Creating Smaller, More
Usable Collections
Julie Poole, Coordinator of Center Library
Services at Mercer University

Disclaimers
Based on our experience
Returning adult students
8-week sessions (zoom!)
Dust-collecting collection already in place
Geographically distant but with quick access to larger
collection
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaming/340697931/

Why
bother?
Space limitations
Funding
Accessibility
Service
www.amazon.com/.../ dp/0007242182

Assess the Landscape
Who are your
stakeholders? (students,
alumni, faculty, staff, etc.)
What do they need/want?
(surveys, focus groups,
etc.)
What is the purpose of
your location?
What is the curriculum
taught at your location?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24471966@N04/2851251413/

Assess the Landscape
continued...
Read your collection development policy (where is that
thing??) and see if it is in need of updates
Evaluate the collection’s current usage and status
(circulation stats, user opinion, direct collection
checking)
Faculty and student suggestions for new materials and
staff interaction and trend tracking are incredibly useful

Create Assessment Objectives
(what do we want to know?)
How are print and electronic collections being utilized?
Why or why not collections are being utilized
What is lacking or needs improvement?
What are the perceived strengths of collection?

What are our
GOOOOAAAALLLLS?
Improve collection
development policy and
the collection itself
Improve relations with
stakeholders
Ensure library’s mission is
being fulfilled
Complete SACS (Southern
Association of Colleges
and Schools) requirements
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordonflood/474031261/

How to accomplish goals?
USE outcomes of user
assessments concretely
(this includes crafting
assessments, surveys,
etc., that elicit the types
of results you need)
EXPLAIN to
stakeholders and get
them on board
http://www.flickr.com/photos/okaypookie/3785536781/

Smaller is Better
“A collection containing
many items of little
interest is less useful
because high-demand
items are not readily
visible or
accessible” (Evans,
2000).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/james_lumb/3921968993/

Weeding
Yes, everyone hates to
weed but it is
necessary
Explain to library staff
and stakeholders why
and what you are doing
Ask for their opinion all
along the way
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenixdailyphoto/1467681879/

Out with the old...
Hopefully you are left with a smaller, more usable
collection.
You might be left with not much at all and with no
money to replenish -- faculty donations? Digging
deeper into your electronic resources? Expanding your
horizons (free resources)?

Recap...
Focus on our purpose and mission
Identify and ask stakeholders if we are supporting them and their needs
(which is our main mission)
Assess the collection
Do user expectations and our actual collections jibe?
Retool collection development policy and collection itself to reflect user needs
Keep everyone in the loop
Think outside the traditional collection development models
End up with a smaller, more usable collection, an updated collection
development policy, and closer relationships with stakeholders. Yippee!

Questions?
Julie Poole
poole_ja@mercer.edu
http://mercerrac.blogspot.com
http://www.slideshare.net/JuliePoole/slideshows
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ogil/1507585665/