LIS-S 502 Acquisitions and Management of Knowledge and Information
3 credits
- Prerequisite(s): LIS-S 500, LIS-S 507
- Delivery: Online
- Semesters offered: Fall, Spring, Summer (Check the schedule to confirm.)
Description
Acquisitions and Management of Knowledge and Information examines the principles and techniques that guide the development, management, and evaluation of library collections, and the selection of materials in various types of libraries. The course provides students with experience in the major phases involved in starting and developing collections of print and non-print materials: the formulation of collection development plans, the selection of materials in accordance with an institution’s plan, and the evaluation of library collections. It enables students to recognize and respond to challenges and opportunities of special interest to collection developers: intellectual freedom, new information formats, copyright, and resource sharing. Finally, this course will explore the essential skills needed to manage a library collection in an academic, school, public, and/or special library setting.
Program Learning Goals Supported
Instructors map their courses to specific LIS Program Goals. Mapped program goals drive the design of each course and what students can expect to generally learn.
- Connect core values and professional ethics to practice
- Curate collections for designated communities
- Examine systemic inequalities to improve library and information practices through equitable and socially just interventions
Learning Outcomes
Instructors develop learning outcomes for their courses. Students can expect to be able to achieve the learning outcomes for a given course after successfully completing the course.
- Assess a library community for planning purposes
- Evaluate a library collection as well as a collection development policy
- Appraise resources and vendors for budgeting and selecting any format
- Propose methods for format maintenance including promotion and deselection
- Analyze cases of collection challenges and censorship
- Formulate a collection development policy
Course Overview
Instruction is in Canvas. Lessons are organized into Modules whose length may vary.
Module 1: What Is a Collection?
- Assess the key components for managing collections
- Compare the difference between collection management and collection development
Module 2: Collection Development and Management
- Assess a library community
- Criticize the value of the collection development process
- Develop an approach to planning
Module 3: Collection Evaluation
- Evaluate approaches to collection-centered analysis
- Evaluate approaches to user-centered analysis
- Confirm data-driven methods in the selection process
- Determine quantitative vs qualitative data
Module 4: Collection Development Policies
- Characterize the different demands of a collection development policy
- Determine how you go from process to policy
- Evaluate a collection development policy
Module 5: Budgeting, Selecting, Reviewing
- Measure examples of budgets and budgeting
- Distinguish sources of library funding
- Apply budget terminology to budgeting discussions
- Identify different types of reviews to aid selection
- Examine the publishing process
Module 6: Acquisitions
- Assess the process of acquisitions
- Appraise vendors for collection development
- Determine the process of identifying, evaluating, selecting, and choosing a vendor
Module 7: Considering Formats
- Compare different types of formats for collection development
- Contrast advantages and disadvantages of formats
- Determine selection tools specific to different formats
- Evaluate the decision-making process associated with selecting particular formats
Module 8: Collection Maintenance, Promotion, and Resource Sharing
- Critique activities associated with collection maintenance
- Appraise key issues in collection preservation
- Compare approaches to resource sharing
Module 9: Deselection
- Evaluate the purpose of deselection
- Critique barriers to weeding
- Interpret criteria and procedures for deselection
- Apply models for weeding
Module 10: Challenges and Censorship
- Appraise the legal authority that libraries have related to intellectual freedom
- Evaluate the principles of intellectual freedom
- Critique the use of intellectual freedom and reconsideration policies
Module 11: Collection Development Policy (1)
- Introduction: Define the purpose of the document and outlines the review and revision schedule
- Mission, Vision, and Goals: Connect the library’s overarching mission to its collection development activities
- Community Served: Offer a brief overview of the library’s user demographics and their relevance to collection decisions
- Responsibility for Collection Development: Detail the organizational structure and decision-making hierarchy for collection management
Module 12: Collection Development Policy (2)
- Intellectual Freedom Statements: Reference key documents like the Library Bill of Rights, emphasizing the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom
- Funding and Allocations: Identify funding sources and allocation strategies
- Selection Policies, Procedures, and Priorities: Define formats, audience priorities, and selection processes
- Special Collections: Describe unique collections and criteria for additions
- Digital and Electronic Collections: Address digital content management, licensing, and copyright adherence
Module 13: Collection Development Policy (3)
- Weeding: Outline criteria and processes for removing outdated or irrelevant materials
- Gifts and Donations: Clarify the library’s approach to accepting and managing donated materials
- Cooperative Relationships: Explain resource-sharing agreements and their benefits to the community
- Handling Complaints and Challenges: Describe procedures for addressing user objections to collection materials
Module 14: Collection Development Policy (4)
- Finalize the collection development policy
Policies and Procedures
Please be aware of the following linked policies and procedures. Note that in individual courses instructors will have stipulations specific to their course.