Challenges and Opportunities in the Management of Collection Development Policy in Libraries

Abstract

The study aims to explore the opportunities and challenges in the management of collection development policy in libraries. Collection development is considered a critical factor in the provision of adequate and relevant information resources in the library. In order to develop a balanced and un-bias collection, libraries formulate a policy that will serve the interest of the entire clientele. Collection development or acquisition librarians encounter challenges (both internal and external) in the process of formulating collection development policy. An extensive review of the relevant available literature on the concepts of collection development and collection development policy was made to conduct this study. The study found that acquisition librarians play a vital role in ensuring access to library information resources through the formulation of policies that guide them through this process. The study also discovered that while some libraries have written collection development policies, some have unwritten, and others do not have at all. A good number of literature consulted on the subject matter identified inadequate funding, internal and external interference, issues bordering on preservation, donations/gifts, vendors, intellectual property rights and inadequate knowledge of ICT as major impediments militating against the maintenance of balanced collection development policy. The study suggested adequate funding, adequate training and retraining of acquisition librarians in the areas of modern information technology as it relates to formulating guidelines for selecting electronic information resources and minimal interference from the libraries’ parent organizations. Libraries and enjoyed to lobby their parent bodies for more funding and create avenues for internally generated revenue. The provides an overview of collection development policy issues and how they influence the