Collection Development

Collection Development:

In order to continue for the media center to grow, there will be a thoughtful process for selecting materials available to students.

The goals of collection development are these:

• Provide materials that meet the  interest and needs of the students and staff in a timely manner.

• Provide broadly based and diverse collections that can support the roles of the library as a popular materials center, a reference center and an independent learning center.

• Provide a variety of viewpoints on all subjects in its collections.

• Provide materials for children, youth and teens to encourage and promote continued use of the library.

• Provide materials in varying formats to acknowledge the importance of books and newer technology as sources of valuable information.

​

The following will be taken into consideration when selecting new material for students:

1. an analysis of the existing collection and gaps in genre ownership

2. class reading materials and their availability to students

3. materials that support curriculum and are grade-level

​

Based upon this information, collection development for the 2018-2020 school years will focus on:

-biographies of historical persons

-graphic novels

-popular titles in Spanish

​

All "branches of the York County Library System offer a robust collection of popular materials to our customers. We make available the right titles, in the right formats, in the right quantities very often on the release dates of these items. We monitor bestseller listings, the media, customer requests, circulation data, school assignments, and review sources to set the direction for collection growth and change. The Board of the York County Library System endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, the Freedom to View Statement, Access for Children and Young Adults to Nonprint Materials Statement, Access to Library Resources and Services Regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual Orientation Statement, and the Diversity in Collection Development Statement. Copies are included in the Addenda.

A library’s collection will never be complete; no maximum or minimum limits can be set. The publishing and media explosion of recent years, coupled with limitation of funds compounds the process of selection. The result is that libraries must be selective in many fields and aim for a systematic growth that concentrates on the areas in which there is the greatest community need. Collections are not standardized throughout the branches of the York County Library System. Our libraries select materials to fill the needs of both actual and potential library customers, in an effort to: 1. satisfy current demand, and 2. stimulate interest among community members who are not presently aware of library resources."

​

General Criteria for Selection:

The overall value of each item is the chief criterion of selection. Materials are judged by experienced staff with respect to:

• Public demand, past and anticipated performance and relevance to community interests and needs 

• Professional and reader reviews, commercial availability of material, Content and authority, effectiveness of presentation, format suitability

• Need for additional or duplicate materials in existing collection 

• Availability elsewhere through interlibrary loan and local special collections 

• Physical space limitations of buildings, budgetary considerations

In considering materials and evaluating the collection, staff continually consult recognized review sources, standard selection catalogs, vendor databases, customer feedback, circulation data, turnover rates, fill rates, shelf allotments and volume counts. Staff meets regularly to review acquisition procedures and decisions as well as collection performance measurement.

​

Yorklibraries.org. N. p., 2019. Web. 1 Feb. 2019.

​

Weeding

In order to keep an updated, educational collection, items will be regularly considered for removal from the library. This process is called weeding. The following are reasons for weeding the collection:

1. To develop a collection that is not outdated

2. To find books that are in need of repair or replacement

3. To create a high-quality learning experience

​

Kinds of Materials to be Weeded

1. Outdated - Teachers in rapidly changing subject areas may be asked to evaluate materials that might be considered out-of-date. 

​

2. Worn Materials - Worn materials in poor or unusable condition will be deleted from the shelves and replaced with newer versions of these materials if they are still of value to the collection.

​

3. Duplicates - Multiple copies of materials that are not often circulated will be weeded.

​

4. Non-Circulating - If materials have not circulated within the past five years, they will be considered for weeding unless needed for any upcoming curriculum.

​

Cataloging and Processing:

While most books are ordered and processed through Tidal Wave and then Tech. Services at York County Library System, books and other materials that are gifted or donated to the library will also be sent to the Tech. Services dept. at York County Libraries to be included in the system.

​

Inventory:

Inventory is taken twice a year. Once during the summer and again in the winter. Materials are reviewed and any late notices for lost books are distributed in hand to students or staff.

​