Managing Collections (Book Chapter)

Tammy Ross

Disher, W. (2015). Managing collections. In S. Hirsch (Ed.) Information services today: An introduction (pp. 242-249). New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield.

Summary

Wayne Disher’s chapter describes collection management as a “complex process that involves strategic planning, innovation, change management and community analysis” (p. 242). He provides a brief history to show how library collections have evolved over time to include more than just books. Since today’s librarians are in a position to advance information literacy in their communities, they must take into account new trends, technology and changes in user behavior. Disher calls the strategic planning process a “critical aspect of collection management” that helps information professionals “recognize when user demands are shifting” and adapt their collection management plans accordingly. “Managers must continuously reposition their collections and keep them viable in a technologically and information-literate society” (p. 244). Although he doubts we will become a completely paperless society anytime soon, Disher notes that today’s users are placing more value on access to digital content, citing the increase in e-book use as evidence. In addition, collection content has become user driven, and collection managers must capitalize on innovative collection models (such as patron-driven acquisition) to help them “meet demand, provide wider access, and increase the relevancy” of their collections (p. 246). Disher also promotes partnerships (e.g. consortia) in which organizations share information resources cooperatively to circumvent budget constraints. Ultimately, he states, information organizations must build collections that “accelerate learning, increase global access, improve convenience and add value to the user experience” (p. 247). The chapter’s appendix provides an overview of basic collection management activities, from community analysis to weeding.

Evaluation

Disher’s chapter provides a solid overview of collection management, but does not take a deep dive into the key aspects of the process, such as conducting a community analysis or developing a strategic plan. It provides an introduction to collection management concepts, with basic recommendations for building, maintaining and evaluating a collection. The chapter emphasizes how important it is for a library collection to reflect the ever-changing needs of the community it serves but does not offer insights into how that might look for different types of libraries. Do you think collection management is more challenging for urban libraries, suburban libraries or rural libraries?