Collection Development Policy

2010 Words5 Pages

A library or information unit must have a dedicated plan on having an organized Collection Development Policy, represents the guideposts of all types of library institutions. Collection development is the process of planning, selecting, acquiring and evaluating the library collections’ convenience to print and electronic collection developments. Thus, it is essential to have a written collection development policy, a statement of general collection building principles with desalinating the purpose and content of a collection in terms of relevance and internal audiences (Clayton and Gorman 2007). Broadly, the international and local libraries have sketched written collection development policies which they are aware of its uses. Recently, the written policies consistently renewed with the rise of digital collections. However, the value of the written collection development plan shakes with the complexity of managing electronic resources, funding and time considerations, criticism on how it written and also its inflexibility. This essay will examine the arguments for having the advantages of the written collection development policy (CDP) and the issues evolve which against the latter. In the ideas to visualize the establishment of collection development policy, the policy should be written in structural form. The American Library Association (ALA) in 1980’s published a model provides an excellent standard reference document, Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements (1996). The ALA guides the reflection of the CDP for years ahead and simply to identify the important elements in writing the plans. Gabriel 1995 said by drafting the individual policies libraries can act as the produce tools that enable the selectors to work tow... ... middle of paper ... ... make sure the policy is still fitting for the institutions. Snow (1996) adds: “Even with continuous revisions and changes, CDP demands more time, effort and money.” The issues of more money and time effort have not yet end. It requires special funds to lower the poor budget allocations in purchasing extensive materials especially in e-resources. It cannot be denied the large number of data to accommodate the written of CPD can lead to time consuming. It is recommended to have staffs with vital experience and from Roe Mary Magrill and John Corbin (1989) “It encourages cooperation among selectors”. If there are policies but not jotted down, there are ‘no back on’ and no guidance parameter. G.E Gorman and B. R. Howes (1989) assert that it is professionally irresponsible not to have one. Without the CDP statements, the library has got on perfectly well without one.

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