In reflecting on ETL503, consider the following;
- How the subject has extended your knowledge and understanding of the role and nature of
school library collections; - The importance of a collection development policy as a strategic document; and,
- How a collection development policy assists in future proofing the collection.
Throughout ETL503 and my experiences as a Teacher Librarian (TL), my understanding of the role and nature of school library collections has developed greatly. I started this unit in early 2023 and whilst I believe I did have a firm grasp of selecting resources to support the learning needs of students in my school, I’ve realised that I focused on provision of fiction resources, under the assumption that students use the internet instead of non-fiction resources as everything is available online (Metz & Gray, 2005). I relied heavily on the selection criteria of my school library’s Collection Development Policy (CDP) in the acquisition of fiction materials and I find it is lacking in depth in addressing selection criteria of non-fiction resources, as evidenced in this post where I discuss purchase mistakes when meet the needs of my academically gifted students (Power, 2023c). This is why CDP should describe the needs and interests of the specific user community; to ensure collection development priorities are achieving the right goals. In addition to specifically guiding selection choices, the CDP will provide clear guidance for deselection as addressed in my deselection post (Power, 2024). These will be areas I prioritise improving when reviewing my own library’s CDP.
My knowledge of the CDP and its importance has dramatically improved over time. Last year, I wrote these posts; analysing sample policies we were given in ETL503, and discussing the features of CDPs. Looking back, I was on the right track; however, my analysis is quite shallow (Power, 2023a; Power, 2023b). In my own practice, I had only been using the CDP privately as a tool to guide and prioritise my selection of resources.
It is through extended study and practical experience, that I realise the role of the CDP as a strategic document serving three main purposes; to inform, to direct and to protect (Johnson, 2018, p. 86; Gregory, 2019, p. 31).
The CDP can be used to inform its audiences about the nature and role of the library collection and its user base and their needs, interests and abilities. The CDP summarises the library’s mission and outlines collection development priorities. This is useful to inform school staff to aid in transparency of the decision-making process in regards to selection and deselection, whilst reiterating that the TL is responsible for making the final decisions on behalf of the principal. The TL is reminded of the priorities of collection development and management thus maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of library management (Vnuk, 2015, p. 78). Finally, the CDP informs and justifies to principals and key stakeholders that their budgets are being spent effectively (Saponaro & Evans, 2019, p. 55-56).
The CDP can direct library staff in the library’s mission; guiding selection and deselection decisions. This is particularly useful during staff changes and as a training tool for new staff, something I wish I had known when I first began this job as a TL last year (Saponaro & Evans, 2019, p. 55; Gregory, 2019, p. 31).
Finally, and arguably most importantly, a good CDP protects TLs and library staff (Handis, 2007, p. 85). The CDP protects against outside pressures to purchase inappropriate or irrelevant materials/formats (Saponaro & Evans, 2019, p. 56; Johnson, 2018, p. 87). It protects against censorship and challenges to materials and provides justification for selection choices, expenditure and weeding (Vnuk, 2015, p. 78; Johnson, 2018, p. 87; Baumbach & Miller, 2006, p. 3). The principal’s approval gives the CDP credibility and protects it from being easily dismissed or changed (Metz & Gray, 2005, p. 85). If I had made my school library’s CDP publicly and digitally accessible and given advanced publicity to the weeding process, I could have used it strategically (Power, 2024).
The CDP informs, directs and protects, allowing for the efficient management of an effective library, thus future-proofing the collection and cementing the CDP as an essential tool of the TL in every school library.
References
Baumbach, D. J., & Miller, L. L. (2006). Less is more a practical guide to weeding school library collections. American Library Association.
Gregory, V. L. (2019). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections: an introduction (2nd ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Handis, M. W. (2007). Practical advice for weeding in small academic libraries. Collection Building, 26(3), 84-87. https://doi.org/10.1108/01604950710761643
Johnson, P. (2018). Fundamentals of collection development and management (4th ed.). ALA Editions.
Metz, P., & Gray, C. (2005). Public relations and library weeding. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 31(3), 273–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2005.01.005
Power, A. [Allie Power] (2023a, May 23). Mission, vision and rationale statements. The Power of Libraries. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/thepoweroflibraries/2023/05/23/mission-vision-and-rationale-statements/
Power, A. [Allie Power] (2023b, May 23). Sample collection development policies and my thoughts on them. The Power of Libraries. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/thepoweroflibraries/2023/05/23/sample-collection-development-policies-and-my-thoughts-on-them/
Power, A. [Allie Power] (2023c, May 23). Some quick thoughts about selection criteria and collection evaluation. The Power of Libraries. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/thepoweroflibraries/2023/05/23/some-quick-thoughts-about-selection-criteria-and-collection-evaluation/
Power, A. [Allie Power] (2024, May 11). Deselection scenario. The Power of Libraries. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/thepoweroflibraries/2024/05/11/etl503-deselection-scenario/
Saponaro, M. Z., & Evans, G. E. (2019). Collection management basics (7th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.
Vnuk, R. (2015). The weeding handbook: a shelf-by-shelf guide. ALA Editions.