Module 6 – self reflection – what issues should be addressed for digital collection in the Collection Development Policy?
Due to the rapid changes of information technology, more and more digital collections will become an integral part of the library collections. They are housed in the virtual library. Therefore, a prominent section in the collection development policy should specify the policy in relation to the digital collection. This section needs to address the following issues:
- The best formats for the digital collection kept by the library that are most likely to be used
- The ways the digital content address curriculum and student learning needs
- The ways the digital resources align with the available technology infrastructure of the school.
- Professional learning organised by the library and provided to the teachers
- The frequency of evaluating and updating the digital collections. This is because the digital collection is to provide the most up-to-date information meeting the changing needs of the curriculum and the learners.
- Funding resource to ensure the digital collection is sustainable over time due to the often-significant cost of digital resource subscriptions
- Selection criteria for digital collection
- Planning for collaborative work between teachers and TL to develop learning programmes to help students become competent users of the digital collections
- Evaluation measurements that are in place to ensure a good balance between printed books and digital collections
- Availability/access ‘terms and conditions’ of the digital collections, e.g. offsite and onsite access, students/teacher only access, access time and duration. This is particularly important considering the availability of device and Internet connect students can access during school time and after school time.
- Promotion of digital collections. Digital collections rely on significant promotion effort to increase the usage otherwise they are invisible to the users
References:
Mitchell, P. (2016). Digital collections. https://www.slideshare.net/pru_mitchell/digital-collections
Braxton, B (2014). Sample ollection policy. http://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/sample-collection-policy