How to Build a High-Quality Library Collection in a Multi-Format Environment: Centralized Selection at University of Wyoming Libraries

Abstract

In recent decades, the composition of academic library collections has shifted toward electronic formats, resulting in a more complicated publication landscape to be navigated by selectors. Additionally, the workload of public services librarians has become more weighted toward instruction and research support, putting more pressure on the time of liaison librarians tasked with collection development responsibilities. These shifts have prompted academic institutions, including University of Wyoming Libraries, to consider a restructuring of collection development responsibilities. This article describes the evolution and implementation of a centralized model of selection at UW Libraries.Since the latter half of the twentieth century, the traditional model of collection building in academic libraries has relied largely on the work of multiple subject bibliographers, whose responsibility for selecting materials in specific areas of study has typically been "tacked on" to their primary duties. In recent decades, the composition of academic library collections has shifted toward electronic formats, resulting in a vastly more complicated publication landscape to be navigated by selectors; at the same time, the workload of public services librarians has become more heavily weighted toward instruction and research support, putting considerably more pressure on the time of liaison librarians tasked with collection development duties. This shift has prompted numerous institutions, including University of Wyoming (UW) Libraries, to consider reorganizing collection development responsibilities according to a more centralized model, with the intention of focusing and streamlining the work of selecting library materials as well as better integrating these tasks with ongoing processes of collection management. This article discusses the evolution of thinking about organization of selection work and electronic resources management (ERM) in academic libraries and describes the implementation of a centralized model of selection at the University of Wyoming. Literature ReviewNearly a century ago, Bascom (1922) wrote that selection "…should be accepted as a regular part of the day's work, not considered an added burden to be postponed until necessity forces it into the schedule, to the detriment of other duties" (p. 11). At the time, Bascom was talking about selection as it related to public libraries. In 2015, we're still trying to articulate selection's evolving role in libraries, especially academic libraries. Where centralized selection is 3 concerned, there's a limited amount of scholarly work on the topic as it relates to academic libraries. A good deal of existing scholarship focuses on the ways in which public libraries have put centralized selection to use. For instance, Sullivan (2004) discussed the Phoenix Public Library system's implementation of a centralized model. She noted, "Ultimately, we have found that centralized selection promotes diversity of materials because the selectors have the funds, the perspective, and ...

Collaborative collection development: current perspectives leading to future initiatives

“…Other CCD approaches transform collection selection and management approaches to impact multiple libraries. For example, a centralized selection process for multiple libraries can foster more intentional collaboration in identifying materials and planning for resource sharing ( Barstow, Macaulay, & Tharp, 2016 ; Currie & Greene, 2017 ). In other instances, particular focus areas or disciplinary needs drive collaboration ( Oxnam, 2009 ; Richards & Peters, 2016 ).…”

Decolonising Library Collections: Contemporary Issues, Practical Steps and Examples from London School of Economics

“…Collection development has been recently affected by technology and the promise of making processes more efficient, as well as more local pressures on time, staffing and finances. This has included centralising collection development and using approval plans rather than manual selection (Barstow, Macaulay, and Tharp, 2016;Day and Novak, 2019) and using demand-driven acquisition (DDA) to allow users to actively participate in selection (Blume, 2019;Day and Novak, 2019;England and Anderson, 2019). Where it was formerly the preserve of librarians (with some academic staff input), collection development has become more complex, with multiple stakeholders now involved.…”