1. Barbara Stripling
bstripli@syr.edu

2. Management of the Learning Environment:
• Acquisitions and Collection Development
• Management of Library Space
• Managing Budget and Other Funds

3. Assignments
ASSIGNMENT #2: Collection Development Policy (100 points)
DATE DUE: Sunday, February 26, 2012, 11:59 p.m.
DESCRIPTION: You will work with your colleagues in groups
of 4 to develop a collection development policy that includes:
 criteria for print and digital materials,
 consideration of diverse learning needs,
 criteria for weeding, and
 a challenged materials policy and procedure.

4. Acquisitions and Collection Development

5. Objectives
As learners, you will:
 Write a Collection Development Policy with an
embedded Challenged Materials Procedure
 Make decisions about your approach to:
 Selection
 Acquisition
 Organization and Maintenance

6. Readings in Textbook
 This week, your textbook will be very helpful.
 Read:
 Pp. 239-270
 Pp. 271-340
 Pp. 401-440

8. How does your policy align. . .
 With your  With the needs/interests
vision/mission/goals? of your students?

9. What are the criteria for selection?

10. How does the policy provide a
frame and process for dealing with
controversial issues, challenges,
and intellectual freedom?

11. How does your policy integrate
digital resources?

12. Sample Collection
Development Policies
 See page 248 in textbook for links to a number of
collection development policies
 See the New York City policy posted in the LMS
 [Note: This policy was developed before e-books
became so important to school libraries.]
 See what other policies you can find and share links
with your classmates

14. Current Status
 Collection
 Collection mapping – See
www.titlewave.com/intro/titleservices.com
 Student needs
 Student interests
 Curriculum

15. Standards
 How realistic and helpful are standards for collection
size and distribution?
 Note rubric in textbook: pp. 272-279
 Note criteria in SLMPE rubric:
Distinguished Proficient Basic Below Basic
Comprehensive up-to-date Up-to-date collections in The collection is built Aged collections in disrepair
collections in multiple multiple formats are developed following a district-approved do not support Standards,
formats are built with Board-approved policy to selection policy and weeded curriculum or diverse needs,
collaboratively on Board- support the Standards and regularly; average age of with little weeding, analyses,
approved policy and curriculum, with some faculty non-fiction materials is less or collaboration in
evaluated continuously to and student input; the weeded than 15 years old; the development; average age of
support Standards, collection holds 10-15 print or weeded collection holds 5-9 non-fiction is over 20 years
curriculum and diverse electronic titles per student, print or electronic titles per old; the weeded collection
learning needs; weeded including resources for student. holds fewer than 5 print or
collection holds 15-25 print students with special needs. electronic titles per student.
or electronic titles per
student.

16. Formats
 How do you ensure equitable access to information
and resources if you select digital materials and not all
your students have access to an e-reader or a computer
at home?
 What formats are used most readily by students?
 What formats are used most easily by teachers?

17. Balance
 Strive for balance in content, format, points of view,
curriculum vs. recreation, reading level
 How do you make sure that students are getting a
balance of perspectives, especially in the digital
environment?

19. How do you determine
priorities for purchase?

20. How do you decide what to acquire
through subscription (databases, e-
books through Overdrive) and
what to purchase outright?

21. What is the purchase process and
timeline used by your school?

22. From which vendors and how
do you order?

24. How will you organize the
materials in your library?
 Instructional area; comfortable reading area; innovation zone;
quiet study
 Separation of age levels
 Special collections vs. interfiling (e.g., Spanish-language books)
 Controversies about organization:
 Dewey vs. bookstore
 Reading levels
 Genres

25. How will you have your materials
processed?
 Navigation issues
 Reading level issues
 Position Statement on Labeling Books with Reading Levels
 http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslissues/positionstatements/labeling
 Intellectual freedom issues
 Labeling and Rating Systems: An Interpretation of the Library
Bill of Rights
 http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations
/labelingrating

26. What criteria will you use to weed
your collection?
This easy to remember tool for Weeding consideration is the
acronym MUSTIE from Texas State Library’s CREW
method. Discard an item that is:
 M = Misleading; factually inaccurate
 U = Ugly; book is worn and torn, in disrepair
 S = Superseded by a newer edition (think of almanacs, etc.)
 T = Trivial; of no real discernable value
 I = Irrelevant to the needs and interests of your community
 E = Elsewhere available

27. A Rule of Thumb Chart for Weeding
the Collection
Dewey Suggested Copyright Guidelines to Discard
Number
000 2-10 years (computer tech books will age faster)
100 10 years
200 2-10 years
300 5-10 years
400 10 years
500 5-10 years (some science titles may age faster)
600 5-10 years (technology titles may age faster)
700 5-15 years
800 Flexible
900 5-10 years (country books, atlas, maps may age faster)
Biographies Flexible; 10 years for contemporary subjects
Encyclopedias 5 years (consider online versions)
Almanacs 3 years
Fiction 10 years (you may want to keep award winners)

28. Discussion this Week
 Pick one of the issues or questions raised about
collection development that prompts you to respond
with your own thinking.
 Start a thread with the key words and write your
response/decision.
 Respond to other posts with your own thinking.