The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices and Information Sources (4th edition)

Citation

Ellis‐Barrett, L. (2009), "The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices and Information Sources (4th edition)", Library Review, Vol. 58 No. 7, pp. 544-546. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530910978235

Collection management in libraries is broadly speaking the addition to and withdrawal of stock from a library – but it is also more than this. If it were straightforward many librarians would find themselves either with no work to do or more time on their hands! Rather, collection management, a commonly misunderstood term, has developed considerably over recent years to include the management not only of the printed resources held by a library service but also its electronic stock. Maintaining and controlling the stock in any library service is a continuous process of evaluation. It could be argued that collection development in schools is more demanding than in other academic library services because the school curriculum has a tendency to change with surprising regularity. School libraries have not only non‐fictions collection to be taken care of but also their constantly changing fiction resources and an increasing variety of virtual resources and multimedia.

One of the challenges facing any librarian tasked with the role of managing a collection is where to start. In principle, once a library professional has mastered the concepts and techniques of managing a collection, these skills are transferable between library services. It is however of tantamount importance that the professional has a thorough knowledge of the stock and its users before attempting to actively manage the collection for which they have been given responsibility. For the purposes of this book Bishop sets out her definition of the collection, and defines it as “a group of information sources … selected and managed by the media specialist for a defined user community” (p. 1). She reiterates that this will include web‐based resources such as databases and other online materials that have been selected, and are managed by the library professional. With this definition in mind it is easy to follow the suggestions and guidelines that she offers throughout the book.

The primary aim of The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices and Information Sources (4th edition) is to provide the reader with the tools required to write and implement a collection development policy for any given school library. As this is the fourth edition of a very popular title certain updates have been included such as a discussion on licensing for online resources; creating a policy to meet curriculum standards; using online tools for selection and providing remote access. As well as these updates, the resources appendix has also been updated.

Beginning with her definition of collection development and what constitutes the collection Bishop also provides a definition of the many roles of the library professional – from teacher to information specialist and programme administrator – making it clear that the variety of demands placed upon library staff are diverse and challenging. Each role requires the professional to use their collection in a different way and it is in these circumstances that a sound knowledge of the collection as well as its users, their abilities and requirements is essential.

To build a good, relevant, evolving collection takes practice and skill. Library professionals often become very attached to their collections and many of its users. A good collection and a good relationship with users is essential, but it is very important that the library professional is able to maintain a level of distance between themselves and their stock. In this way they can achieve an unbiased evaluation of their collection, balancing the regular injection of new stock while at the same time maintaining a regular, objective and detached routine of withdrawal.

One of the major requirements of collection development is funding – finding out who to apply to and how to apply for funding is crucial. Once stock has been acquired it needs to be shown off so that users are aware of its presence and make an effort to use it. Suggestions for all these aspects of collection development are provided by Bishop in what is a very helpful volume – succinct without being too but brief, professional whilst remaining approachable.

Having discussed developing the collection, the community of users, procedures and selection criteria, Bishop moves onto look more particularly at specific criteria for each format of material that will be held in the library. She looks at every possible form of material from art prints to books; audio materials; games; graphic materials; newspapers and magazines; slides; posters; web sites and even toys! There doesn't appear to be a format that has been missed and in discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of each along with the implications on collection development, how to select, and even copyright considerations, there appears to be nothing missing. Following on from this Bishop provides guidance on acquisition, maintenance and preservation, circulation and – crucially – evaluation. The curriculum and how to ensure that stock is a good reflection of what is taught as well as knowing the needs of all users are considered along with a discussion on ethical issues.

Ethical issues in relation to a library's stock refers primarily to the question of censorship. Should it be the role of the library professional to censor material that is added to the library? Bishop believes that the information which the professional chooses to make available to the child using the service, reflects the value that they place on the rights of the child (we should recall here that the focus here is on school libraries). The debate here comes down to intellectual freedom which in America is covered by the rights presented by the First Amendment. There are no laws in the UK that directly enshrine this freedom but it is considered to be a fundamental right. The discussion is an interesting and thought provoking one concluding that dilemmas are inescapable, whether they be ethical or otherwise and that it is the duty of the professional to be prepared for them.

Collection development is not a straightforward aspect of the work of library professionals: it is full of complexities and intricacies which make the job fun and thought provoking. It is an essential part of the work of any professional or specialist. Bishop's book is a very usable and accessible guide, which is easy to dip into and which would work well as a handbook. I would promote it as a “must read” for students, and as a highly recommended resource for established professionals. If you have read or own a previous edition I would strongly recommend this extensively updated 4th edition for the breadth of its coverage.