Paper V
LIBRARY MANAGEMENT
UNIT 2
Collection Development
Dr. Gireesh Kumar T. K.
Assistant Professor
Department of Library and Information Science
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP
UNIT 2:
Collection Development
● Policies and Principles: Print and Digital Resources
● Selection Tools for Books and Non-Book Materials
● Handling of Government Documents and Manuscripts
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Collection Development
❑Developing the collection
❑Qualitative improvement of the collection
❑Building up and improving the collection in a particular library
❑It is the process of acquiring and providing relevant books/documents (including non-print media) to satisfy the user
requirements.
❑Process of planning a stock acquisition programme not simply to cater for immediate needs but to build a coherent and
reliable collectionovera number of years, to meetthe objectivesofthe services (Harrod’s Librarian’s Glossary (6th edition))
❑Involvesselection,acquisition and evaluation
❑Fulfill the library’s obligationto its community
❑Helps to find out the exactneed of the users
❑Enable to make available the right documentto the right reader at the right time through selection and acquisition
❑Helps to utilize the library budget judiciously,
❑Helps to periodically reviewthe collectionforweeding out
❑Helps to share the resources through networking. 3
Collection Development : Definitions
❑Collection development is defined as “the process of identifying the strengths and weaknesses
of a library’s materials collection in terms of patron needs, community resources, and attempting
to correct existing weaknesses, if any” (Evans & Saponaro, 2012).
❑ Collection development is the systematic intellectual exercise of defining what library
materials will be acquired by a library with reference to a well-defined mission or strategic
programs.
❑Collection development generally manifests itself in policies and written guidelines that direct
the actual selection and acquisition of materials.
❑Collection development means selection, acquisition and disposal of library materials, noting
the needs of current and future users as well as the guidelines established by the policy of
development of institutional collections.
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Need for Collection Development
❑Publication explosion
❑No library can procure all the materials published
❑To fulfill the user recommendations and to meet the need and requirements
❑Fulfill the library’s obligation to the user community to provide relevant and nascent information
❑Select and acquire documents that are really useful to the users
❑Periodically review the collection for weeding out unwanted and outdated documents from it.
❑Physical limitation of storage in the library
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Factors on Collection Development
❑Nature/Type/Size/Objectives/Goals of the Library
❑Need/Demand/Requirement/Intellectual Level of Users
❑Existing collection
❑Format of the collection
❑Physical Infrastructure of the library
❑Availability of Library fund
❑Technological developments
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Steps in Collection Development
❖Assessing the Users Needs
❖Evaluating the Present Collection
❖Determining Selection Policies
❖Determining Acquisition Policies
❖Re-evaluating
❖Preserving
❖Planning for Resource Sharing
❖Weeding Out
❖Collection Evaluation
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Collection Development Policy
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Collection Development Policy
● A policy statement provides a framework, within which individuals can exercise
their own judgement and action.
● Without written statements, the divergence of opinion creates confusion.
● With a policy statement, everyone has a central reference point.
● A policy document contains the following issues:
✓ Informs nature and scope of the collection
✓ Forces to think about the organizational goals
✓ Reduces the influence of the single selector
✓ Guides staff in handling complaints
✓ Aids in weeding and evaluating the collection
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Collection Development Policy
● Collection Development Policy may be defined as written guidelines about
collection building in a library, which describes several instructions related to the
process of collection development in the library. These guidelines pertains to
procurement of various types of information sources, allocation of budget,
procurement procedures about information sources, evaluation of library
collection, weeding out policy, resources sharing, etc.(Johnson,2014).
● A policy which is created for the developing of library collection in which include
Identification, selection, acquisition and evaluation of reading materials called as
a Collection Development.
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Collection Development Policy
● Is the course of action adopted for developing the collection or stock in a library.
● A policy can be unwritten convention or a written document.
● It encourages stability and continuity in the library operations
● Forms the basis for planning collection development.
● Provides practical guidance in day to day selection of reading materials
● Free from personal bias.
● Helps in making best use of resources.
● Helps in determining the best method of acquisition
● Supports and assists in justifying the selection/collection
● Expresses openly its relationship with the objectives of the parent organisation/
library.
● Offers some help against censorship by a clear statement of the type of materials
to be purchased
● Acts as a rational guide for budget allocation
● Facilitates cooperative programmes like ILL, resource sharing and networks.
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Collection Development Policy
● Serves as a guideline for each stage of materials handling.
● Provide guidance to staff when selecting and deselecting resources
● Reduces personal bias by setting individual selection decisions
● Ensures continuity and consistency in selection and revision.
● Discusses the selection and collection practices of the Library. Specifically, it provides
guidelines on selection, acquisitions procedures, assessment and evaluation and
collection maintenance
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Collection Development Policy
Acquisition Maintenance
Selection Weeding out
Procedure Preservation
Accessioning Disaster Planning
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Book Selection
✓The Librarian is primarily responsible for the selection of the books
✓Libraries have to follow certain guiding principles and theories for the selection of books
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Book Selection
●First phase of the acquisition activities of a library.
●It consist of two steps
○Planning - Preparations and arrangements which are to make to carry out
the procedure efficiently
-Based on Demand, Supply, Finance
-Method of selection
-Availability of staff
○Procedure- Procurement procedure for documents-means of procurements
-Arrangements for ordering
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Book Selection-General Principles
The principles governing selection of books are:
❖ Authoritativeness of author and publisher
❖ Significance of subject matter
❖ Accuracy of information
❖ Library value or artistic quality
❖ Importance to total collection
❖ Current and/or permanent values
❖ Scarcity of material on the subject
❖ Relationship to other materials in the collection
❖ Price
❖ Format
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Text Book Selection-General Principles
The principles governing selection of text books are:
● Applicability to course of study
● Vocabulary
● Table of contents
● Index
● Appendix
● Glossary
● Graphics
● Clearly stated objectives
● Organisation of information
● Chapter arrangements
● Chapter summaries
● Supplementary material
● Physical quality, durability of binding, quality of paper, etc.
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Principles of Book Selection
❑Principles of Ranganathan (Dr. S. R. R)
❑Drury’s Book Selection Principle (Francis Drury)
❑Dewey’s Book Selection Principle (Melvil Dewey)
❑Principles of McColvin (Lionel McColvin)
❑Haines' Principles (Helen E. Haines)
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Principles of Ranganathan
Five Laws of Library Science
●Books are for use: Extensively useful books to be selected, consider present and future
requirement, Avoid selection of costly materials of less usage
●Every book its reader : Every reader in the library must get books as and when
required.
●Every reader his/her book: Users’ needs are the prime considerations. Subject,
language, format of the materials to be considered
●Save the time of the reader: Books should be selected anticipating the demand
●Library is a growing organism: Prioritize the collection and Weeding out
●The first edition of Library Book Selection appeared in 1952 (Dr. S.R.R)
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Drury’s Book Selection Principle
●Enunciated by Franics K. W. Drury in the year 1930
●“To provide the right book to the right reader at the right time”
●The reader is the central character
●A document to be provided when the reader needs it for use
●The selector should know the readers and their requirements
●Knowing the reader’s need and knowing the documents are very important
●The selected material should be procured expeditiously and to be made available to the
user when he needs it.
●An efficient mechanism need to be ensured to know the availability of the selected
material
●Library should evaluate its collection regularly and discard unused books from its
collection.
●Library should use various selection tools such as publisher’s catalogue, exhibitions, books
on approval, advice from individuals, visits to book agents, etc. during the selection process
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Drury’s Book Selection Principle
●Study open-mindedly the community, endeavouring to analyse its desires, diagnose its ailments, provide for
its wants and satisfy its needs.
●Provide for both actual and potential users. Satisfy the former's general and specific demands as far as
possible; anticipate the demands which might or should come from the latter.
●Enact suitable standards for judging all books and strive to accommodate then.
●Apply criteria intelligently and evaluate contents for inherent worn
●Survey for recognised groups, reflecting every class, trade, employment, or recreation which develops a natural
interest.
●Be willing to buy, as far as funds permit, the works asked for by specialists and community leaders.
●Select books that represent any endeavour aiming at human development material, mental or moral
●Do not strive for completeness in sets, series, or subjects unless convinced hat this is necessary. Restrain the
unduly aggressive patron but recognise the inarticulate one.
●Aim at getting the best on any subject; but do not hesitate to install a mediocre book that will be read in
preference to a superior one that will not be read.
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Drury’s Book Selection Principle
●Stock the classics and the standard works in attractive editions.
●Duplicate the best rather than acquire many.
●Select for positive use. A book should not be simply good, but good for something. It must do service.
●Develop the local history collection; its items will be sought for in the library.
●Refrain from bias-personal, literary, economic, political or religious, and select with tolerance and without prejudice.
●Do not be intolerant of fiction if it measures up to standard. It has educational as ue11 as recreational value and is now
the dominant forage of creative art.
●Buy volumes which are suitable for the library purpose in format as well as in contents, and are attractive and durable
in binding, paper, and printing.
●Get .to know the publishers, their output and specialities; the authors, their works and their ranking; and the costs. In
short get to know everything about books.
●Manage resources through cooperation with local, regional and national organisations.
●Discard or refrain from adding books (other than the classics and standards) for which there is no actual or anticipated
demand
●Keep within the budget, knowing the total amount available and maintaining a just proportion in allotments.
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Dewey’s Book Selection Principle
○The best reading for the largest number at the least cost
➢Library should select, within the financial resources available, the best documents which may satisfy the information
needs of the maximum number ofreaders.
➢Selectionofdocumentssatisfy as many readers as possible
➢Knowing the readers and their reading needs is very essential
➢Find the ways to limit the funds for more purchase
➢Careful and economical selectionto assure optimum satisfaction to the maximum number of readers
➢Dewey emphasized that the best material helps the library users to get knowledge, recreation and pleasure in reading.
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Principles of McColvin
➢Enunciated in the year 1925 by Lionel Roy McColvin
➢Demand and Supply Theory of Book Selection
"Books in themselves are nothing. They have no more meaning than the white
paper upon which they are printed, until they are made serviceable by demand.
The more closely book selection is related to demand, the greater is the
resultant and possible service“
➢“Supply" refers to the availability of reading material in all its varieties (or varieties of titles of books which libraries
procure and provide them to their users).
➢"Demand", refers means expressed and unexpressed informational needs of the users (or the kind of books the users of
library require or requests)
➢Only those documentsshould be selected which are demanded by the users for their informational needs.
➢In short, booksthemselves are nothing unless they are to fulfill the informational demands ofthe users.
➢The collection of books in a library should be complete, latest and balanced with regard to the subject and its intended
scope.
➢Representation must be comprehensive ofand in proportion to demand and not subject.
➢His book titiled 'The Theory ofBook SelectionforPublic Libraries' published in the year 1927 24
Haines Principle
➢Enunciated in the year 1935 by Helen E. Haines (Ms.)
➢Living with Books: The Art of Book Selection first published in the year 1935 and the
second edition in 1950
➢The book trains the librarian in the art of book selection
➢It focuses on the literary aspects of librarianship and focus on the reader
➢Talk about the rising interest in information systems and new technological developments.
➢Librarian should have a broad reading
➢Display more confidence in and enthusiasm for books, a wider personal acquaintance with
and sympathy for literature. [Building collections] for readers of various tastes.
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Selection Tools for
Books and Non-
Book Materials
There are many reading materials available in a 2
library or in an information center.
Book Selection Tools
➢Help the libraries to select and prepare the subject-wise list of books and other collection
➢Such selection tools contain the entire bibliographic information (also provide the abstract)
➢Such tools are published by publishers/commercial agencies/media producers for libraries
➢It would be very hard for a library to select books in the absence of such tools
➢Such tools are compared with reference to their characteristics, advantages, disadvantages…
➢There is no single selection tool capable of performing all the functions of buying guide
Ultimately each individual library has to take certain decisions on some
major issues which will become the selection policy of that library.
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Book Selection Tools
❑ Newspaper
❑ Periodicals and Journals
❑ Book Reviews
❑ Book in Print
❑ Publishers Catalogue
❑ Books suppliers catalogue
❑ National Bibliographies
❑ Indexing and Abstracting Periodicals
❑ Union Catalogue
❑ Online portals
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Book Selection Tools
● USA
■ Books in Print, New York, R.R. Bowker, Annual.
■ Publishers Weekly, New York, R.R. Bowker.
● GREAT BRITAIN
■ British Books News London, British Council, Monthly.
■ British National Bibliography, London, Council of National Bibliography. Weekly
● INDIA
■ Indian National Bibliography. Central Reference Library, Calcutta.
■ National Library
■ Indian Books in print by Indian Bureau of Bibliographies
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Non-Book Materials
➢ Materials that are not in book format
➢ Also known as nonprints, audiovisual materials, and special materials
➢ Non book materials are those printed and non items of knowledge excluding books.
➢ Do not occupy the usual book format and published in different format
➢ Materials that require some sort of equipment, such as projectors, computers, players, etc. to provide
the data, sound, and visual images contained in them
➢ Materials that are not totally dependent on the printed words to transmit data or information
➢ It is generally understood to be any resource material, which is not a printed book but contributes to
the learning process
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Non-Book Materials-Definitions
➢ Those library materials which do not come within the definition of book and which require special
handling, i.e. audio-visual materials, vertical file materials, micro-form or computer software
(Harrods Librarian Glossary)
➢ Materials those can not be published or distributed as the traditional format and need special
handling (Encyclopedia Britannica)
➢ Non-book being something other than a book; being a manuscript, microfilm, map on other library
holding that is not a book. (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary )
➢ Relating to library materials that are not books, such as magazines or microfiche (Collins English
Dictionary)
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Non-Book Materials-Examples
➢ Periodicals ➢ Motion Pictures
➢ Newspapers ➢ Video Recordings
➢ Journals ➢ Graphic Materials
➢ Magazines ➢ Electronic Resources
➢ Dictionaries ➢ Microforms
➢ CD-ROM ➢ Continuing Resources
➢ DVD-ROM ➢ Multimedia
➢ Microfiche ➢ Globe
➢ Microfilm ➢ Maps
➢ Software ➢ Typescripts
➢ Manuscripts ➢ Handwritings
➢ Music ➢ Annuals
➢ Sound Recordings ➢ Websites 32
Basic Principles for Selecting Non-Book Materials
❑ Authenticity ofInformation- Reliability,facts,up-to-dateness, already acceptable work ofthe producer
❑ Appropriateness-Suitability to the level ofusers, vocabulary and concepts, titles, caption, narration etc.
❑ Scopeor Coverage-Coverage ofthe subject, content to satisfy demands for current subjects
❑ Interest Developed-Relationship to user’s experience, satisfaction, credibility
❑ Organisation-Logically organised contents, useful sequence ofinformation, background elements etc.
❑ TechnicalAspects-Clarity,intelligibility, effective measurements, colors,sound and imagesetc.
❑ SpecialFeatures-Descriptive notes, users guide, permanent accompanying material
❑ PhysicalCharacteristics-Attractive packing,durability, ease ofrepair, ease in handling for use and storage.
❑ PotentialitiesforLibrary Use -Relevancy that promotescommunication;flexibility formany effective uses
❑ Selection Aids-Recommendationinevaluation sources
❑ Cost-Costinvolved in replacement,repair, physical processing, storage and conformingto budget
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Handling of
Government
Documents and
Manuscripts
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Government Documents
❑Government publications are among the most difficult areas in collection development
❑Government publications come from all branches, divisions and levels of government
❑Scope of such publications are more on Government activities and their subject areas
❑Government publications are of immense value for special and academic libraries
❑Government publications most of the time comes without any time schedule
❑Special efforts are necessary to keep track of government publications
❑Dealt subjects are of diverse nature-History, Geography, Law and Order, Legislation and Parliament,
demography, weather, flood, famine, industry, business, banking, finance, health, nutrition, food, agriculture, women,
minorities, sports and games, science and technology, communication and transport, standards and specifications
❑Some libraries may get documents free of cost but some have to pay. However, cost of the
Government publications are modest
❑Government Publications come in a variety of sizes, channels or media
❑Government Publications come in a variety of forms Books, Technical Reports,
Periodicals, Pamphlets, Microforms, Posters, Films, Slides, Photographs, Maps etc.
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Government Publication-Selection Tools
INDIA
❑The Indian National Bibliography lists government publications
❑Monthly Catalogue published by Controller of Publications, Delhi (Details of current publication of the GoI)
BRITISH GOVERNMENT
❑Daily List Government Publications
❑Monthly Catalogue Monthly Select List
❑Annual Catalogue-Consolidated List of Government Publications
❑Lists of Statutory Instruments brought out by Her Majesty' s Stationary Office/(HMSO), the British Government
publisher.
US GOVERNMENT
❑U.S Superintendent of Documents. Monthly Catalogue of U.S Government Publications, 1895.
❑Selected U.S Government Publications, 1928 - Biweekly: Price List of Government Publications, 1898
❑United Nations Documents Index, 1950 - Monthly. New York, UN
❑Current United Nations Publications. United Nations Books in Print. Issued annually in English, French and Spanish, and
updated with supplements.
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Selection of Government Publications and Manuscripts
Government agencies: Ministries, Departments, Directorates, and such other agencies
Government is a very major publisher today; all varieties of documents such as books, monographs,
reports, periodicals, serials, and secondary publications are brought out by government agencies
and institutions.
In most of the countries, libraries receive as gift certain categories of central and state
government publications as a matter of routine.
Selection is done taking into account the funds available for acquisition and space available to
accommodate additional resources.
The government bodies/organisations national and international identify certain libraries, for
depositing their publications, as and when these are published, for use of readers.
Manuscript- Book, document, or piece of work written by hand rather than typed or printed.
A written or typewritten composition or document as distinguished from a printed copy 37
Selection of Manuscripts
a. Purchase of rare books and manuscripts should be done with great caution.
b. Manuscripts of specifically local or national interest should be acquired.
c. Availability of space and human resources available for long term preservation to be ensured.
d. Present and future use of the materials to be assessed.
e. Appropriateness with the objective of the library and organization
f. Whether the library can preserve and use the materials in their original format
g. Quality of the Manuscript
h. Physical condition of the Manuscript
i. Cost benefit analysis
j. Relation to current holdings
k. Significance of subject 38
Further Reading
1. [Link]
2. [Link]
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Thank You
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