Collection Development and Maintenance

Collection Guidelines

NC Department of Public Instruction recommends quantitative guidelines for media collections.

Collection Development Template

A template for helping you assess and develop your media collection entitled “Collection Development Report Template” can be found in Appendix D. To assist you in determining a process for analyzing, developing and weeding your collection it is suggested that you read the related section of IMPACT before filling out this report. These pages will guide you in the process of assessing your collection through qualitative and quantitative measures, curriculum mapping, resource alignment and systematic random sampling. Guidelines for weeding and selection are also provided in IMPACT.

Collection Development Tools

    • Follett Library Resources has two tools that will help you with your ordering, cataloging and collection development needs. These tools are TitleWave and TitleWise. Your Titlewave account should be linked through your catalog. See your Media Lead for assistance. Other vendors, such as Mackin and Capstone, have similar tools to help you analyze, assess, and develop your collection.

    • In the 2019-20 academic year, DPS media centers will begin using Karen Lowe's Resource Alignment method to analyze, plan, and budget for collection development.

Cataloging and Processing

Durham Public Schools does not provide central processing. It is recommended that you purchase cataloging with your book orders whenever available. You may purchase books from any vendor; however, if the vendor has not been used previously in Durham Public Schools, it will be necessary to obtain a tax ID number, fax and phone numbers and correct mailing address and submit this information to the finance department through your school bookkeeper. See the section on Budget for more information.

Importing catalog information into Destiny is simple, and is performed under the Catalog tab. Because Destiny is a union catalog, your titles will be added as a copy to any existing records for the same title. You have the ability to add subject headings to your local copies as you like. You may add information to fields such as the summary, but please do not remove any information from any records.

When adding individual books to your collection, the red house symbol indicates that the title already exists in the district at one or more libraries. If you see the symbol, rather than adding the title record again, create a local copy of the title record, and provide your own barcode, price, source, etc. If no title record for the book already exists in the district, Alliance Plus usually provides the MARC record, or catalog information can be downloaded from a number of “Z Sources” accessed through Destiny. If no Z sources are located, original cataloging should be performed.

The Dewey Decimal System is the accepted classification system for DPS media centers, and Sears Subject Headings are preferred. A list of preferred prefixes and Dewey classifications may be found in Appendix E. However, media coordinators are welcome to organize their library to best meet the needs of their students.

Traditional Dewey Classifications used in DPS

BOOKS

Easy/Everyone E + first 3 letters of author’s surname

Fiction F + first 3 letters of author’s surname

Non-Fiction Dewey classification + first 3 letters of author’s surname

Biography 921 + biographee’s surname in all caps

Collective Biography 920 + first 3 letters of author’s surname

Story Collection SC + first 3 letters of author’s surname

Reference R + Dewey number and first 3 letters of author’s surname

Professional P +Dewey number and first 3 letters of author’s surname

North Carolina NC + Dewey # and first 3 letters of author’s surname

Paperback Books PB

Ebooks EB or use the same call number as for print books

(Destiny automatically adds an E symbol to the material,

but does not change the call number)

NON-BOOK MATERIALS

Art Print AP + Dewey number and first letter of artist’s surname

Audiobook AB + Dewey number + first letter of the author’s surname

Audiotape T +Dewey number and first letter of title

Compact Disc CD + Dewey number & first letter of title

Computer Software CW + Dewey number & first letter of title

DVD DVD + Dewey number & first letter of title

Equipment EQ

Kit KIT +Dewey number & first letter of title

Videotape VT with Dewey number & first letter of title

Vendors

Visits from vendors should be at your discretion and convenience. A vendor should only call on you with your permission, and should always check in at the main office before coming to the media center. Media Services typically does not provide vendors with contact information of media coordinators. Frequently used vendors include:

    • Follett Library Resources

    • Mackin

    • PermaBound

    • Bound to Stay Bound

    • Capstone

    • Junior Library Guild

    • World Book

    • Cengage (Thomson-Gale)

    • ABC-Clio

Weeding/Deselection

Continuous assessment of the collection ensures that the media center remains focused on its mission and collection development objectives. Materials may be removed from the collection for the following reasons:


  • Poor physical condition

  • Unattractive appearance

  • Poor circulation record

  • Old copyright date, with outdated or inaccurate information

  • Duplicates of title no longer in demand

  • Subject matter unsuitable for users

  • Topics no longer of interest

  • Biased or stereotypical portrayals

  • Inappropriate reading levels

  • No longer needed because of a change in the curriculum

Materials that are removed from the collection should be deleted from Destiny, barcodes removed or blacked out, and stamped/written "discard" clearly labeled on the book. Books should be placed in Gaylord boxes provided by the DPS warehouse.