Collection Development in the Digital Age

In Collection Development in the Digital Age, the editors present a comprehensive examination of the collection development challenges facing librarians today. They write, “At the core of this book is a desire to confront the changes we are experiencing in a very explicit way and to question whether or not the rational strategic approaches to developing and managing collections, which have been at the heart of librarianship for years, are still relevant” (xv). Contributors include practitioners, academics, and business professionals involved in modern collection development in the UK and the US.

Divided into four sections, the book is balanced between chapters and case studies. Part 1 provides an overview of the conceptual framework and practice of collection development. Part 2 examines directions in electronic resources, specifically e‐books, e‐journals, and digitization projects. The third part discusses developments in library supply, such as outsourcing, managing suppliers, the open access movement, and institutional repositories. Part 4 focuses on engaging the user community, through collection development policies, marketing, and information literacy. Most chapters end with relevant statements or questions on key issues.

The polestar of every library is its collection. Collection development is the planned acquisition of materials through policies and procedures to match the institution's research and instructional needs. In “The Processes of Collection Management,” Fieldhouse defines collection development activities as “selection and acquisition, budget allocation and management, serials and electronic resource management and access control, stock evaluation, weeding, storage and preservation, as well as liaison with users, managers, suppliers and publishers and collaboration with other institutions” (27). These actions are guided by a collection development policy that establishes priorities, supports efforts, and facilitates decisions.

Advances in digital technology, coupled with reduced budgets, have challenged information professionals who must discover ways to access resources beyond ownership, such as licensing databases, providing document delivery, and sharing resources between institutions. In “The Concept of Collection Development in the Digital World,” Sheila Corrall, University of Sheffield's Professor of Librarianship and Information Management, writes that the shift from analog to digital has “fundamentally altered the nature of the library itself and raised strategic questions about the boundaries of both services and collections” (8). Despite the profound changes in how collections have been developed and managed in the past decade, driven by an accelerated marketplace, advanced user expectations, and rapid technology changes, collection development remains crucial. In the Foreword, Liz Chapman, Director of Library Services, London School of Economics and Political Science, comments, “Our fundamental responsibilities in collection development have not changed, but our methods have” (vii). The contributors agree that the traditional practice of value‐based selection of materials is still required, although the resources may now be held locally or remotely, in print, digitized, or born‐digital format.

The book's highlight is its final section on assisting library users. Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) Librarian Jil Fairclough, in “Engaging with the User Community to Make Your Collection Work Effectively: A Case Study of Partnership‐based, Multi‐campus UK Medical School,” notes, “The library and its collections need to embed themselves firmly in the institution's day‐to‐day activities, with the librarian providing the expertise required to navigate, access and utilize information” (221). BSMS has successfully accomplished this by having the Medical School Librarian teach information skills to students on core curriculum and be involved in the strategic activities of the school. In “Information Literacy for the Academic Librarian in the Digital Information Age: Supporting Users to Make Effective Use of the Collection,” Tracy Mitrano, Director of Information Technology Policy and Computer Policy and Law Programs, Cornell University, and Karrie Peterson, Assistant Director for Research and Instruction, University of Pennsylvania Libraries, share guidelines on presenting library materials in an instructional environment to increase information literacy. Suggestions include finding ways to present collection items that assist users to evaluate information, leaving better breadcrumb trails on institutional websites, and letting users make collections more discoverable through social tagging.

While Fieldhouse and Marshall impart a solid introduction with a synopsis of the book's structure and contents, the volume would have benefited from a conclusion that summarizes the wealth of information provided by the contributors and identifies the ideas that unify chapters and case studies. Although readers receive an excellent understanding of the current state of collection development, they may be overwhelmed by how to transform this knowledge into practice; a plan of action would have been useful as well.

In Collection Development in the Digital Age, editors Fieldhouse and Marshall explore developments in collection development and their influence on policy and practice, draw on case studies that illustrate changes and desirable skills in context, and contemplate how collection development may evolve in time. The book will appeal to library and information science professionals involved in collection management in academic and public libraries, as well as students in the field.