Collection Development

Hi all! It's been a busy summer! I took a one week intensive course this past June on Collection Development, taught by Harvard University's Collection Development Librarian Michael Leach.  A one week course like this meets five days straight for 8 hours each day! It is very intense, as the name suggests, but very informative.  Because the class is taught straight through, I feel as though I retained a lot of helpful information! So, what is it that I learned? Let's talk about Collection Development!

What is Collection Development? It's the process of building and maintaining the library collection to make sure it meets user needs.  This means the collection should be relevant and up to date and should reflect the library's population.  Collection Development covers how librarians acquire items and how they deselect, or weed,  items out of the collection.  This isn't always an easy task.  Acquiring new items costs money, so librarians have to follow strict budgets.  They also need to read lots of reviews to make sure the new items are worthwhile to the collection.  They will also consult with patrons for feedback.  In addition, librarians need to analyze the collection to check and see what items are not circulating anymore.  There are weeding guidelines librarians follow such as CREW and MUSTIE.  CREW stands for Continuous Review, Evaluation and Weeding.  MUSTIE calls for removing items that are Misleading, Ugly, Superseded, Trivial, Irrelevant or that can be found Elsewhere.  It's important for libraries to weed their collection regularly not only to have a current and relevant collection, but also because space is a big issue at many libraries.  If libraries acquire new books, it is necessary to get rid of old ones that are not being used.

In order for Collection Development to run smoothly, libraries should have a Collection Development Policy.  Collection Development policies are based upon community and library needs and provide specific rules and guidelines regarding topics like acquisitions, weeding and donations.  It is extremely important for libraries to have a policy in place to protect the collection and to alert patrons to their process.  In class, students built a Collection Development Policy for a library.  Each day we worked on a small piece of the policy and looked at Census data for the community and library statistics  on the collection and budget.  A Collection Development Policy contains many parts, including:

Background Statement

Responsibility for Collection Development

Purpose statement

Format statement

Resource Sharing

Services statement

Intellectual freedom statement

Acquisitions Gifts & exchange statement

Collection maintenance statement

Selection aids

Copyright statement

Budgeting & funding 

Evaluative criteria

Government publications  

Treatment of specific resource groups

Special collections

Weeding statement Policy revision statement

Collection evaluation section

Definition of terms & glossary

Bibliography

Appendixes

(as provided by Frank W. Hoffmann and Richard J. Wood, in their book: Library Collection Development Policies: Academic, Public and Special Libraries) 

As this list shows, Collection Development Policies are extensive and time consuming to create.  In the end,  it is important to have this policy as a guide for acquisitions, deselection, challenges and other important aspects of the library collection. When creating my Collection Development Policy, I focused on the Young Adult area of the library-keep in mind this policy is made up!  The budget information is NOT factual, but I did use factual U.S. Census data and Massachusetts Library  statistics for holdings information.  The evaluation of the collection is loosely based upon visually analyzing the Ames Free Library Young Adult Collection.  Let me know your thoughts, ideas and if you have a Collection Development Policy at your library! See below for the policy I created!

Ames Free Library Collection Development Policy for Young Adult Fiction FY13

Prepared by Amy Dean

Table of Contents

Demographics….3

Evaluation/Review Procedures & Methods….4

General Selection Policy….6

Collection Priorities….7

Deselection Procedures….9

Gifts & Exchanges….10

Consortial Agreements….11

Challenges Procedures….12

Approval Process/Timeline for Review….13

Appendix….14

Demographics

The Ames Free Library is a public library serving a population of 23,300.  It is located at fifty-three North Main St. in North Easton, MA, 02356.  The Ames Free Library opened its doors in 1883 and was designed by renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson in 1877.  The library is a National Historical Landmark located in the historic district of the town.  The children’s wing was added in 1931.  The library recently completed a renovation, making the historic building handicapped accessible by adding ramps, an elevator and a wheelchair lift.  The basement level, which was previously unused, was made into a working ground level where the circulation area, offices and additional shelving space were acquired.  This allowed for the closing of a small branch which was originally opened due to accessibility requirements by the state, leaving only the renovated main library open.

           

The Ames Free library has a total staff (including full and part time) of nineteen people.  The Ames Free Library Staff serve a fairly young population, according to U.S. Census statistics, with a median age of about thirty-nine for both males and females.  Ninety percent of the population is white, most of the population owns the home they live in and about sixty percent are married. Data shows that the second largest population in the town is high school and college aged young adults, ranging in ages from fifteen to twenty four years of age.  There are several schools in Easton: six elementary and secondary schools and two high schools, one of which is a vocational technical school where students come from surrounding towns.  Stonehill College, a private institution, is also located in the town and this college-age population is represented in the US Census statistics, shown in Appendix A: Demographics.

The library is working on implementing a strategic plan built on their slogan “Where the community connects.”  The main objective is to make sure the library thrives regardless of the future.  The four goals included in the library’s long term plan focus on providing functionality and accessibility, quality library service to an increasing population, funding to maintain and improve services and focusing on collection development.  In addition, the plan is also to focus more on the “virtual community” by embracing technology and using social networking and other technological tools.  The library wants to provide entertainment, promote gatherings and forums for the community, do community outreach, and promote education and cultural events to better the lives of the people it serves.  They want to articulate how technology is being used in the library and demonstrate the positive uses of these technologies, like e-books and e-readers. The library already has Facebook and Twitter pages and two blogs accessible through their website.

Evaluation/Review Procedures & Methods

Due to the demographic data found on the U.S. Census population regarding the large community of young adults in the town of Easton, this area of the library will be carefully reviewed to ensure this population’s needs are being met.  This evaluation will focus on the young adult fiction area, which encompasses books, e-books and audiovisual materials.  Four criteria will be used to evaluate this collection:

1. The Walk-About Observational Method-This qualitative method requires analyzing the collection by paying special attention to the appearance and condition of the titles in the collection in order to determine if they are current, relevant and are meeting the needs of this community.  This method also allows the library to observe who the users are, what they are looking at and the most popular areas of the collection.  However, this method requires staff to observe at different intervals throughout the day for the most accurate results, which is time consuming.
2. Analysis of Book Growth Rate-This evaluation tool provides insight into how fast the collection is growing.  By following a formula that involves determining the average number of books added in the past five years, the average book size and the amount of free space on the shelf, this method can pinpoint how much growth potential there is for each shelf. This is a helpful tool for planning and acquisitions.
3. Comparative Use Statistics-The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioner’s website provides statistics where the library can compare the size, budget, type of materials, etc. to other libraries with similarly-sized populations.  This quantitative method helps determine areas of the library that are lacking or excelling as far as materials in the collection.  However, these statistics are merely numerical and do not give insight into the types of communities these libraries serve or if they are similar to the Ames Free Library community demographically.
4. List Checking-This form of evaluation is performed by taking award lists and checking to see if the library owns the materials featured on the lists.  This methodology determines if the library collection is current and well rounded.  The ALA chapter for youth services, the Young Adult Library Association (YALSA), provides comprehensive lists such as “The Best of the Best,” which list notable books that are recommended in this area of the library.  Staff will search library holdings to determine if these titles are represented in the collection.

A. Strengths

Upon performing the evaluation techniques above, many strengths were noted.  First, the Walk-About Method determined a very active young adult fiction area.  The books in the collection were current and relevant.  Most of the titles in the fiction collection were published within the last five years and were in good condition.  This observational method supported the fact that this part of the community is an active and large part of the library population.  The analysis of book growth rate proved the library collection is growing rapidly, with most of the titles being published within the past five years.  This method shows that library acquisitions are actively purchasing new materials for the collection; further illustrating the library collection has the most current fiction in this area of the library. 

Staff used Comparative Use Statistics from ARIS reports provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and found that the communities of Abbot, Abington and Amesbury all have similar population sizes to Easton with a range of 15,000-25,000 people.  Comparatively, Easton statistics for print areas of the collection and audio were either at the same level or slightly above the other libraries.  The Ames Free Library greatly surpassed the other libraries in the areas of video (with the exception of Amesbury) and, most notably in the area of e-books (see Appendix B: Comparative Use Statistics).

Lastly, the List Checking Method showed that the library collection does in fact take into consideration the Young Adult Library Services Association’s recommended lists such as “The Best of the Best,” the “Alex Awards,” and “Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers”.  The fiction collection showed care and consideration has been taken when selecting and acquiring new items in this area.

B. Weaknesses

There were several weaknesses apparent after conducting the evaluation methods above.  First, the Observational Walk About method made it clear without even attempting the Growth Rate Analysis that lack of space is a huge problem in this area of the library.  The fiction was squeezed onto shelves with no space at the ends; books were stacked on top of the shelves and even observed books falling off the shelves when patrons selected a book at the end of a shelf.  The same was the case for the audio books, music CDs and DVDs.  The Growth Rate Analysis was almost unnecessary to show there was no room allowed for growth in this area of the library, despite this being a well selected, well circulating and popular collection.

Comparative Use Statistics show that audiovisual materials circulate well at the Ames Free Library, however these collections were not well represented when conducting the list checking methodology of the Young Adult Library Association’s “Amazing Audio Books for Young Adults” and “Fabulous Films for Young Adults.”  Also lacking upon List Checking was the graphic novel collection when compared to YALSA’S “Great Graphic Novels for Teens.”  See Appendix C: Evaluation Conclusions for results.

General Selection Policy

Conspectus for Young Adult Fiction Collection at the Ames Free Library of Easton

Collection Depth Indicator

0=out of scope (do not collect this genre/format)

1=minimal coverage (only the most popular authors in a genre)

2=basic coverage (popular authors plus some award winners)

3=deep coverage (popular authors, nearly all award winners, plus many other titles in the genre/format)

4=comprehensive coverage (purchase a large majority of the titles in this genre/format)

Award Winners -3
Mystery-2
Dystopian-2
Romance-2

Fantasy-2

Science Fiction-2

Literary Fiction-2
Bestselling YA Authors-3
Graphic Novels-1
Music CDs-1
Dvds-1
Audio Books-1
E-books-3

Collection Priorities

As determined by research noted earlier in this policy, the Young Adult Fiction Collection is a thriving area of the Ames Free Library due to a large population of people ages 15-24 years of age living in the community.  The strengths of this collection have been identified using these four evaluation methods:

1. The Walk-About/Observational Method
2. Analysis of Book Growth Rate
3. Comparative Use Statistics
4. List Checking

 

The collection strengths determined after conducting these methodologies are:

• Award Winners (Includes Literary Fiction and Bestselling Authors)
• Mystery
• Science Fiction (Includes Dystopian Fiction and Fantasy)
• Romance
• Electronic Resources

A considerable percentage of the budget is going towards maintaining these areas of the collection, particularly Award Winners, Science Fiction and Electronic Resources, the three highest circulating areas of the collection.  Because of extremely high circulation statistics of E-books, this collection is not only being maintained, but being allocated additional monies in this area.  The library hopes to solve space issues by purchasing more titles in electronic format, and replacing existing ones that would be well received in this format.  These areas alone make up 68% of the budget.

The evaluation results of this collection also illustrated that user needs are not being met in the following areas:

·         Graphic Novels

·         Audiovisual Materials (Includes DVDs, Music CDs and Audio Books)

According to Comparative Use Statistics, the audiovisual areas of the Ames Free Library have equal or higher holdings when compared to similarly-sized libraries in Massachusetts.  However, as noted in the evaluation process, the Audiovisual collections have not been maintained and are outdated due to space constraints.  This is also the case with Graphic Novels.  Graphic Novels are a very popular area of the collection but the collection needs to be updated following the deselection procedures in the next section of the policy.  This area of the collection will make up 32% of the budget.This budget reflects research that was executed to determine the needs of the community.  The budget is based upon the findings of U.S. Census population and demographic statistics and also the results of various evaluations of the library collection.  The Ames Free Library is responsible for fostering the needs of the community, and we have determined that that the Young Adult population is flourishing in Easton.  The budget for Fiscal Year 2013 reflects changes necessary to the Young Adult Collection to better serve this population (see Appendix D: Budget Allocations).

Deselection Procedures

The library has planned an overhaul of this collection in order to deselect materials using two weeding techniques.  First, the MUSTIE technique will be executed. This acronym refers to titles that are Misleading, Ugly, Superseded, Trivial, Irrelevant or Elsewhere.  Staff will specifically look closely at what other libraries in the consortium have in order to save space on our shelves.  The problems noted in the Young Adult Fiction area show that they need constant implementation of the Continuous Review, Evaluation and Weeding (CREW) method of evaluation.  These methods will be adopted in all areas of the Young Adult Fiction collection in order to gain as much space as possible for new materials.

As noted, a continual weeding process will be adopted in this area of the collection, most specifically the graphic novels, and discarded items will follow a particular procedure.  Any items removed from this collection will be stamped “Discard” over library markings and either given to the Friends of the Ames Free Library to sell at periodic book sales or will be donated to the local “House of Possibilities” organization.

Gifts and Exchanges

The library will accept Young Adult Fiction donation items only in the identified areas of the collection as noted in the Selection Policy Conspectus.  These items must be in good condition and relevant to the collection as decided by the Young Adult Librarian.  If items are dropped off at the library without speaking to the Young Adult Librarian, items deemed unacceptable or irrelevant to the collection will not be added to the collection.  Donated items can be added or removed at any time at the discretion of the Young Adult Librarian.

Consortial Agreements

The Ames Free Library is a member of the SAILS Library Network, http://www.sailsinc.org/, located in Lakeville, MA.  The SAILS Library Consortia shares cataloguing so that each library may modify existing records created by other libraries.  There are reciprocal ILL agreements with all of the member libraries of the consortia, with exception of schools in the summer months and the two libraries in the network which have lost state funding or become decertified, Bridgewater and Norton.

Challenges Procedures

When a challenge arises about a particular item in the Young Adult Fiction Collection, the Ames Free Library follows ALA Guidelines.  Highlights of the policy are:

• Greet the person with a smile. Communicate your openness to receive inquiries and that you take them seriously. Listen more than you talk.
• Practice “active listening.” Take time to really listen and acknowledge the individual’s concern. This can be as simple as “I’m sorry you’re upset. I understand your concern.”
• Stay calm and courteous. Upset parents are not likely to be impressed by talk about the First Amendment or the Library Bill of Rights. Talk about freedom of choice, the library’s role in serving all people and the responsibility of parents to supervise their own children’s library use. Avoid library jargon.
• Distribute facts, policy and other background materials in writing to all interested parties. Avoid giving personal opinions.
• Be prepared to give a clear and non-intimidating explanation of the library’s procedure for registering a complaint and be clear about when a decision can be expected.

If this procedure is followed and the patron still wishes to file a formal request to remove the title, the library will provide the patron a Challenge Form as illustrated in Appendix E.  This form will be given to the patron to fill out and then reviewed by the Library Director and Board of Trustees.

Approval Process/Timeline for Review

Approval Signatures:

_________________________                         _______________________

Madeline Miele Holt, Director                            Date (by 24 June 2012)

_________________________                          _______________________

Amy Dean, Young Adult Librarian                      Date (by 24 June 2012)

Appendix

Appendix A: Demographics

Sex and Age                 Easton                          %                                 US %

Male	11,063	47.9	49.1
Female	12,049	52.1	50.9
Under 5 yrs	1,095	4.7	6.5
5 to 9 yrs	1,456	6.3	6.6
10 to 14 yrs	1,646	7.1	6.7
15 to 19 yrs	2,343	10.1	7.1
20-24 yrs	2,035	8.8	7.0
25 to 29 yrs	953	4.1	6.8
30 to 34 yrs	922	4.0	6.5
35 to 39 yrs	1,269	5.5	6.5
40 to 44 yrs	1,806	7.8	6.8
45 to 49 yrs	1,945	8.4	7.4
50 to 54 yrs	1,841	8.0	7.2
55 to 59 yrs	1,638	7.1	6.4
60 to 64 yrs	1,366	5.9	5.4
65 to 69 yrs	1,023	4.4	4.0
70 to 74 yrs	580	2.5	3.0
75 to 79 yrs	498	2.2	2.4
80 to 84 yrs	376	1.6	1.9
85 yrs and over	320	1.4	1.2
Median Age	39.5		37.2
Race-White		72.4	75.1
Median Income		$86,400	$51,914

Appendix B: Comparative Use Statistics

                        Easton                  Abbot                    Abington               Amesbury

Total Print	121,396	176,099	74,938	57,498
Audio	14,040	26,718	5,909	13,628
Video	39,511	20, 340	11,576	39,501
E-books	3,998	459	299	305

Appendix C: Evaluation Conclusions

The methods implemented in the Young Adult area identify the strengths and weaknesses of this collection, and pinpoint where the library must implement changes.  The Observational Walk About method and Growth Rate Analysis identified an extremely overcrowded area in the collection that needs to be resolved through deselection or additional shelving in each area of the Young Adult Fiction.

The Comparative Use Statistics and List Checking methods proved that while the library maintains a balanced area that represents many award winning titles in particular genres, there are other areas where it is lacking, especially audiovisual materials.  These areas of the collection have most likely been put on hold due to shelving constraints in the library, leaving the main focus on books, despite the high holdings and circulation statistics of these audiovisual materials.  The Comparative Use Statistics also show a large number of E-books being checked out at the Ames Free Library, which perhaps can be helpful in finding a solution to the space issue at the library.  Since statistics show this population checks out many E-books, shelf space can be acquired by purchasing certain titles and replacing others in the form of electronic resources. 

Appendix D: Budget Allocations (this is fabricated-I wish this was the YA budget!)

Ames Free Library
FY13
Budget for Young Adult Fiction Collection
Prepared by Amy Dean
Total YA Budget:			$8,000
Award Winners			$1,000
Literary Fiction				$500
Bestselling Authors				$500
Mystery			$250	$250
Science Fiction			$2,000
Dystopian				$1,500
Fantasy				$500
Graphic Novels			$1,000	$1,000
Romance			$250	$250
Audiovisual			$1,500
DVDs				$500
Music CDs				$500
Audio Books				$500
Electronic Resources			$2,000
E-books				$1,000
Databases				$1,000
Totals			$8,000	$8,000

Appendix E: ALA Challenge Form

Name ___________________________

Date ___________________________

Address ___________________________

City ___________________________

State ___________________________

Zip ___________________________

Phone ___________________________

Do you represent self? ____ Organization? ____

1. Resource on which you are commenting:
   ____ Book ____ Textbook ____ Video ____ Display ____ Magazine ____ Library Program
   ____ Audio Recording ____ Newspaper ____ Electronic information/network (please specify)
   ____ Other __________________________
   Title ___________________________
   Author/Producer ___________________________
2. What brought this resource to your attention?
3. Have you examined the entire resource?
4. What concerns you about the resource? (use other side or additional pages if necessary)
5. Are there resource(s) you suggest to provide additional information and/or other viewpoints on this topic?

References

           "Age Groups and Sex: 2010." American FactFinder - Results. U.S. Census, 2010. Web. 04 June 2012. <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_SF1_QTP1>.

           

"Easton History." Ames Free Library. Ames Free Library, 2012. Web. 04 June 2012. <http://www.amesfreelibrary.org/Res_EastonHistx.htm>.

           "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010." American FactFinder - Results. U.S.Census, 2010. Web. 04 June 2012. <http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1>.

"Public Library Data." Advisory Services For Libraries. Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, 2012. Web. 05 June 2012. <http://mblc.state.ma.us/advisory/statistics/public/index.php>.

"Sample Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources." ALA. American Library Association, 2012. Web. 07 June 2012. <http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/samplereconsideration>.

"Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials." ALA. American Library Association, 2012. Web. 07 June 2012. <http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/strategiestips>.

"YALSA's Book Awards & Booklists." ALA. American Library Association, 2012. Web. 05 June 2012. <http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklistsawards/booklistsbook>.