The Complete Collections Assessment Manual

The Complete Collections Assessment Manual
Author: Madeline M. Kelly
Publisher: American Library Association
Total Pages: 34
Release: 2020-10-12
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0838918689

Assessment is increasingly integral to building, managing, and justifying library collections. Unfortunately, assessment can also be a daunting undertaking. And though every institution is unique, as this manual demonstrates, there's no need to reinvent the wheel. Spanning both concept and practice, Kelly offers a holistic assessment framework suitable to a variety of collections and contexts. With a structure that makes it applicable as both a training tool for practicing librarians and a useful course text for library students, this manual - introduces foundational assessment methodologies then provides concrete guidance on how to contextualize those methodologies within a holistic collections assessment program; - covers topics such as assessment goals, assessment stakeholders, selecting data and methodologies, working through project constraints, and project planning; - includes sample assessment program structures and other useful templates; - provides step-by-step instructions for more than a dozen specific methodologies, describing which aspect of the collection is being measured, what goals the methodology can address, technological requirements, recommended visualizations, and other helpful pointers; and - shares best practices for communicating effectively with internal and external stakeholders about assessment projects, with sample communication plans that can be easily adapted. Bridging the divide between the big picture and the nitty gritty, this manual guides the reader through the development and implementation of a collections assessment program tailored to local needs and resources.

Brief Tests of Collection Strength

Brief Tests of Collection Strength
Author: Howard D. White
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 206
Release: 1995-09-26
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0313369771

For purposes of accreditation, resource sharing, and institutional mission, librarians need to assess the strengths of their collections in particular subject areas. This book describes and illustrates a brief test for determining a library's collection strength. Though such tests are most often employed in academic libraries, the methodology outlined by the author should be useful to all types of libraries in assessing the strength of their holdings. In a time of increasing material and limited resources, libraries need to be particularly judicious in deciding which works to acquire. Oftentimes, a library seeks to develop strong holdings in one or more subject areas. Such an approach is especially useful for libraries that share their resources with other institutions. To plan their acquisitions carefully and to be of greatest use to other consortia members, a library needs to gauge the strength of its holdings accurately. This volume describes and illustrates a relatively brief test to assign libraries a score for existing collection strength in a subject area. Drawing upon expert human judgment and holdings data available from OCLC, the test can assist librarians in setting and verifying collection levels on the RLG or WLN Conspectus scales. Collection strength is often verified in a labor-intensive fashion. The brief test presented by the author is an economical alternative to the more typical labor-intensive approach to collection analysis.

Cooperative Collection Management

Cooperative Collection Management
Author: Georgine N. Olson
Publisher: Neal-Schuman Publishers
Total Pages: 116
Release: 1994
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

This manual offers guidance on co-operative collection management (CCM). The first section describes the philosophical basis for CCM; the second focuses on selected assessment methods (RGL, WLN); and the third offers case studies illustrating the entire CCM project.

Evaluation of Library Collections, Access and Electronic Resources

Evaluation of Library Collections, Access and Electronic Resources
Author: Thomas Nisonger
Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2003-11-30
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

An annotated bibliography and literature guide, this resource is extremely useful for course work in collection development and management. Coverage includes print and electronic materials appropriate for academic, public, school, and special libraries.

Library Collection Development Policies

Library Collection Development Policies
Author: Frank W. Hoffmann
Publisher: Scarecrow Press
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2005
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780810851801

This book represents an ongoing effort to fill the void in the library literature relating to collection development policies. The authors, whose experience each spans four decades as library educators and practitioners, created the book--as well as a forthcoming companion volume devoted to school libraries--to assist both library school students and professionals in the field in the compilation, revision, and implementation of collection development policies. Cutting edge trends such as digital document delivery and library cooperation are also covered. Furthermore, given the premise that a well-rounded policy reflects all activities concerning the collection management process--including the evaluation, selection, acquisition, and weeding of information resources--it is hoped that this work will also prove useful to non-librarians possessing some kind of stake in high quality library holdings, such as library board members, politicians, and administrators directly responsible for library operations, and institutional patrons.

Collection Assessment and Management for School Libraries

Collection Assessment and Management for School Libraries
Author: Debra E. Kachel
Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
Total Pages: 228
Release: 1997-06-25
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

A leader in cooperative collection development for the school library presents a framework for developing school library collections in today's era of access vs. ownership and cooperative resource sharing. This guide provides new tools and techniques for analyzing collections, including ready-to-use collection data-gathering forms and collection assessment and analysis worksheets. Also included are examples of a written collection development policy, a selection policy, a copyright policy and procedures, and an Internet use policy. It shows how to map the school curriculum, represent library collections using automated circulation data, and document priorities for the collection. The guide is based on the premise that school library media specialists must have a clear understanding of their collection strengths and needs before participating in cooperative collection development in order to think globally but act locally. The author provides more than 30 collection assessment tools, worksheets, and exemplary written sample collection policies that have proven effective in school library media centers and can be adapted for use in grades K through 12. Kachel provides both qualitative and quantitative techniques to analyze existing collections based on the conspectus approach. Cooperative collection development activities are detailed, including the financial, technical, and human resources needed for success. Methodologies for providing a rich base of resources matching curricular and student needs in a cost-effective and user-relevant fashion enhance the managerial and leadership role of the school library media specialist. For all school library media specialists who plan to analyze and assess their collection and participate in cooperative collection development, this guide provides all the tools necessary to accurately and successfully manage this activity in a cost-effective manner.