection development policy. It is a tool that helps understand and promote the library’s purpose, the short and long-term goals and secure the school leaders’ support. Not only does a policy promote awareness of the collection development and management issues, it also demonstrates the effective use of finances and puts the librarian’s decisions into context (Johnson, 2018).

As I progressed through the topic of the collection development policies, I realized what a great opportunity this subject offers to apply the knowledge acquired into my own practice. While working on the annotation of a policy provided by the university, I started working simultaneously on constructing my own library policy. Contrasting the two different school contexts enriched the learning experience and deepened my understanding of the topic. The experience confirmed my initial understanding that no two policies are the same or even similar. The most valuable bonus is having a fresh first draft of my own library collection development policy in hand.

The topic of ethics in collection development has been one of the more challenging ones. Morrisey (2008) poses numerous questions as a starting point for discussions on ethics and bias. One example is “Do you buy materials that don’t represent your own personal point of view?”. Yet again, a good policy covering issues of ethics and bias is of a greater value here than the good old librarian’s instinct, for it is often necessary to act against our instincts in order to develop a balanced collection. In this example, it might mean including materials that do not represent our own point of view. When it comes to ethics and bias, it can only help to re-evaluate our own collection development practices from time-to-time (ibid, p.170).

With regards to copyright, we have a duty, as librarians, to keep ourselves and others informed (Curtis, 2021) and although it is not in our capacity to control the whole school’s compliance to copyright, we should teach our school communities about its importance.

In Collections vs. Covid (Magdolenova, 2021, May 5) I examine the future of the school collections and the impact of the global pandemic on my own practice.

One of the negatively impacted areas has been my library budget. Grigg (2012) mentions that the decline in library collection budgets makes evaluation and assessment of purchasing decisions increasingly important. The unexpected challenges of teaching in both on-site and online environments, as well as in a variety of hybrid scenarios, necessitate the re-evaluation of our collections (Magdolenova, 2021, May 5). I too reconsidered the balance between the print and digital resources under these new conditions and it came as a complete surprise to me that the digital resources turned out to be real gems inside my treasure chest, offering new teaching possibilities, many of which are yet to be explored.

 

References:

Beilharz, R. (2007). Secret library business – part 2. SCIS Connections 63.

Braxton, B. (2016). Sample collection policy. http://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy/

 Curtis, J. [John Curtis] (2021, April 24). The mythical beast of copyright. The Rabbit Hole.

Grigg, K. (2012). Assessment and evaluation of e-book collections. In R. Kaplan (Ed.), Building and managing e-book collections (pp. 127-137). American Library Association.

Hart, A. (2003). Collection analysis : powerful ways to collect, analyze and present your data. In C. Andronik (Ed.), School Library Management (5th ed.) (pp. 88-91). Worthington, Ohio : Linworth.

Johnson, P. (2009).  Fundamentals of collection development and management. (2nd ed). American Library Association.

Montgomery, A. [ARJM] (2021, March 9). Resourcing the curriculum – initial thoughts. Learn, Lead, Library.

Morrisey, L. J. (2008). Ethical issues in collection development.  Journal of Library Administration, 47(3-4), 163-171.

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Time for a policy!

As a primary school librarian working in a very busy library of over 900 users and one staff member (me), my very first reaction to the topic of collection development policies was: I know what I am doing and certainly have no time for extra paperwork. Luckily, this thought was never uttered out loud.

Yes, it might be very tricky to fit the policy development into a very busy timetable, but it might just be the most essential tool for an overwhelmed librarian like me. I group the reasons behind this idea into four areas:

Acknowledgement

Maybe not the most important one, but certainly a great benefit of having a collection development policy is simply to let others know what it is that we are so busy with in the library. Too often we feel alone, with no one else really aware of all the intricate tasks that are involved in building and managing the library collection. A written policy would shed some light on the librarian’s job and make its intricacies more visible, as well as, perhaps, appreciated.

Consistency

Without the policy, the decisions are random, made without context (Johnson, 2018, p.83) and might end up wasting time and resources, both of which are already scarce. The principles dealt with in the policy ensure the consistency of work of the present library staff and the continuity of that work when handed over to any future staff. It is in the interest of students that this consistency and continuity is maintained at all times.

Accountability

We are accountable for our collection. It is our responsibility – in fact, a great one. What is available in the collection might just be one of the things that shape the young minds of our users.

Further, the policy allows the librarian demonstrate and document how the library is using its financial resources effectively (Johnson, 2018, p.82).

Support and protection

 A collection development policy is a tool that guides the collection analysis, helps set out a plan for how it will be developed and defines the parameters for that development (Johnson, 2018). The structure helps the librarian see things more clearly and therefore take the collection management decisions that are right for their users. Further, the policy can be a very useful tool to substantiate the financial needs of the library. Many libraries have suffered big cuts and a well designed policy document can actually assist in justifying costs by demonstrating what is really needed and why.

Above all, the policy protects the librarian against external pressures (Johnson, 2018, p.87) and should the need arise, from unfair accusations regarding the selection of resources and their management.

References:

American Library Association. (2017). Workbook for selection policy writing.

Johnson, P. (2009).  Fundamentals of collection development and management. (2nd ed). American Library Association.

 

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Gardening

Good gardening involves a fair amount of weeding. As straightforward as this might be to many a good gardener, I have never quite realized what this really means for the library. Weeding has often been a task pushed aside for two reasons: one of them is the painful feeling one gets when decreasing the size of a collection built up so carefully. But the main reason for me has been that I considered the weeds as just an extra that does not add much value to the collection anymore, but equally does no harm. However, that is not quite how it works. Just like in a garden, every single weed takes up space and attention from the beauty of the flowers, i.e. our useful and quality resources in the collection. And it is not just about making the garden look nice; the way resources are presented has a big impact on whether they are used effectively (Beilharz, 2007).

It appears to me that are two types of weeding. There is the one that I perform almost daily, whenever a book is damaged beyond repair. Similarly, as I come across material that is outdated or irrelevant, I weed straight away. That might be the reason I never really gave weeding any more thought than that. Then there is another kind: proper, focused weeding, whereby one goes through each section and evaluates each item carefully, against a set of criteria.

Some years ago, our school library used to close down for business three weeks before the school holidays in order to complete the inventory process. That was a very generous time-frame and it included tasks like collection evaluation and weeding. Those three weeks then became two, then one and now I am requested that the library is fully operational till the very end of school year. Inventory is now conducted throughout the year with circulation ongoing and a thorough weeding has not taken place for a few years now.

As I got to fully understand the importance of the weeding process, it is now the matter of finding the time for it. It all goes comes down to how important it is to have a collection development policy. That is the tool that is missing in my library – a tool that would validate my request for having time (and staff) allocated for a regular weeding practice. A weeding policy and procedure, as a part of the collection development policy, would guide and justify the weeding of items from the collection, based on a set of relevant criteria.

References:

Beilharz, R. (2007). Secret library business – part 2. SCIS Connections 63.

National Library of New Zealand Services to Schools. (n.d.). Weeding your school library collection.