Apologies for the delay with post, it took me a while to realise I wasn't added as an author, just thought the site was being "off" me.
I’m going to give the Hoffman Woods’ Library Collection Development Policies text a peruse and like Lindsey comment on what might perhaps might be most relevant for our purposes. I’ll be following Lindsey’s template of summary the text in normal font and italicizing my own commentary. Also there mightn’t actually be to much of my own commentary as the points mention in the text seem like precepts.
Introduction to collection development policy components. (Hoffman & Wood,2005, p 2-3)
“Considering the diversity of libraries by size, type and service philosophy, it follows that the architecture of collection development policies should vary
considerably from one institution to another. The general character of a given policy is determined by a number of factors, most notably the sections comprising the document; the arrangement of these sections; the style of writing; the degree of reliance upon outside guidelines, forms, procedures, etc,; and mode of presentation ( i.e. a traditional lay out as opposed to mounting on an institutions website, complete with hyperlinks to individual sections)” (Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p2)
The authors consider the following components necessary for good policies.
- Purpose statement.
- Background statement
- Responsibility for collection development.
- Missions, goals and objective statements
- Target Audiences
- Budget and funding
- Evaluative criteria
- Format statement
- Government publications
- Treatment of specific resource groups
- Special collections
- Resource sharing
- Services statement
- Selection aids
- Copyright statement
- Intellectual freedom statement
- Acquisitions
- Gifts and exchange statement
- Collection maintenance statement
- Weeding statement
- Collection evaluation section
- Policy revision statement
- Definition of terms and glossary
- Bibliography
- Appendixes. (Hoffman & Wood,2005,p3)
As you can see it’s a pretty comprehensive list. At this particular moment in time I think the most relevant components for our needs our :
Ø Purpose statement itself,
Ø missions, goals and objectives statements,
Ø target audiences,
Ø budget and funding,
Ø collection maintenance statement.
Perhaps later, when were are more definite on the actual content we’ll be compiling in our collection we can look more closely at:
Ø resource sharing,
Ø collection exchange statement
Ø evaluation statement.
Purpose statements in Policies. (Hoffman & Wood, 2005, p.4-8)
“…the volume , complexity, flux ad blurring of boundaries characterizing information in the present day has spurred most of the world’s great libraries…. to formulate their own written, publicly available policy statements.” (Hoffman & Wood,2005, p.4 )
I chose what I felt were the most salient points of this policy in regards to our potential reference collection:
- It forces staff to think through library goals and to think through library goals and to commit to them.
- Setting a standard for selection and weeding of material.
- Inform users, administrators and other libraries of collection scope ,facilitating coordination of collection development among institutions.
- Assures continuity by providing pattern and framework to ease transition from one librarian to the next.
- Helps to demonstrate that the library is running a business-like operation
- Providing information to assist in budget allocations. ( Hoffman & Wood,2005,p.4-5)
It seems like this will serve as the main template for the shape our collection will eventually take. It’s literally a double sided billboard of what we are collecting and , why and how we are doing it. I think the third point is interesting in that it can point the way towards resource sharing and planning with other collections . Either already existing web resources or it might also be worth finding out if anyone else in the class is doing any topics similar to ourselves? Also, it’ll be invaluable for planning our budget and maintaining that business like feel which seems absolutely essential nowadays.
I’ve taken a couple of examples of collection policies that may be useful in terms of their diversity and layout and form. I really wanted to get the special collections purpose statement but it’s yet to be finalised.
This link is from the UCD archives service website, it’s titled Nature and function of service, it seems like a fairly informal purpose statement
Compare this with the more formal national folklore collection visitors policy in ucd :
http://www.ucd.ie/irishfolklore/en/t4cms/nfc_policies_guidelines_2009.pdf
or the The Founding Constitution of Na Píobairí Uilleann :
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