Abstract
Collection development manuals remain highly relevant to library strategic goals, though they are often in need of revision. Staffing models and strategic goals for liaison librarians and subject specialists are evolving rapidly with collection development competing with information literacy, scholarly communication, and digital services for time and resources. In this context, it is more and more likely for important knowledge about local and general best practices to be forgotten or neglected. At the same time, many new librarians inherit collections responsibility in a market for scholarly content in unstable formats and price models. This paper outlines the experience of Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University as it made a series of changes to its manual in 2013.
Revising a Collection Development Manual: Challenges and Opportunities
Collection development manuals remain highly relevant to library strategic goals, though they are often in need of revision. Staffing models and strategic goals for liaison librarians and subject specialists are evolving rapidly with collection development competing with information literacy, scholarly communication, and digital services for time and resources. In this context, it is more and more likely for important knowledge about local and general best practices to be forgotten or neglected. At the same time, many new librarians inherit collections responsibility in a market for scholarly content in unstable formats and price models. This paper outlines the experience of Howard-Tilton Memorial Library at Tulane University as it made a series of changes to its manual in 2013.