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.