Transcript Slide 1

Collection Development
A Quick Guide for
Beginning Teacher-Librarians
(Elementary and Secondary)
Eileen Arruda, Teacher-Librarian, St. Jerome CES
Jeanne Buckley, Dept. Head of Library, St. Robert CHS
Sharon Gusz, Teacher-Librarian, All Saints CES and San Lorenzo CES
Notes Section of the PPT
This powerpoint has extra information in the
notes section of each slide. Viewing these
notes will improve your understanding of
the content.
Why?
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Outdated = irrelevant
Unappealing = uncirculated
People DO judge a book by it's cover
Collection must match your goals!
Collection must match your curricula!
Collection must match your needs!
Why?
Because no one wants to take a
book from one of these shelves…
Because the books from
these shelves circulate …
Outline of presentation:
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Weeding – it’s free and it makes a
difference.
Planning – being proactive rather than
reactive
Selecting – how do you find out about the
best resources?
Buying -- how do you get the most bang for
your buck? Where do you buy?
Money – how do you pay for it all?
Weeding
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It's free!
It makes a big difference!
Suddenly your new books are VISIBLE!
How to weed!
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The Right Attitude
Adequate time
Privacy
What to Weed
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Look at:
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Copyright,
Condition,
Circulation,
Copies,
Format
Ask yourself: If this book was for sale today,
would I buy it?
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http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/weeding.aspx#GettingDown
Solutions to Common Weeding
Problems:
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“You're not throwing that out, are you?”
 Weed in secret
 Have a “books to be repaired” box
 Buy fresh copies of old favourites first
 Offer the books to the complainer
 Explain why your answer is yes
Solutions to Common Weeding
Problems:
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Guilt at getting rid of good quality resources
 Get over it.
 Give it to a nearby school.
 Give it to a classroom teacher
 Give it to a student
 Send it to an impoverished school
Selecting Resources
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Selection Development Policy
 Multiculturalism/ethnicity
 Gender
 Bias
 Challenged
Book Policy – what does it say,
how does it back you up if you get a
challenge in your library
Two Tools to Help
Collection Development Chart (by grade &
strands)
 Source: OSLA ToolKit www.accessola.com
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Path: Divisions->OSLA->Resources->Curriculum Resources->TL ToolKit->Resources>Collection Development
http://www.accessola.com/osla/toolkit/Resources/Collection%20Development.pdf
Gap Analysis
 Source: OSLA ToolKit www.accessola.com
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Path: Divisions->OSLA->Resources->Curriculum Resources->TL ToolKit>Resources->Gap Analysis
http://www.accessola.com/osla/toolkit/Resources/Gap%20Analysis.pdf
Reviews
Novelist (found in Knowledge Ontario)
 CM (Canadian Review of Materials)
 Canadian Children’s Book Centre
publications
 Goodreads.com
 Other Teacher-Librarian or Educational
publications
 colleagues
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Requests
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Encourage requests from Staff and
Students
 Suggestion
box
 Wish-list binder or pile or folder
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Quality vs. Demand
Surveys and Focus Groups
Formal vs. Informal
 Staff
 Students
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 Avid
 Reluctant
Other Sources of Ideas
- Bibliographies
- 'best of' lists
- Recommended lists
General Considerations for Selection
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Subject matter
Durability
Potential Use
How it affects or adds to the collection
Credibility
Cost
Types of Resources
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Books
 Hardcover
vs softcover
Picture books
Fiction
Non-fiction
Graphic novels
Dual-Language
Types of Resources
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Audio/Video
 PlayAways
 Cassettes/CD
 VHS/DVD/Blu-Rays
http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/slrav.aspx#PhasingOut
Types of Resources
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Reference Materials
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Magazines and Newspapers
Types of Resources
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Web-based Media
 E-books
 Video-streaming
 Databases
 School
(Gale, EBSCOHost, Facts on File)
Library Website as part of your
collection
How Much of Each?
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Your budget is limited
 Prioritize
 Fiction
30%, Non-Fiction 70%?
 Annual
Budget Request/Proposal
 Itemized
by format usually, but may also include
areas/themes
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http://www.accessola.com/osla/toolkit/Resources/Budget%20Request.pdf
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http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/teachlib/management/man_docs/budget_planner.pdf
New Schools
(Or complete refurbs)
Start-up “core” lists
 Tenders
 Publishers and Bookstores “core” lists
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Where to Buy – Types of Suppliers
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Online Bookstores
Jobbers
Bookstores
Remainder Specialists
Company Reps
Perusal Boxes
Online Bookstores
(Chapters, Amazon, etc.)
Pros
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Convenient
Occasional bargains
Great for titles you know you
want (sequels, etc.)
Available anywhere (even
remote communities)
Cons
 small discount
 recommendations and
browsing
Use when:
You know what you want and you have no time
to go out of your school
Jobbers
(S & B, Green Gables, Whitehots)
Pros
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Professional staff to make
recommendations
Good Discounts
Carries a variety of
publishers
Processing available
Cons
 Carry a lot of publishers,
but not everything
 Tend to have “niche
strengths”
Use when:
You have time to visit their showroom and need
a lot of resources to fill curricular needs
Bookstores
(Chapters, Your Local Bookstore)
Pros
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Cons
Weak on curricular
You can see and
non-fiction needs
touch the books
See what is popular Discounts minimal
(10%-20%) or less.
good for fiction and
popular non-fiction No processing
services
Use when:
You want to see what is popular, keep current,
interest reluctant readers or need something
immediately
Remainder Specialists
(Anyone who offers books at 50% off)
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Pros
Cheap books
Cons
 For many of the books, there is a
reason why they are no longer in
print …
 You don't want your collection to
be out-of-date
Use when:
You want mass market books that will get used
a lot and weeded quickly and you want them at
a very cheap price
Company/Publisher Reps.
(Edu-Ref., Westerhof, Saunders etc.)
Pros
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Cons
Reps know their collection  Usually expensive
High quality resources
 The quantity of books you
can afford goes down...
designed for the
educational market
Resources are pre-selected
for you.
Use when:
You need curricular content resources that you
just can't get anywhere else, you want service,
and you are willing to pay the price
Perusal Boxes
(Knowbuddy, Smart Apple, Copper
Beech etc.)
Pros
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Convenient
You can see the books
Selection of the newest
titles available
Cons
 Low Discounts
 Selection may not match
your needs
 You stamped it, you
bought it!
Use when:
You have no time. You have curricular needs.
You have at least $350 to spend.
Book Fairs
(Scholastic, School Book Fairs, Etc.)
Pros
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You can see what the
students like
get more if you take your
profits in product than in
cash.
Cons
 Small selection, rarely CDN.
 Selection tailored to what
sells to kids and parents not
what libraries need or what
matches the curriculum
 Over-usage creates a
monoculture of “fast food”
resources
Use when:
Your collection is well-developed (as far as nonfiction). You see titles that you would buy
anyway – especially for reluctant readers
Payment Methods
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Purchase Orders – traditional method
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prepare an itemized list of titles
“Not to exceed” for book buying ventures
Often the preferred method for accounting
dept.
Preapproved
Submit invoice upon returning to school.
Billing the School
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Check with the vendor
Keep track of orders and record when
invoices are submitted for payment
Initial and return to school secretary for
payment
Purchasing Cards
P Card
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Visa or Mastercard
Monthly and daily limits
Precise record keeping needed
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– need original receipts
Great for
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Impulse sale purchases
Ordering online
Books needed immediately for a staff member
Bookkeeping
Even basic records of your own can:
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Help keep track of orders
Prevent you going into the red
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Backorders that arrive months later
Help you determine if your purchases reflect
your plans
Help you catch billing errors
Help you spend every dollar effectively
http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/acquis.aspx#Nittygritty
Sources of Funds
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Board/Ministry Funds
Parent Councils
Fundraisers
Board/Ministry Funds
Know your amount
– Keep great records
– make great friends with your school
secretary
– discuss your plan with your
administrative team
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Parent Councils
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funds for the library will assist all students
attend a meeting
make a library presentation
request funds that have already been raised
display resources
say “Thank you!”
Fundraisers
Fundraisers
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Be sensitive to the needs and ability of your
community
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Check with administration prior to initiating
a fund-raising project.
Donations
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Be honest and upfront
Ask : “If it is not needed in our collection can I
offer it to classroom teachers or save for our
Buck a Book Sale?
– Select books that are well bound, in good
shape and that match the need of your school
and your collection plans
– Don't spend time and materials cataloguing
something you do not want or need!
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Buck a Book Sale
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Use donated books
– Families who donate receive a special thank
you
Books are sorted and displayed similar to a
garage sale
– Each book is $1.00
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Book Fair
Many Vendors
 Scholastic Book Fair – preview DVD
 Usborne, Green Gables, Create your
own
- Considerations
 Books only or Books and Gifts
 Parent &/or Student volunteers
 Cash or product
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Book Dedications
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Curriculum Night
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Christmas Book Dedications
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Birthday Book Club
In Summary
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Your collection must be developed based on:
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School goals
Curricular needs
There are tools available to help you
– You are the one who knows your collection and
needs the best
– A well-developed collection is useful and gets
used!
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Recommended Further Reading
Bishop, Kay. The Collection Program in Schools:
Concepts, Practices, and Information Sources. Westport,
Conn. Libraries Unlimited, 2007. Print.
Chen, Kristine. “Give Them What They Want.” School
Library Journal 56.10 (2010) 29 – 32. Print.
Harris, Christopher. "Buyer Beware." School Library Journal
57.10 (2011): 16. Education Research Complete. Web.
24 Nov. 2011.
Scales, Pat. “The F-Word.” School Library Journal Vol. 55. 1
(2009):18. Print
Recommended Further Reading
Baranoik, Lois. "Teacher-Librarians and School Library Collection Development."
Literacies, Learning & Libraries. 2.1 (2009): 4. Web. 1 Jan. 2012.
<http://albertaschoollibraries.pbworks.com/f/Literacy,Learning&Libraries
Vol2No1.pdf>.
Burkett, Karen. “The Development of a Selection Policy for the School Library."
Literacies, Learning & Libraries. 2.1 (2009): 5-6. Web. 1 Jan. 2012.
<http://albertaschoollibraries.pbworks.com/f/Literacy,Learning&Libraries
Vol2No1.pdf>.
Prevost, Elizabeth. “Online Collections are Essential: Collaborative Development of
Online Collections in Elementary School Libraries." Literacies, Learning &
Libraries. 2.1 (2009): 7-11. Web. 1 Jan. 2012.
<http://albertaschoollibraries.pbworks.com/f/Literacy,Learning&Libraries
Vol2No1.pdf>.
Recommended Websites
Collection Development Training for Arizona Public Libraries
http://www.lib.az.us/cdt/
- comprehensive self-tutorial for public librarians on collection development.
School Library Directory
http://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/coldev2.html
- Collection of useful websites by a retired school librarian
Collection Management Page of SLiP (School Library Information Portal)
http://www.clatoolbox.ca/slip/english/Management/Collection_Management/
- collection of relevant websites from the Canadian Association for School Libraries and the
Canadian Library Association
Teacher Librarians Supporting Student Learning
http://www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/teachlib/management/manbud.htm
- This site was created as a joint project between Regina Catholic Schools and Qu'Appelle
Valley Schools. It is chock full of useful resources.
“It doesn't matter how many books you may
have, but whether they are good or not.”
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- Lucius Annaeus Seneca (3 B.C. - 65 A.D.),
Epistolae Morale