Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Library Collections

Name: 

Mickayla McDowell

Citation: 

Gregory, V. L. (2019). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections: An introduction (2nd ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman. 

Summary: 

Gregory’s text provides a comprehensive overview of contemporary collection development and management (CDM), covering the full lifecycle of collection work. As said in the overview, “...this book will concentrate on the collection itself–selecting, acquiring, assessing, weeding, and preserving the library’s collection are the main focus…” (1). The book covers e-books, open-access publishing, self-published materials, web 2.0, and licensing frameworks, reflecting the changing landscape of 21st-century collections. Written in accessible language and grounded in practical examples, sample policies, and workflow templates, the book functions as a foundational textbook and a practitioner’s reference guide.

Review: 

Overall, it is a strong foundation, but as the sub-title notes it is just an introduction. Its strength lie in its clear process-oriented approach, broad topical coverage, and attention to legal, ethical, and diversity concerns in CDM. However, because of its breadth, the treatment of specialized areas (such as born-digital materials and digital preservation infrastructures) remain somewhat general. Additionally, some sections already feel dated given rapid developments in streaming media, vendor negotiations, artificial intelligence, and open-access models. 

Collection Development in the Era of Big Deals

Author-

Pyke, Aidan

Citation-

Mongeon, P., Siler, K., Archambault, A., Sugimoto, C., & Larivière, V. (2021). Collection Development in the Era of Big Deals. College & Research Libraries, 82(2), 219. doi:https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.82.2.219

Summary-

    Using data based on 28 different Canadian universities, the writers of this article observed the usage levels of journal subscriptions between different academic disciplines and platforms. From these observations, they found great variance between these disciplines and platforms in multiple institutions resulting in several economic inefficiencies in regards to the 'big deal' model of academic journal subscriptions in university libraries. Their study showed that a large portion of these journals were rarely used by library patrons, leaving the writers to suggest an alternative model based on usage levels and shared interest of patrons and staff. 

Opinions & Evaluation-

     With my own personal local academic library (the Knight Library at the University of Oregon) cancelling all print journal subscriptions due to budgetary reasons I can completely understand the motivation of this paper, and the evidence seems to back up my local academic library's decision to cut those subscriptions. Before reading this article I was a little unsure on why such cuts were necessary, but after looking at this article I can see why it had to be done and I would have made a similar choice if put into that position. Perhaps not all the of the print subscriptions needed to be cancelled, if the Knight library looked at the usage levels of their print journals as these writers suggest to do then maybe the ones most used would still be available to patrons who use such materials. 

Artists’ Books & Collection Development

Author: de Santiago-Stewart, Brenda

Citation:

McLeland, D. C. (2017). Artists’ books collection development: Balancing traditional and nontraditional acquisition strategies. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, 18(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.5860/rbm.18.1.19

Summary:

McLeland examines how collecting artists’ books pushes libraries to rethink traditional acquisition workflows. Because artists’ books often use unconventional materials, formats, and production methods, standard purchasing channels don’t always work. The article compares traditional acquisitions (vendors, publisher catalogs, established artists) with more experimental approaches (direct purchases from emerging artists, attending book fairs, collaborations with local art communities). McLeland also acknowledges real budget constraints that limit how much curators can experiment.

Reflection / Relevance to Collection Management:

This article connects directly to the challenges I’ve been thinking about with RISD’s Artists’ Books collection. In my Collection Map, it’s easy to categorize something as “Build,” but McLeland reminds me that “building” this area often means navigating nonlinear acquisition paths and making curatorial choices that don’t fit the usual workflows. It reinforces the idea that collection management for artists’ books is as much about relationships — with artists, local communities, and alternative presses — as it is about budgets or policies. For a school like RISD, where experimental formats are the norm, this flexible acquisition mindset feels essential.

Diversity Assessment in Academic Libraries

Author: de Santiago-Stewart, Brenda

Citation:

Ciszek, M. P., & Young, C. L. (2010). Diversity collection assessment in large academic libraries. Collection Building, 29(4), 154–161.

Summary:

This article outlines different strategies for assessing diversity within academic library collections. Ciszek and Young describe quantitative tools (like WorldCat collection analysis, circulation data, subject breakdowns) and qualitative approaches (focus groups, user feedback, faculty conversations) to identify gaps in representation. They argue that without a clear, actionable definition of “diversity,” collection assessments can feel inconsistent or performative, leaving major blind spots untouched.

Reflection / Relevance to Collection Management:

This is a helpful reminder that “diversity” in a Collection Map can’t just be a value statement — it has to translate into measurable decisions. For RISD’s Fleet Library, where subjects span art, design, identity, and cultural production, assessing diversity should include both who is represented and which materials, formats, and voices are missing. It also makes me think about how my own CM proposals could incorporate more systematic assessment tools instead of assuming I “know” where the gaps are. Diversity assessment isn’t a one-time audit — it’s a continual, proactive process.