Abstract

When faced with multiple competing priorities for investment in library resources, there are many important aspects to consider. From student enrollment to prominence of programs, there are both data‐driven and intangible factors to weigh. In addition, most library collections now focus on the immediate needs of students and researchers instead of collecting for posterity. This just‐in‐time versus just‐in‐case collection development mindset prioritizes different resource attributes and requires an often unfamiliar level of acquisitions flexibility.

Collection development in academic libraries is challenging and complex. Some of the complexity is the result of numerous choices including, but not limited to:

Collection building philosophy: comprehensive or lean format options (print, electronic, streaming, etc.)

Selection options: firm orders and approval plans utilized by library staff or patron‐driven acquisition

Additional factors: access models (IP‐based or passworded); availability of COUNTER compliant usage statistics; accessibility; licensing terms; preservation and long‐term access; pricing models; usability, etc.

Further complexity arises from institutional demands, such as curricular and research support.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of collections preferences from several viewpoints. The authors will share factors to consider, pitfalls to avoid, and communication strategies to employ. A collaboratively‐created checklist for adding scholarly resources is included, and a reading list for more in-depth treatment of this topic is provided.

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What ARE We Thinking? Collections Decisions in an Academic Library

When faced with multiple competing priorities for investment in library resources, there are many important aspects to consider. From student enrollment to prominence of programs, there are both data‐driven and intangible factors to weigh. In addition, most library collections now focus on the immediate needs of students and researchers instead of collecting for posterity. This just‐in‐time versus just‐in‐case collection development mindset prioritizes different resource attributes and requires an often unfamiliar level of acquisitions flexibility.

Collection development in academic libraries is challenging and complex. Some of the complexity is the result of numerous choices including, but not limited to:

Collection building philosophy: comprehensive or lean format options (print, electronic, streaming, etc.)

Selection options: firm orders and approval plans utilized by library staff or patron‐driven acquisition

Additional factors: access models (IP‐based or passworded); availability of COUNTER compliant usage statistics; accessibility; licensing terms; preservation and long‐term access; pricing models; usability, etc.

Further complexity arises from institutional demands, such as curricular and research support.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of collections preferences from several viewpoints. The authors will share factors to consider, pitfalls to avoid, and communication strategies to employ. A collaboratively‐created checklist for adding scholarly resources is included, and a reading list for more in-depth treatment of this topic is provided.