Guides to Library Collection Development - Hardcover

Gillespie, John T.; Folcarelli, Ralph J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1563081733 ISBN 13: 9781563081736

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited, 1994

Synopsis

Intended to enhance collection development in school, public, and college libraries, this volume lists and annotates approximately 1,500 significant bibliographies published from 1985 through 1993, with some earlier but still useful publications. Annotations indicate scope of the work, size (often the number of entries), kinds of material included, purpose, arrangement, nature of entries, indexes, special features, and a recommendation. Author, title, and subject indexes provide easy access to the entries. With its deep and comprehensive coverage, this work will help not only in the process of selecting and acquiring materials for the library but also in the process of identification of items for reference, readers' advisory, interlibrary loan, and collection evaluation.

About this title

About the Author

JOHN T. GILLESPIE is former Dean and Instructor of Library Science at Long Island University, New York. He has authored numerous books in areas of library management, school libraries, and children's and young adult literature.

Reviews

The term collection development has taken on new meaning in recent years. The development of massive library networks and the increased use of electronic technology across library functions are among the contributing factors. As a result of these developments, "even the smallest of libraries is now able to give its patrons access to a tremendous amount of resources hitherto unavailable."

Guides to Library Collection Development is a bibliography of more than 1,600 bibliographies that will be useful in book selection. Most are completely bibliographic in nature, but other works are included where deemed by the authors to contain sufficiently extensive bibliographic content (ALA-RASD's RQ magazine, for example). The bibliographies were published from 1985 through late 1993.

The book is divided into three major parts. The first, "Periodicals and Serials," is an annotated list of review journals useful in collection development, arranged by intended audience (children or adults), then alphabetically by title. Titles cover both print and nonprint media. The other two sections list bibliographies, again divided into sections for children and adults. These sections are further broken down by subject. Materials are listed only once, so the subject index should be consulted for items that may contain material suitable for more than one age group. Symbols before each entry note type of audience (children, youth, adult), and asterisks note highly recommended works. Entries are critically annotated. After each entry are listed the subject headings under which the item is listed in the subject index. There is also an author-title index.

Inevitably in any printed resource there will be items omitted, if only due to publication deadlines. This book is not immune. Lorna Daniells' Business Information Sources is represented by the second edition (Univ. of California, 1985) rather than the third, which apparently appeared too late in 1993 for inclusion. This is in the nature of the beast, however, and does not detract from the overall usefulness of Guides.

The authors have many years of experience of writing about libraries and library literature. Gillespie is former dean and instructor of library science at Long Island University and the author of such books as Juniorplots and the Best Books series; Folcarelli is professor emeritus at the same institution.

Guides to Library Collection Development will be helpful for library staff in selecting materials and for collection evaluation. It should also prove useful in identifying items for reference, reader's advisory, and interlibrary loan. It is recommended for school, public, and academic libraries, with the caveat that research libraries will need more specialized bibliographies.

Edition details

• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited
• Publication date: 1994
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1563081733
• ISBN 13: 9781563081736
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 441