Discusses academic library collection-development theory and policy. Suggests that a standard collection of works specific to each discipline (a canon), is a powerful tool because such canons can censor the works that fall outside of the prevailing norms, the hegemony of the discipline. (LRW)

Describes a major deaccessioning (weeding) project begun in 1985 at the library of the Nebraska State Historical Society, including a brief history of the Society and the events leading to the decision to weed. Public controversy over the handling of the project, benefits of the weeding, and new acquisitions policies are also discussed. (MES)

Formulas from the "Standards for College Libraries" were used to compare the recommended collection size and number of professional librarians with the actual size of the collections and number of librarians for a random sample of Baccalaureate I and II colleges. Results revealed that significant numbers are not meeting the "Standards" in these…

Provides a methodology for evaluating title coverage of full-text periodical databases in relation to a library's print journal collection. Presents a pretest of that methodology along with a discussion of collection development principles for an effective evaluation of full-text databases. (Author)

This collection development policy serves as a guide for the selection and retention of depository government documents by the Government Publications Unit of the Kennedy Memorial Library of Eastern Washington University (EWU) in Cheney, Washington. The library selects approximately 65 percent of the depository items distributed by the U.S.…

Emphasizes the need for collection development policy in community college academic libraries. Highlights areas of resource sharing, community analysis, and collection assessment. Also provides an overview of how to create a collection for development policy, and recommends books on writing such policy. Includes model policy statements. (NB)

A selection of academic libraries was studied to examine ownership of best-sellers from 1940 to 1990. The trend is to keep a higher percentage of older best-sellers in fiction than newer ones. Nonfiction appears to be more sporadic but still follows this trend. Findings indicate new collection development policies may be needed to protect…

This guide serves as an academic departmental planning instrument and provides a description of the various collections, goals, and policies of Southeast Missouri State University's Kent Library. An overview provides information about the library's mission, funding sources and allocation procedures, departmental library liaisons, overall selection…

In 1991, the staff of the Houston Cole Library (Jacksonville State University, Alabama) published its first formal "Collection Management and Development Policy." This was used as a guide in conducting a complete assessment of the Library's collections. This second edition is a revision of the 1991 publication. The first section is an…

Presents a historical background of effects that the end of the Cold War had on Slavic and East European collections, and focuses on declines in the acquisition of new materials via blanket orders and exchanges. Examines results of a survey of Slavic librarians to determine acquisition sources. Tables display survey responses. (JMV)

This guide spells out the collection development policy of the library of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. The guide is divided into the following five topic areas: (1) introduction to the community served, parameters of the collection, cooperation in collection development, and priorities of the collection; (2) considerations in…

Discusses Indiana-Marion County Public Library's decision to implement centralized collection selection and to hire a collection development librarian. Benefits of centralized selection include the decentralization of subject materials and the consequent broadening of subject materials at branch libraries. Selection depends upon a knowledge of the…

Discusses library collection development and information retrieval strategies for acquiring materials related to deafness. Highlights include defining a collection policy; acquisition tools; other information sources, including libraries and organizations; serial acquisitions; information retrieval and computer databases; and addresses of relevant…

In response to its space limitations, the Robert Manning Strozier Library at Florida State University decided to reduce the size and rate of growth of its federal documents collection. The committee charged with the task decided that the first step was to codify selection/deselection procedures into a written policy. The policy had to be…

This report is structured to educate East Carolina University about library materials preservation. The library-wide preservation program began at Joyner Library in 1993 with the organization of the Preservation and Conservation Department. The planning phase of the preservation program began in 1995 with the appointment of the…