Collection Development Policy

Creating and updating collection development policies often goes overlooked, particularly in small school libraries. Libraries without collection development policies are like business without business plans.

A library should always have a current collection development policy that outlines the purpose of the collection, provides justification for why materials are included or excluded, contains a procedure to follow in case materials are challenged, defines who is responsible for collection development decisions, and highlights the selection tools that should be used.

Course discussions and completing the following journal assignment has better prepared me to identify the main elements of a collection development policy. If I were to complete this assignment again, I would have liked to practice writing my own library policies.

Evaluation and Deselection

I have seen many awful library books in school libraries. They are usually in a collection or series of books that are the same size and look the same but have different titles like, Internet, Space, Robots, Weather, etc. Many books like this are not deselected due to time constraints, public displeasure, or sanctity of the collection. It’s possible the book was in a series donated to the library by a parent or community member which would also make discarding it difficult.

Responding to course discussions has helped me to understand the reasons why some books stay in the library forever and also highlighted the importance of regularly evaluating the library collection while making deselection decisions. I can't imagine having any personal challenges with regards to deselection itself. For me, it would be challenging and frustrating if there was an emphasis being placed on numbers or if I had no time during the school day to evaluate and deselect.

CREW Method

The method called CREW (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) integrates selection and acquisition, cataloging and processing, circulation and reference into one smooth, streamlined, and ongoing routine that assures that all required services are completed effectively. This method makes it easier to routinely remove outdated and unused materials from the collection while also learning where the collection has gaps or needs new items. MUSTIE is the acronym for six negative factors that make books and other materials prime candidates for weeding. If it's MUSTIE, you must weed it!