The Selection Process

1. The Selection Process Or…getting the right material, at the right time, for the right price!

2. Common steps in the selection process • Identify collection needs (subjects & formats) • Determine available dollars & allocate for subjects & formats • Develop a plan to identify possible materials (find the right selection tools) • Conduct the search using the tools • Assess the value & suitability of the possible materials • Make the selection & begin the acquisitions process

3. Collection process in a public library system • Catawba County Library System • Main Library in Newton – the county seat and 6 other community branches • Collection development team • Headed by a Collection Development Librarian • Adult fiction team = 1 librarian assisted by 1 library services specialist • Adult nonfiction team = 4 librarians assisted by 1 associate librarian (assigned Dewey areas) • Juvenile and Teen collections = 2 librarians • Audiovisual team = 2 library services specialists

4. Team duties • Ongoing selection – browsing for new materials and purchasing appropriate titles • Collection development for each branch • Rotate focus on 7 branches over 3 years • During focus period: • Assess the current collections onsite & electronically through system reports • Meet and talk with staff • Develop a plan • Weed outdated and worn materials • Purchase according to plan

5. 1) Identify collection needs (subjects and formats) • Each team meets at the branch together: • Branch manager presents a report on the community and their assessment of current needs and trends • Team has studied/will continue to study reports of circulation statistics for their areas of responsibility • Team works in stacks to survey condition of materials (may require multiple visits) • Team uses assessment sheets created by collection development librarian to create a plan

6. 2) Determine available dollars & allocate for subjects & formats • Collection development librarian works with library director to allocate resources based on: • % of active patrons • Which branches have focus for year • Within that: split about 1/3 for ANF, AF & Youth • Off the top of each branch comes: AY, Continuations, Lease plan, Standing orders, & B & T costs for mylar jackets, outsourced cataloging, etc. • The collection development librarian says “it’s a wonder there’s anything left for the selectors to spend!”

7. 3) Develop a plan to identify possible materials • The plan is in place & dollars are ready to be spent. • B & T is our primary vendor – NC public library consortium – rough average of 40% discount. • Use Amazon.com due to a corporate discount & free shipping. • Other vendors as necessary. • We gather our tools and get to work!

8. 4) Conduct the searchusing the tools • Our toolbox includes: • Journal reviews: • Library Journal • School Library Journal • Booklist • Horn Book • Publisher’s Weekly • “Best of” lists put out by professional associations such as ALA • Publisher catalogs (such as Salem Press for literary resources) • Core lists (such as Public Library Catalog)

9. 5) Assess the value & suitability of the possible materials • Good selection is both a science & an art • Science because you develop a process that is systematic & comprehensive • Art because over time you gain experience with: • Your patrons & their user patterns • Knowledge of reputable publishers and authors • You begin to develop a “gut feeling” about what will work and what will not. • Be willing to TRUST that “gut feeling” as you build experience. • Our teams take several months to purchase according to the plans that we developed.

10. 6) Make the selection & begin the acquisitions process. • The bulk of our selections are purchased through B & T. • Create “carts” in B & T and send them through our team leader to be ordered. • Keep our expenditures in Excel spreadsheets to monitor our spending. • Our accounting specialist will help us to order materials from other vendors. • Sit back and wait for that “Christmas” feeling as the new books roll in!

11. Class Exercise How do you manage?