LIBR 266 – Winter 2012
Collection Management – Dr. Loertscher
Written by Patricia Ayame Thomson

Reflection on Collection Development Policies

I believe it is possible to create a Collection Development Policy that can handle the tidal wave of information on the Internet. The technology revolution brought with it many changes to the librarianship profession, the core purpose and fundamental values remain the same. Although librarians are keeping one step ahead of the changing formats and devices that contain the information vary with time, the library’s underlying purpose and intention is to serve the community.

Consequently, the library has the responsibility to keep up with the changing statistical data regarding the community. Similarly, the collection development policy must also be robust and flexible enough to accommodate the rapidly-changing world of technology and include its various formats implicitly. If the library concentrates on providing the best possible library items for the community, the device or format the information is contained becomes secondary.

It is a fact that the technology revolution opened the doors to a plethora of information on the Internet and everyone, not just librarians are suffering from information overload. However, it is also true that anyone with an opinion can post whatever they want with no one to verify the veracity and accuracy of the content.

At least, in the case of a book published in print went through various channels and experts to get to the point that books are published. That is to say, after the author submits the manuscript to the publisher, the publishing company must review it to see if they want to publish the book in the first place. Once the decision to publish is made, an editor will most-likely become involved with revisions, editing, and proofing the content.

The point being, in order for a (print) book to get published, the written manuscript itself exchanges hands and is read and reviewed by several people. On the other hand, anyone who has access to the Internet can write and claim anything they want as if it were fact. Therefore, as librarians we are the arbiters of what items and information goes into the collection. Ideally, the collection development policy should provide the community with the cream of the crop, so-to-speak and the highest quality library materials for the least amount of money. As librarians, we are gatekeepers to provide equal access to information and inculcate the Jeffersonian concept that “knowledge is for the common good.”

On the other hand, if the information on the Collection Development Policy is too specific especially in naming various technological devices and services, the library will continually have to make changes to accurately represent the latest device in the ever-changing and growing world of technology. As in The Santa Monica Public Library’s Collection Development Policy as well as the other libraries that we examined in class today, the various formats and technological devices are implied and inherent.

The focus of any Collection Development Policy is to meet the specific needs of the community, and provide the highest quality library materials for the least amount of money – also means staying within the budget. Perhaps critically-acclaimed and reputable review journals, and find reviewers you can trust to acquire high-quality material, that is also timely, relevant, current, providing various points of view, and resources that last with time.

Personally, I especially liked The Castro Valley Library’s “Collection Development Policy.”

[Castro Valley Library’s Collection Development Policy – Selection Criteria states the following:]

Present and potential relevance to the community; accuracy and timeliness; insight into human and social conditions; importance as a document of the times; representative of ideas that reflect a wide spectrum of opinion, including those which are unique, alternative, experimental, or controversial; originality in content or approach; authority, reputation, or qualifications of the author, artist, publisher, or producer; attention of critics, reviewers, and the public; enhancement of existing collections to reflect importance of the title when compared with other works on the subject, importance of the subject matter or point of view to the collection, adequate retrospective and current subject coverage as stated in the collection level statements, and adequate coverage when there is a scarcity of material published on the subject; relevance of format and content to the intended audience; effectiveness and suitability of format in communicating the content; inclusion of the title in standard or special bibliographies or indexes; impact on the materials expenditure plan; parameters of level assigned.

The definition of the overall policy and issues covered are progressive, open-minded, and timely. I particularly like the underlying intent of the following phrase: “insight into human and social conditions.” In the same vein as the fundamental values and beliefs of the American Library Association, I will remain steadfast as a librarian to be an intellectual freedom fighter, protector of library materials from censorship, and an arbiter to select the best possible, highest-quality, authoritative, and accurate library materials to the community.