Collection development: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:04, 26 July 2025

Latest revision as of 05:12, 26 July 2025

(2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)

Line 18:

==User needs analysis==

User needs [[analysis]] is the process of learning more about a target population/ patrons with a view to identifying their information needs. Hence, this concept iscan also be referred as to; [[Community]]as community analysis, user studies, information needs analysis, needs assessment and/or information audit. The following factors should be taken into consideration when doing the user analysis; available funds, number and qualifications of available staff, the depth and breadth of the study. However, there are options of choosing who can do the study; an [[institution]] can choose or hire people that can do the information needs analysis using qualified experienced consultant or constituting a committee comprising own members of staff and either the combination of the two mentioned.

Therefore, there are several advantages of [[Recruitment|hiring]] a qualified and experienced consultant for the following reasons;

Line 48:

However, in order to have a continuous weeding program, a method called continuous review, evaluation and weeding is used.<ref name="slj" /> This method makes it easier to routinely remove [[outdated]] and unused materials from the collection while also learning where the collection has gaps or it needs new items.<ref name="magazine" /><ref name="maintenance">{{cite web |url=https://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/weeding |title=Collection Maintenance and Weeding |date=January 2018 |website=American Library Association |access-date=December 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212142046/https://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/weeding |archive-date=December 12, 2022}}</ref>

===Selection vs. [[censorship]]===

{{See also|Not Censorship, But Selection}}

When acquiring new materials for a library's collection, it can be difficult to differentiate between selection and censorship. [[American Library Association|The American Library Association]] speaks of collections development as selecting materials that are desired by the community as well as fulfilling other educational and recreational criteria. The organization comments that a librarian should not purposely omit the purchase of books or other items due to them being controversial in nature, the author's religious or political views, or the librarian's personal beliefs. From the ALA website, they continue the argument by stating that, "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval."<ref>{{cite web |website=American Library Association |title=Diversity in Collection Development |url=http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8530 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407140751/http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=8530 |archive-date=April 7, 2014}}</ref>