This manual for the College of the Southwest (New Mexico) library delineates collection development policies and procedures for library and teaching faculty. The first section deals with collection development and maintenance responsibilities: knowledge of the collection; knowledge of college and course needs; library materials budget allocations;…

Not every library has a specific department or area to handle its gifts and exchanges. This function is a vital part of every library program. This presentation is designed to increase awareness of the valuable contribution that the gifts and exchange function makes to the overall library program. Some of the contributions of the gifts and…

This guide is designed to assist librarians in the selection, acquisition, and use of a core-reference collection. Section 1, "Sources," is an annotated bibliography which focuses on the selection of those works that should constitute the main reference holdings in a small library or a desk (ready-reference) collection in a larger…

Presents sources of United Nations information that may serve as a collection development guide for librarians. The distinction between United Nations publications and documents is discussed, and publications are listed in the categories of basic information sources, indexes, treaty sources, and statistical sources. (LRW)

Provides an approach to dealing with donations and special collections for public libraries serving all sizes of communities with varying levels of funding. Highlights include guidelines for when to accept special collections, how to identify areas of need in the library's collection, and a special collection proposal form. (EM)

Core-reference collections are the small number of sources which meet the basic needs of all libraries, and the purpose of this guide is to assist libraries in the selection, acquisition, and use of these resources. Section I, structured like an annotated bibliography, focuses on the selection of those works which should constitute the main…

Reviews some of the materials in the LEXIS and WESTLAW databases and the findings of a survey on the impact of technology on information publication, and discusses the possibility of using online databases as substitutes for the acquisition of new law library materials. (CLB)

Research was undertaken to determine if the growth of academic library holdings was exponential, as reported by previous studies. Statistical analysis showed the growth rate of the Association of Research Libraries member libraries to be arithmetical, rather than exponential, taking into account library size and inflation. (CDD)

A comparison of subject- and publisher-based book approval plans for academic libraries found publisher-based plans to be more successful for purchasing domestic publications, and subject-based plans for international ones. Library collections, organization, and vagaries of the publishing industry form the basis for selecting the plan which is…

The process of establishing the vertical file for a new branch library is traced; suggestions for making the vertical file a better resource are offered; and guidelines covering the general objective, responsibility for selection and maintenance, principles of selection, and scope of the collection for vertical files are presented. A four-item…

This guide to adult reference works and services for the small or medium-sized public library is divided into two sections. Section One lists 559 numbered items arranged in 22 subsections, and 222 additional items in notes following entries or at the end of the relevant subsection. Subject areas are as follows: guides and bibliographies; general…

This discussion of the establishment of the archives at Fitchburg State College, an institution with an enrollment of 3,700, provides details on the background of the project, approval process, literature search, planning, collection development, continuing publicity efforts, and facilities. Useful items found through the literature search are…

Noting that librarians have long debated whether specific library functions may, or should, be scientifically examined, or whether they constitute an art not susceptible to scientific study, this paper reviews and critiques attempts to develop models of library material selection using the theories and methods of scientific investigation. First,…

This manual begins by providing background on the program, collection, and acquisition processes of the Raymond Walters College (RWC) Learning Resources Center. The next section describes collection development policies for: (1) the academic departments (Animal Health; Behavioral Sciences; Biology; Business and Economics; Chemistry; Dental…

If managed well, electronic journals (e-journals) can be extremely efficient, saving money and space while improving access and speeding information delivery. With the help of the Internet, e-journals can also make library collections more accessible to both users and staff. Covering the process of managing electronic serials from licensing,…