Competency 6

Competency 6: use the basic concepts and principles related to the creation, evaluation, selection, acquisition, preservation and organization of specific items or collections of information

A Library's collection should reflect the community it serves as well as the society as a whole. It should be bias-free, well-rounded, up-to-date, preserved and maintained, processed swiftly, meticulously shelved, organized and catalogued appropriately, and lastly, presented well.

When items are selected for (or in most cases, added to) a Library, Librarian's must have a background on the current state of the collection, as well as, a knowledge of what's up-to-date and in demand. Furthermore, a budget must always be adhered to no matter how substantial or miniscule. How many copies a librarian may order in general (or of a single title) will be a direct result of the budget along with the aforementioned topics. How wisely we use our collection budget will determine how extensive and well-rounded the collection is. And then whether the title is ever checked out (and how often) may very well result in how much we can add to our collection in the next fiscal year. Is the title in demand? Will we spend our budget to make sure we have enough of one item even if it means excluding others as a result, because we know that one particular title is so deeply in demand? Furthermore, what tools are patrons given to find the materials we acquired for the collection? Obviously, how we maintain our Information Retrieval System is the biggest key in unlocking a collection to the public. With budgetary constraints, as is common today, librarian's need to understand how these aspects and principles play off one another. All of them should be considered when collecting new material.

A good example of deciding what to carry, using these considerations, is deciding whether to carry electronic databases over print holdings, or both. For some libraries, though electronic resources can be pricely, they are consistently up-to-date, where as a collection of bound reference books may need to be replaced often because they will be out-of-date-more quickly. But for other librarians, electronic items are a scary proposition due to the risky nature of digital preservation and it's ability to be lost. For the lofty budget, both can be purchased. The preservation of all material plays a huge role in the success of an ongoing collection and the ability of the public to access it. And for libraries who have less substantial budgets, hard decisions have to be made and one or another must be chosen.

Evaluation of the community, and the demographics that are being targeted, need to be considered with each item that will be acquired into a collection. This requires an understanding of the changing trends, topics, material familiarity, and knowledge of the patron base. I've looked rather closely at collection development, especially at teen collections. When choosing to add to a "Young Adult" or "Teen" collection within the library, a librarian must consider the title's desirability and popularity with teens, it's age and appropriateness of content must be considered. Then, it is up to the Librarian to cross-reference these special criteria with the general components of collection development mentioned earlier. Is this the most up to date version? Will it require special preservation? How does this fit within the library's collection as a whole? Finally in developing a Teen collection, a Young Adult Librarian must survey what they are trying to do with the "Teen Zone" as a whole. Perhaps they have special programming, activities, and even a Mission Statement that must be considered. This would affect not only what and how many titles you acquire but how fast you may need to replace them. Furthermore it may affect how many or what Genre and Format (Audiobooks, DVD, gaming, etc.) you go with. Having an understanding and familiarity with many formats is a must with collection development.

In general, a well-rounded collection should include print holdings, electronic holdings, periodicals, audio and visual items, and reference materials. And most of all, a collection should represent a non-biased view that embraces the principles of intellectual freedom.

Artifact 1 is a Teen Database of titles that were collected to reflect a well-rounded teen collection of titles. It was created for LIBR 265 Materials for Young Adults. The process used to add each title reflects the principles of collection development mentioned above. Popularity, diversity of subject, print & audio-visual, and even items that are up to date and new (including Manga and Graphic Novels), were all taken into consideration. Furthermore, each titles is annotated with reader's advisories that help a patron choose what to read. The reviews represent the understanding of the demographic and the careful choices that were made. It also gives the patron the tools necessary to chose what they want to read. How librarians choose to present and market their holdings is an important aspect of making sure the collection is checked out and utilized.

Artifact 2, a Pathfinder created on the Steampunk Movement (a sub-genre of science-fiction) for LIBR 210 Reference and Information Services, is an example of how we go the extra mile to make our collection accessible and ensure that choices are being used. Librarian's have the ability to create pathfinders as a collection and reference tool. They also can aide other librarians who may be interesting in researching a topic before they add to a collection or when assisting a patron. Pathfinder's help represent a subject in the library that can be found in multiple places and give librarian's and patrons a place to start their search. The Steampunk sub-genre is a relatively new trend that is becoming more and more popular with society. It can be found as a topic/subject throughout the library. It can be seen as a popular subject in fiction books but can also be found in costuming, history (drawn from the Victorian Ages), science and invention, and has appeared in a number of film and even as a theme in musical rock bands. As a relatively new genre and a confusing place to begin research a pathfinder on the topic allows the information seeker to be able to have a place to start when looking for any or all materials that fall within the Steampunk Genre. This pathfinder not only show where and what to search for with concret search terms, location, and background information, but it displays my knowledge on up-to-date trends and understanding of new material and the ability to maintain a collection that is knowledgable and up-to-date.

Artifact 3 - Database of Teen Materials Including Resources, Reader's Advisory, Reviews - Created for LIBR 265

Artifact 2- Pathfinder on The Steampunk Movement - Created for LIBR 210