The methods by which libraries acquire new resources and materials are extremely important to maintaining the collection as well as the interest and level of engagement that patrons show in the opportunities made available to them. As such, the policies surrounding the purchase and allocation of new books and technologies by a small library or larger municipal organization to its branches are extremely important to understand and follow.

Having guidelines in place that determine what types and the number of resources being purchased by a library makes it easier to avoid misuse of a budget in addition to keeping the collection focused on the mission or development goal of the library it's being used in. For example, a Federal Archive may have policies in place to prohibit the purchasing of children's fiction or picture books, and instead primarily acquire and order Government materials such as manuscripts, meeting minutes, policy and law outlines, and other associated articles and resources.

Collection Development Policies play a large role in the acquisitions department of a Library, as it is these policies that dictate the materials that can be purchased or added to the collection from patron donations. By having these policies in place, it sets a sort of standard for what books the library or institution is looking to add to the collection, and as such, this will vary for each type and organization or library.

For the first Marked Discussion of the Acquisitions and Circulations Procedures course, we were tasked with analyzing the Policies of two different libraries and identify the approach of each and how they differ from one another. While the Rochester and Halifax Public Libraries had similar policies, there were subtle differences and I knew from personal experience working in different branches of the Halifax Public Libraries that there would be differences small and large between each branch of the same municipal organization. I reflected this idea in my response, stating:

A rural Public Library would focus their collection on physical materials such as books and magazines and community outreach events. Meanwhile, a more centralized urban Public Library would focus on technology and bringing the community into the Library with varying programs and events, creating the need for larger and newer spaces. (Estey, T., 2019b).

One of the most difficult parts in practicing and applying collection development policies when acquiring new materials for a library is following the exact specifics and rules precisely without error. While some of these policies can be extremely strict and create issues when patrons donate new or used materials, it works to uphold the values and professionalism of a library of any type.

Other factors that can impact the acquisition process are the vendors and databases that each library or organization buys from, as many have contracts and agreements with a particular seller, and they may not sell the books the library is looking to add to the collection.

For this assignment, we were tasked with following the Collection Development Policies of a particular library and given three different books to review and analyze. The goal of this assignment had been to identify which of the three books should be ordered according to the guidelines that had been given and provide an explanation of our results.

In doing so, I found that the library already owned copies of one of the selected books, and another was not available from the vendor they use. When creating my report on the three selected books, I made sure to include as much detail as possible and added screen captures as necessary to provide proof and clarification.

As mentioned above, some libraries will have strict policies about what can and cannot be added to their collections, and others will have policies that state certain genres or classics should always be purchased before others or have a certain amount of copies circulating even though there may be a greater need for other materials.

To make these decisions even more precise and professional in libraries looking to acquire specific books for their collection, they may add in policies that require the work to come from a reputable source. This is especially the case in Academic Libraries, as it would not be good to have a book on Particle Engineering written and self-published by an author with no credentials or education in that field. These small details are extremely important in the world of library acquisitions, and while small mistakes can go unnoticed, some materials are extremely costly and ensuring the contract with a vendor is adhered to at all times is vital.

For this assignment, we were tasked with selecting two works that could be purchased by an Academic Library according to their policies and the additional guidelines we had been given. In addition to this, we were asked to identify and analyze the reputations of the publishing companies and authors these books were produced by, and explain why we believed they should be purchased.

In selecting the two books that I suggested for purchase in this assignment, I paid close attention to adhering to the guidelines and submitted two books that would be usable by more than just the Business Administration students at the College. Furthermore, I used multiple sources to verify the reputation and credentials of the author and publisher of each, in addition to the academic reviews provided by third-party companies using screen captures when necessary for evidence.