Library Technical Services: Selection, Acquisitions, Cataloging and Processing

Adding materials to the library collection

(Textbook Chapter 5)

Definitions (and order of operations)

Selection: “systematic process of choosing materials relevant to a library or information center.” (Chapter 4)

Acquisition: “the nuts and bolts [specific activities] of procuring items and paying the publishing companies that produce the items.” (p. 115)

Cataloging: process of adding specific item information to the library catalog (OPAC) to make items accessible to patronsClassification: provides call number, subject headings and shelf locationProcessing: preparing materials for use

Selection of library materials

Keep up-to-date on publishing trends. Read a variety of review publications.

e.g. Publishers’ Weekly, Booklist, Choice, etc. trends in your selection area/discipline

Know your collection development statementKnow your community. Every library serves a community Circulation data

Keep up-to-date on current events.

Selection Criteria (p.105+)Authority – Who is the author? Who is the publisher? Is the author qualified to write on the subject?Accuracy – Would experts generally agree this is a good source?Currency – How up-to-date is the information? Does it duplicate something already available?Scope – What subject area does the item cover? Broad or specific?Interest – Will the item be used?

Selection criteria, cont.Organization and Format – Easy to use? Indexes? Cross references? Readable print? Strongly bound?Special Features – Illustrations? CD? Maps? Cost – Are there other comparable, less expensive, sources?Impartiality – Fair and balanced? If not, are other viewpoints represented in collection?

Selection ResourcesBook Reviews Problems: time delay; number of books

reviewed; small press not well represented.

Best Of and Recommended ListsSubject Lists/BibliographiesPublisher Sources (catalogs)Online BookstoresBooks in Print – To verify bibliographic information.Patron requests

AcquisitionsCollect Orders – online or on cards librarians, public requests, faculty/teacher

requests

Verify bibliographic information.Choose how to place the order Through publisher? Through jobber? At a

bookstore? Urgency and cost often drive the choice.

Place the order. Sometimes a purchase order is required.

DefintionsJobber: A wholesaler; buys from publishers at a discount and sells to libraries and booksellers at a discount.(examples: Baker & Taylor, Midwest, Brodart) (p.116)

Encumbered funds - A bookkeeping term; when materials are ordered, the expected purchase price is set aside (encumbered) to ensure that funds will be available to pay for the item when it is received.

Acquisitions, cont.

Receive and verify order (“check in”). All items shipped? Status of back orders? All in good quality?Return items as necessary.Make payment.

Once received, items go through the library’s cataloging and processing procedures.

Acquisition plans

Approval Order Plan: A jobber automatically sends all materials that match predetermined criteria. Items can be purchased or returned.Lease plan: Libraries (especially public) lease several copies of a popular book from a jobber for a short time. Standing Order: An arrangement with a publisher where libraries continue to receive an item until the order is canceled. It is most often used for materials that are regularly published or updated, e.g. almanacs, yearbooks, series.

Initialisms to KnowISBN - International Standard Book Number; for books. (ISBN-13)ISSN - International Standard Serials Number; for periodicals.NYP - Not yet published (also: forthcoming)OP - Out of printOS - Out of stockOSI - Out of stock indefinitely BO - Back ordered

To know:

Difference between selection and acquisition.Things to consider when selecting an item for the collection.Typical acquisition steps.

Acquisition of Periodicals Broader category “serials” includes: periodicals, annuals, government documents, conference proceedings

Types of periodicals: popular magazines Specialized magazines newspapers (local, state, national,

international), trade periodicals, Journals: scholarly/peer reviewed/academic

Periodicals Check-in by issue (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly) manual and/or online

Policies and issues: retention/weeding, shelving, microform, circulation policies, online subscriptions, indexing

Electronic resourcesDatabase licensing Based on library service group and users Fluctuating holdings ‘ownership’ off-site access issues

Consortia purchasing negotiates contract and reduced rates

CatalogingGoal: organizing library materials to make them accessible to library users (Kao p.6)

Cataloging rules developed over time ‘card’ rules evolved to MARC (machine-

readable) format and now includes metadata for digital resources.

Cataloging record includes standard bibliographic information about the item (author, title, publication information, date), descriptive details, format, subject headings and call number classification.

Use of standardized subject headings provides Authority control

Cataloging – overview (Kao p.21)

Cataloging

Descriptive Cataloging

bibliographic and descriptive information

Subject Cataloging

Subject HeadingsLCSH

Classification(call numbers

DDC or LC)

ProcessingAfter library materials are cataloged, they

are processed for patron use. Physical processing Barcode, call # label, property stamp

Securing and protecting Covers, tattle tape, binding

Adding item information to the record Add item numbers into OPAC Change location, item type, etc.

Mending or repairing damaged items