Crash Course in Collection Development

The third edition of Crash Course in Collection Development is a must-have for librarians just entering the field and professionals in need of a refresher in effective library operations.

It now covers all aspects of collection development and management — including inventory assessment, market analysis, budgeting, marketing, and customer service — in all library environments, including public, academic, and school libraries.

Focusing on collection development basics, it begins with information on gathering statistics and analysing community needs to design a collection that meets user needs. It goes on to guide users in writing a collection development policy, budgeting, selecting materials, managing vendor relations, understanding the publishing industry, merchandising and promoting the collection, and handling complaints.

Newly included in the third edition is a discussion of new purchasing and lending models; information for academic and school librarians; and such new trends as libraries as spaces for users, collection diversity issues, makerspaces, nontraditional collections, pop-up libraries, the digital divide, and non-circulating collections.

Author Wayne Disher has once again written a practical and simple introduction to an important, complex, and evolving area of library service.