Practice Makes Perfect

Peralta, Polly

Mickelsen, A. (2016). Practice makes perfect. Library Journal, 141(14), 34-36.

Summary:

Mickelsen discusses ways that public libraries that are small and do not have a full-time collection development librarian can keep up with developing their library collection.  She first starts the article by explaining what collection development is.  Secondly, she discusses the budget and how there needs to be a budget for different formats, for example, books,  e-books, and databases.  Thirdly, she talks about how technology can help analyze and keep track of circulation; however, these tools are nothing compare to patrons input about the collection. Then Mickelsen moves on to talk about the use of donations and local self-published authors' materials. In the end, she discusses maintenance, weeding, and what challenge collection development is.

Evaluation:

Mickelsen gives some useful tips on collection development in a public library.  I like her suggestions on following blogs and websites that talk about new titles, and looking at what the local independent bookstore have on their shelves. Plus this article was an easy read with no annoying jargon.  

The Art of Crafting Music Score Approval Plans: An Ongoing Process

Peralta, Polly

Hooper, L. (2016). The art of crafting music score approval plans: An ongoing process. Collection Management, 41(4), 228-235.

Summary:

This article is about one music librarians goal to build a music score collections with limited funds. Lisa Hopper, the music librarian at Tulane University, decides to separate the music score budget from the liberal arts budget to make the budget stand on its own. The article discusses the Daniel Zager Factors for creating a collection plan and what happened when this librarian applied it. Also, the librarian talks about Marica Kingsley and questions she advises librarians to ask themselves when researching for a collection.

Evaluation:

This article is a good read for new music librarians it helps give them an idea of how to start their collection; what factors should be considered; and identifies sources that are out there on this topic.

Practical Tips on Weeding and Acquisition

Deligencia, Nick

Kalan, A.P. (2014, May 20). The practical librarian's guide to collection development: Weeding and acquisition made easier. Retrieved from https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2014/05/20/the-practical-librarians-guide-to-collection-development/

Summary: A public librarian offers advice about weeding in preparation for acquisition. The author provides practical tips about "easy weeding" for "subject areas that change rapidly", including guidebooks that require continuous updating. Other considerations are suggested: historical or political (expounded upon in the article), memoirs, technology and science. Some guiding concepts about "politically incorrect works" help readers think about today's patrons.

The author recommends dividing the new materials budget by 12 to keep monthly acquisitions in line with budget constraints. It is important to know what customers want, and to recognize that they are likely seeking titles that have been reviewed in various media or appear on best seller lists. Library holds and other statistics provide insight about in-demand titles, authors, genres.

Commentary: Recommended reading.

The article is not lengthy, and it delivers on the title. For a novice librarian, ideas about where to begin the weeding process are tremendously useful. The author also describes a thought-process for determining how to determine what gets weeded. The article's section about acquisitions seem directed at well-funded libraries. A bulleted list of tips near the end of the article is too concise to be summarized here and that alone makes that section, at-least, worth reading.

A digital library for everyone

Leslie Fox

INFO 266

Cottrell, M. (April 15, 2013). A digital library for everyone. American Libraries. Retrieved from: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2013/04/15/a-digital-library-for-everyone/

The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) is a project, spearheaded by Maura Marx, to digitize the nation's little known cultural archives and share them for free with everyone.

DAPL will be a portal to a fraction of what's out there. An array of digitized special collections from the Smithsonian to the National Archives. It sets out to unite these materials in a single virtual space. 

The Digital Hubs Pilot Project is a confederation of seven digital libraries (six state and one regional) that make up the beginning of what's available at DPLA. Several other cultural and educational institutions are also involved in states such as: Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah. Harvard University is on board to share their digital collections as well. DAPL will be more of an aggregator of existing collections than a repository. "The purpose of the DPLA is to establish a platform of resources that will help libraries and other cultural heritage institutions to succeed in the digital area," says John Palfrey, president of the DPLA board of directors.

Here's a link to the now launched site: Digital Public Library of America .

How to destroy special collections with social media in 3 easy steps: A guide for researchers and librarians.

Leslie Fox
INFO 266

Werner, S. (July 31, 2015). How to destroy special collections with social media in 3 easy steps: A guide for researchers and librarians. Wynken de Worde. Retrieved from: http://sarahwerner.net/blog/2015/07/how-to-destroy-special-collections-with-social-media/


In her blog, Wynken de Worde, Sarah Werner posts her notes, amazing slides, and audio form her talk given at Rare Book School. She argues that while many Special Collections libraries are reaching out to users with social media, there are many ways this can go wrong, frustrate users and send them away. She uses humor to give examples of how keeping images locked up tight, treating everything as a joke or pretty picture and by relying too heavily on analytics for engagement by users can send researchers away and undermine the purpose of special collections.

The author then points out ways that social media can be used without damaging your special collection or stifling research and perpetuating misunderstandings. Werner asserts that special collections can grow using social media if you digitize with open access licenses; teach your audience to think about the past rather than laughing at it, and choose your aims carefully. Don't confuse popularity with engagement.

This presentation uses humor to engage the reader, but it is the detail and professionalism in the images presented as examples that I took special note of. A helpful resource for any special collections library wanting to utilize social media.

Amy Bush

Info 266

Markwei, E. & Rasmussen, E. (2015). Everyday life information-seeking behavior of marginalized youth: a qualitative study of urban homeless youth in ghana. International Information & Library Review, 47(1-2), 11-29. doi: 10.1080/10572317.2015.1039425

This study was conducted in Accra because it is the Capitol and the largest city in Ghana. To gain the trust of participants, the field study began with volunteer work by the first author as a phonics teacher at a nursery school for children of homeless youth. Once trust was established, the participants were selected using the snowball sampling procedure. The study consisted of forty-one homeless youth, comprised of 19 females and 22 males, all between the ages of 15 to 18. Data was collected through observations and in-depth interviews. This study identified the following 11 categories of information needs: employment, acquire skills, financial management/advice, health, security, shelter, food, education, administration of justice, respect, and fair wages. These categories of needs were found to relate to basic needs following Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. However, the findings from this study is inconsistent with Maslow’s assertion that the higher level needs of self-actualization and cognition can only be pursued once the lower level needs have been met (Huitt, 2007). In this study, the participants were pursuing physiological needs, safety needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization, simultaneously. Therefore, in spite of their homelessness, these participants desired and were working toward meeting their developmental goals. Unlike many homeless youth in other parts of the world, they were on the streets primarily due to poverty and came to Accra to work and earn money to meet their personal needs and life goals.

How to Build a High-Quality Library Collection in a Multi-Format Environment

Waldrop, Jeffrey

Barstow, S., Macaulay, D., & Tharp, S. (2016). How to Build a High-Quality Library Collection in a Multi-Format Environment: Centralized Selection at University of Wyoming Libraries. Journal Of Library Administration, 56(7), 790-809. 

In this crucial article, the authors discuss how collection development trends are shifting as collections become more electronic in nature.  As these collections shift, the role of collection development librarians and Reference librarians are also shifting to instruction and research support as the selection process becomes a bit more difficult.  The authors discuss new collection development models in this vein, but using the recent work of the University of Wyoming in this particular area.  This was a very helpful article in deed.