What’s Collection Development?

In building library collections that are right on target for the community, according to G.
Edward Evans, collection development is one of the processes that can be used. Where this process
can identify library materials based on user needs and community resources by detailing their
weaknesses and strengths. In this process, user community information is needed to be able to
develop collection development.
Collection development is the process of making certain the library meets the information
needs of its service population in a timely and economical manner, using information resources
produced both inside and outside the organization.
The main purpose of libraries and other information units is to assist in the transfer of
information and the development of knowledge
Collection development, to be effective, must be responsive to the total community’s needs,
not just to those of the current or the most active users.
Allocation of right budget to the right department for the right material is one of the major
components in collection management. Besides the above factors, kind of library, size of library,
specialization areas of library, intellectual level of users, and the merit of the individual book and
the frequency of use of the existing collection are a few important factors in collection management.
Collection development was, is, and always will be subjective, biased work. A periodic
review of the selector’s personal biases and their effects on the selection process is the best check
against developing a collection that reflects personal interests rather than user interests. Collection
development is not learned entirely in the classroom or from reading. Only through practice, taking
risks, and learning from mistakes will a person become proficient in the process of developing a
collection.

The main purpose of collection development in a library can be as following:

 To fulfill the library’s obligation to its community,
 To find out the exact need of the readers,
 To make available the right document to the right reader at the right time through
selection and acquisition process,
 To utilize the library budget judiciously,
 To periodically review the collection for weeding out,
 To share the resources through networking.

The Stages of Collection Development Theory(Evans)

1. Community Analysis
- In order to meet the information needs of the community, libraries need to analyze the community
they serve. Libraries need to know what information the community needs by using data from a
variety of sources
- Library services and collection should be developed based on an understanding of the service
community's information wants and needs. Therefore, the library collects data about the service
population to provide information desired by the community, as well as to serve wider range of
interest with limited resources.
2. Selection Policies/Collection Assessment
- Data gathered from the analysis will be reviewed to help in making collection development policy.
It helps the librarians to select and acquire the most approriate materials for the collection which is
expected to meet the community's need.
- A collection development policy provides guidance for those doing the selection work. At the
same time, the policy should be a mechanism for communication with the library’s service
population, as well as with those who provide its funding.
- A comprehensive written policy, developed with the advice and involvement of all parties
concerned, helps regulate the process and makes it less problematic.
3. Selection
- Librarians need to decide what materials they should acquire with thoughtful consideration. In
accordance with the existing policies, one should choose the most appropriate materials.
4. Acquisition
- The process of securing materials for the library's collection, wheteher by purchase, as gifts, or
through exchange programs. Once the staff decides to purchase an item, the acquisition department
proceeds with the preparation of an order form and the selection of a vendor, eventually recording
the receipt of the item and finally paying the bill.
5. Deselection
- When a library decides that a given item is no longer of value, it will dispose of the item (by
selling it, giving it away, or even throwing it away). If the item still has some value for the library,
the decision may be to transfer the item to a less accessible and usually less expensive storage
location.
6. Evaluation
- The library will evaluate the collection to determine the quality of the work done by the collection
development staff. For effective evaluation to occur, the service community’s needs must be
considered, which leads back to community analysis.

Collection Assesment
In order to provide appropriate collection to the community, a library or information center
needs to learn what information the community needs. This is done by colllecting data through
analysis. The data about users collected from the analysis are valuable in policy formulation,
selection activities, and evaluation projects. Selection officers should base policy formulation and
modification on the data collected. Any assessment of the collection should include a consideration
of how well it meets the expectations and needs of the users.
Effective collection development is possible only when it is based on sound knowledge of
the service community. All types of libraries should engage in needs assessment. Though
emphasizing the public library environment because of its complex service population, can be
modified for use in any type of library or information center environment.

Collection Development Policies

Building collections which fail to satisfy the information needs of users would be a futile
exercise. It is thus essential to ascertain such needs continuously and to anticipate future user needs.
Evans (1992:16) extends this premise to state that it is not only the stated needs that are important,
but it is important to investigate the normative needs as well, especially in a culturally diverse
group. These needs must then be weighed up against an understanding of what would be realistic
expectations for resources to meet these needs.
The purpose of collection development policies, standards and guidelines is to ensure that all
registered users have access to the right information sources at the right time
A Collection Development Policies contains three kinds of statements: a statement of
objectives which has a direct bearing on the institution’s mission and philosophy, a statement of
principles which must be flexible enough to cover different situations that might arise, a statement
of implementation including staff procedures to ensure stability in decision making.
Library materials
Any physical object that conveys information, thoughts, or feelings potentially can be part of an
information collection.
The information materials in the library consists of two forms of library materials as follows:
1. Printed, consisting of: a. books/monographs, consisting of books, research reports, theses,
theses and dissertations; b. not a book, consisting of: 1) serial publications; 2) map; 3) pictures;
4) brochures, pamphlets, booklets; 5) papers.
2. Not printed a. Image recording, such as film, video, CD, microfilm, and microfilm. b. Sound
recordings, such as LPs, CDs, cassettes. c. Magnetic/digital data recordings, such as works on
diskettes, CDs and databases, and those packaged online.

When viewed from the format of its contents, the library collection consists of the following:
1. Reference collection;
2. Teaching materials;
3. Serial issue;
4. Government publications;
5. Local content;
6. Reading material for intellectual recreation.

Evaluation
Collection evaluation is an activity of correcting, assessing library materials by going through
various stages in their activities, the form of progress and development of procurement and
correction of library collections. Evaluation of collections in a library is a mandatory activity and
must be carried out for service and user satisfaction with library collections/information, with
library evaluation it can be known and measure the needs and feasibility or benefits of a collection.

Organizations conduct evaluations for several reasons, including

• to develop an intelligent, realistic acquisitions program based on a
thorough knowledge of the existing collection;
• to justify increased funding demands or for particular subject allo¬
cations; and
• to increase the staff’s familiarity with the collection

Internal Reasons
Collection development needs
• What is the true scope of the collections (i.e., what is the subject
coverage)?
• What is the depth of the collections (i.e., what amount and type of
material constitute the collection)?
• How does the service community use the collection (i.e., what are
the circulation and use within the library)?
• What is the collection’s monetary value? (This must be known for
insurance and capital assessment reasons.)
• What are the strong areas of the collection (in quantitative and
qualitative terms)?
• What are the weak areas of the collection (in quantitative and qual¬
itative terms)?
• What problems exist in the collection policy and program?
• What changes should be made in the existing program?
• How well are collection development officers carrying out their du¬
ties?
• Provide data for possible cooperative collection development pro¬
grams.
• Provide data for deselection (weeding) projects.
• Provide data for formal cancellation projects.
• Provide data to determine the need for a full inventory.

Budgetary needs
• Assist in determining allocations needed to strengthen weak areas.
• Assist in determining allocations needed to maintain areas of
strength.
• Assist in determining allocations needed for retrospective collection
development.
• Assist in determining overall allocations.

External Reasons
Local institutional needs
• Is the library’s performance marginal, adequate, or above average?
• Is the budget request for materials reasonable?
• Does the budget provide the appropriate level of support?
• Is the library comparable to others serving similar communities?
• Are there alternatives to space expansion (e.g., weeding)?
• Is the collection outdated?
• Is there sufficient coordination in the collection program (i.e., does
the library really need all those separate collections)?
• Is the level of duplication appropriate?
• Is the cost/benefit ratio reasonable?

Extraorganizational needs
• Provide data for accreditation groups.
• Provide data for funding agencies.
• Provide data for various networks, consortia, and other cooperative
programs.
• Provide data to donors about collection needs.

Main Evaluation Techniques:

Collection-Centered
• Checking list, bibliographies, and catalogs;
• expert opinion;
• comparative use statistics; and
• collection standards.
Use-Centered
• Circulation studies;
• user opinion/studies;
• analysis of ILL statistics;
• citation studies;
• in-house use studies;
• shelf availability;
• simulated use studies; and
• document delivery tests.

Problems in Collection Development

In each and every library irrespective of the size and nature, there are problems during
collection development. The problems faced are as follows:
 Increased number of books published,
 Increase in the cost of the books and journals,
 Availability of library materials in various physical medium,
 Increased demand of the readers,
 Fluctuation in the exchange rate,
 Unfair trade practices followed by some booksellers,
 Fluctuation in the purchase policy,
 No hike in the library budget,
 Pressure on the librarian to acquire certain titles not relevant to the parent institution,
 Allocation of budget to different Departments,
 Acquiring a title, which is interdisciplinary in nature,
 Identifying any title for reference collection,
 Demand for multiple copies,
 Lack of formula for budget allocation for books and other materials,
 Non-availability of Publishers and Booksellers catalogue in all parts of the country,
 Non availability of foreign books in spite of firm order by the libraries,
 Non-selection of titles from the book reviews, Publishers/booksellers catalogue,
INB, Book exhibitions etc. by the faculty members.
 Less interest of the librarian and faculty to well-equip the reference section of the
library keeping in mind the need of the readers.
 Less importance for the procurement/preservation of the institutional repositories.
 Ignorance of the librarians on Copyright Act

Conclusion
Collection development should be geared primarily to identify needs of the readers.
Collection development should be carried out in a participatory mode. Organizing
exhibitions and involving the internal and external members of the library in book
selection can fulfill this objective. Collection development was, is, and always be a
subjective, biased work. The interventions of selectors’ personal values into the process
can not be entirely avoided.
Collection development was, is, and always will be subjective, biased work. A
periodic review of the selector’s personal biases and their effects on the selection process
is the best check against developing a collection that reflects personal interests rather
than user interests. Collection development is not learned entirely in the classroom or
from reading. Only through practice, taking risks, and learning from mistakes will a
person become proficient in the process of developing a collection.