M04 Study Questions-

Collection Development & Acquisitions

Alisha Short
1. List and describe at least two activities related to collection development.

Selection is the systematic process of choosing materials relevant to a library or

information center. Some criteria for selection are: topic, reading level, currency,
demand, cost, author’s credentials, publisher reputation, features, resource sharing and
availability in other media.

Weeding is defined as evaluating existing library holdings for possible replacement,

repair, updating or discarding. Weeding is an essential aspect of maintaining a relevant,
appealing and timely collection of materials. Deselecting of obsolete, damaged,
superseded or inappropriate materials are reasons for weeding. Also, shelving or
storage limits are another need to weed collections.

2. List and describe at least two activities related to acquisitions.

Purchasing is acquiring something by paying for it. The acquisition department is in

charge of buying the materials the library needs. They use jobbers, wholesalers, to
acquire materials for their collections.

Receiving is to be given or presented with something. The acquisition department is

responsible for receiving the items they have ordered.

Acquisition is the process of procuring titles and paying the companies that produce or
supply the items.

3. How do critical reviews for a book or e-book published in library trade periodicals
such as Kirkus Reviews differ from user-generated comments found on
Amazon.com and Goodreads.com?

Critical reviews of books are published by many sources for the retail trade and for the
library business. Our textbooks states “These reviews help library professionals decide
on relevance and quality before making a purchase. Perusing reputable review media is
a time-saver. ‘Kirkus Reviews’ is commonly used by library collections staff and
booksellers.” It is a major reviewing media for adult and children’s titles. This site is well
respected and devotes the bulk or every issue to reviews. It is a paid subscription for
print and digital. These reviews are professional, and the tone is respectable.
Reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are ‘reader book reviews’. The reader, anyone
who reads any book, is allowed to leave a book review. It is free for anyone to read and
write critical reviews of the books that they have read. Also, these reviews are not
professional, and the tone of the reviews will be different. Readers are passionate about
the books they love, good and bad, and they will let others know their direct impression.

4. Find out the names of five jobbers active in the library trade and name them. 

Mackin https://www.mackin.com/hq/

Perma-Bound https://www.perma-bound.com/

Baker & Taylor http://www.baker-taylor.com/s_library_details.cfm

Follett http://www.fes.follett.com/

Brodart http://www.shopbrodart.com/

5. What are the main differences and similarities in the services they offer?

Mackin provides custom collection analysis and reviews from professional journals.
They provide materials to PreK-12 libraries.

Perma-Bound provides book binding and re-binding services.

Baker & Taylor provides multimedia, books and related information services to libraries
and retailers.

Follett is a wholesale distributor of educational materials. They provide content to PreK-

12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts.

Brodart provides school supplies and library supplies. They also offer a broad range of
collection development/library services, supplies and furnishings and custom furniture.

Follett and Mackin are the primary suppliers to PreK-12 schools and districts. Brodart
provides furnishing for libraries. Perma-Bound is a leader in the book rebinding industry.
Baker & Taylor provide digital content and entertainment products. These five jobbers
are very important to the library industry. They offer many of the same services, such as
providing books and supplies to libraries. Some of their services are different than each
other. Libraries have to do their research when trying to find the best fit for the materials
needed.