LIS 511: Collection Development & Management
Fall 2004

"Libraries are not made; they grow..."
"Good as it is to inherit a library, it is better to collect one."
Augustine Birrell (1850-1933)

Instructor
Teresa Welsh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
The University of Southern Mississippi
School of Library & Information Science
Cook Library, Room 206H
Phone: 601.266.4228
Teresa.Welsh@usm.edu
http://ocean.otr.usm.edu/~w146169/
http://www.usm.edu/slis/facWelsh.htm

Description
This three hour course is an introduction to the philosophy and principles governing the selection and procurement of all types of library materials, including the use of selection aids and bibliographic sources for developing both print and non-print collections.

The purpose of the course is to introduce the philosophy, principles, and procedures for the provision of a collection that meets the needs of a library's clientele; to provide instruction in the use of major selection tools in building library collections; to describe the impact of technology on collection development activities; and to develop an understanding of the relationship between intellectual freedom and copyright issues to collection development.

Drop Dates
The last day to drop full-term classes with refund is September 3rd.
The last day to drop full-term classes without academic penalty is October 4th.

Required Text may be ordered from BarnesandNoble.com

Developing Library and Information Center Collections
Fourth Edition (2000)
by G. Edward Evans

Online Resources:


Course Goals

After completion of the course students should be able to:

  1. Identify and evaluate the various literature reviewing sources.

  2. Gather and analyze data relating to the information needs of a service community.

  3. Discuss, evaluate, and revise collection development policies and procedures.

  4. Articulate the importance of cooperation and networking among information agencies.

  5. Identify and apply criteria appropriate for evaluating and selecting resources in all formats and for a variety of patrons' informational needs.

  6. Understand and articulate a commitment to promoting intellectual freedom.

  7. Design appropriate policies, plans, and procedures for dealing with potentially sensitive materials.

  8. Describe the relationship of copyright laws to collection development.

  9. Describe the impact of technology on collection development, including resource sharing, collection evaluation, and networking.

  10. Identify and analyze current issues and trends in collection development.

Teaching Strategies
Online lecture, web discussion, and directed readings will form the basis for the course. Most readings will be from the text, but supplemental readings from journals and the Internet will be included as appropriate.


Course Requirements

  1. Community Analysis Report (10%)

  2. Reviewing Sources Evaluation Essay (10%)

  3. Selection Exercise (10%)

  4. Weeding Exercise (10%)

  5. Midterm Exam (10%)

  6. Censorship and Collection Development Analysis Report (15%)

  7. Collection Development Policy (10%)

  8. Participation in Chats & Discussion Board (15%)

  9. Final Exam (10%)

Grading

  • A = 93-100
  • B = 84-92
  • C = 75-83
  • D = 66-74
  • F = 0-65

Weekly Schedule
Subject to Revision

Week 1: August 23-29
Collection Development and the Service Community
Evans, Chapter 1

Week 2: August 30-September 5
Information Needs and Community Analysis
Evans, Chapter 2
Community Analysis Report Due

Week 3: September 7-12 (Labor Day Monday)
The Selection Process
Evans, Chapter 4

Week 4: September 13-19
Selection Resources
Evans, Chapters 5, 6, 7
Reviewing Sources Evaluation Essay Due

Week 5: September 20-26
Selection Resources
Evans, Chapters 8, 9, 10

Week 6: September 27-October 3
Acquisitions
Evans, Chapter 11, 12
Selection Exercise Due

Week 7: October 4-10
Deselection
Evans, Chapters 13, 14

Week 8: October 11-15
Evaluation of Resources
Evans, Chapter 15
Mid-term Exam

Week 9: October 18-24
Fall Break - no chats

Week 10: October 25-31
Resource Sharing
Evans, Chapter 16
Weeding Exercise Due

Week 11: November 1-7
Conservation and Preservation
Evans, Chapter 17

Week 12: November 8-14
Legal Issues, Copyright
Evans, Chapter 18

Week 13: November 15-21
Intellectual Freedom, Censorship
Evans, Chapter 19
Censorship and Collection Development Analysis Report Due

Week 14: November 22-28
Thanksgiving Week - no chats

Week 15: November 29-December 5
Collection Development Policies
Evans, Chapter 3

Week 16: December 6-12
Future of Collection Development
Evans, Epilogue
Collection Development Policy Group Project Due

December 13-17
Final Exam

Course Policies

  1. Students are expected to read the texts and other assigned readings and to complete all assignments on time.

  2. Participation is 15% of the grade. Students are expected to participate in scheduled chats and discussion board postings.

  3. All assignments must be typed, saved in .doc or .rtf format, and sent to the Digital Drop Box. Ten percent will be deducted for each week an assignment is late unless permission is obtained in advance from the instructor.

  4. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will not be tolerated.

Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

"When cheating is discovered, the faculty member may give the student an F on the work involved or in the course. If further disciplinary action is deemed appropriate, the student should be reported to the dean of students. In addition to being a violation of academic honesty, cheating violates the Code of Student Conduct and may be grounds for probation, suspension, and/or expulsion. Students on disciplinary suspension may not enroll in any courses offered by The University of Southern Mississippi." USM Graduate Bulletin, p. 30.

"Plagiarism is scholarly theft, and it is defined as the unacknowledged use of secondary sources. More specifically, any written or oral presentation in which the writer or speaker does not distinguish clearly between original and borrowed material constitutes plagiarism. Because students, as scholars, must make frequent use of the concepts and facts developed by other scholars, plagiarism is not the mere use of another's facts and ideas. However, it is plagiarism when students present the work of other scholars as if it were their own work. Plagiarism is committed in a number of ways:

  1. Reproducing another author's writing as if it were one's own.
  2. Paraphrasing another author's work without citing the original.
  3. Borrowing from another author's ideas, even though those ideas are reworded, without giving credit.
  4. Copying another author's organization without giving credit.
Plagiarism is a serious offense. An act of plagiarism may lead to a failing grade on the paper and in the course, as well as sanctions that may be imposed by the student judicial system." USM Graduate Bulletin, p. 30; USM Student Handbook, p. 73.

Disability Statement

If a student has a disability that qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies. Mailing address: 118 College Drive #8586, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001; Telephone (601) 266-5024; TTY: (601) 266-6837; Fax (601) 266-6035.