Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario by Chandrakala N. Pai and V. Sriram

Digital Light: National Seminar on Digital Library Management,

Davanagere, India. Dec, 24 2011

Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario

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Mrs. Chandrakala N Pai* Mr. V Sriram Librarian, Prin. KMK College of Pharmacy Chief Librarian, KNRaj Library Plot no. 23 Jote joy Building Centre for Development Studies R. S Marg, Cuffe Parade , Prasanth Nagar, Ulloor, Colaba, Mumbai -400005 Thiruvananthapuram-695011 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] * Corresponding Author Abstract: Libraries play an important role in the changing scenario also in supplementing the information needs of its user. Academic libraries enjoy collecting, organizing and preserving materials for current and also future users. The collection of the library should aim to support both casual and serious reading habits of the individual user. Collection development is based upon an understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the collection, the availability of shared resources and the information needs of the community. Keywords: Collection development, reading habits, information need, academic library

I Introduction:

Collection Development is a planned process of acquiring materials through purchase,

exchange, gift, donations etc. Proper and systematic collection building in various formats

is a prerequisite to match the instructional and research needs of the campus within the

current fiscal environment and resource sharing opportunities. Collection development

policies are framed based upon an understanding of information needs of the community;

and it is a dynamic and continuous activity. It involves the users, the library staff, and the

subject experts on selection team. It is not an end in itself, but a means to develop a need-

based, up-to-date, and balanced collection fit to meet the document and information needs

of the users.

II Academic library:

Academic libraries comprise of libraries attached to any educational institution such as

University, College, School, and Institutes for Higher Learning. Library is an important

intellectual resource repository of the academic community and helps the members for their




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self-development apart from taking care of the curriculum requirements. They also assist in

promoting studies and research. Library comprise of the trinity viz. collection, readers, and

staff. In an academic institution library plays an indispensable role in the dissemination of

information and knowledge.

A. Collection:

Library collection can be described as the holdings of the library. The library collection

development includes systematic selection, acquisition and evaluation to meet the needs of

the clientele. Collection development as a planning process, uses the methodology of

planning, describing the present state of affairs, reviewing relative strengths and

weaknesses, considering environmental influences and other current trends, setting goals

and designing strategies to reach those goals. Collection development will have certain

constraints which differ from one place to another and from one time to another. However

the goal of collection development in any library is to meet the immediate and anticipated

information needs of users.

A.1 Definition:

Encyclopedia of Library and information science describes “library collection is the sum

total of library material - books, manuscripts, serials, governments, pamphlets, catalogues,

reports, microfilm reels, micro cards microfiche, punched cards computer tapes etc”.

Harold’s Librarians Glossary (6th edn) defines collection development as the “ process of

planning a stock acquisition programme not simply to cater for immediate needs but to

build a coherent and reliable collection over number of years to meet the objectives of the

services”

A.2. Objective

A good library collection programme is expected to provide utmost satisfaction to the users

of the library. Some of the objectives of a planned collection development process are:

1. Provide information resources, services and support to users

2. Improve and expand research and curriculum instruction




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3. Identify staff development needs and offer programs to meet them

4. Improve Library facilities

A.3. Elements of Collection Development policy

Collection development is a process of systematically building library collections to serve

study, teaching, research, recreational, and other needs of library users. It comprise of

several elements such as:

1. Purpose/Mission: Resources will be selected for the Library's collections that

support the teaching, learning and research needs of the institution

2. User Profile : Characteristics of the patrons, demographic information, age, what

purposes do they use the library, their occupations and disciplines

of interest has to be kept in mind during the collection

development

3. Materials: The material selected should maintain an appropriate balance

between teaching and learning requirements and research needs

of the organization

4. Budget, Gifts Explanation of the sources of funding and the identification of

potential donors has to be kept in mind.

5. Selection Deciding which materials to buy for the library, as per the user

need

6. Acquisition Acquiring the materials for the collection through purchase, gifts,

or Exchange programs.

7. Physical Space Shelving of library materials is an expensive task. Shelves

overcrowded with low-use material may hinder access to

potentially high-use material. Overcrowded shelves lead to

improper handling of materials resulting in damage to collections

A.4. Steps in collection development process

1. Analysis of the information needs of the users

2. Formulation and implementation of selection policy to suit the objectives of the

institution




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3. Acquisition programmes to build-up a balanced collection

4. Resource sharing and its impact on collection development

5. Weeding out programmes to ensure effectiveness of collection

6. Competitive vendors profile and rational budget and

7. Collection evaluation

B. Library Resources

The library resource includes books, manuscripts, serials, government publications, pamphlets, catalogues, reports, microfilm reels, microfilm, microfiche, computer tapes, cd-rom’s, online databases, e-documents, e-journals etc.

C. Reader and Reading habits

Reader/user is an important component in a library system. The user community in an

academic library system consists of Faculty, students and educational administrators. To

create awareness and to promote the use of information it is necessary to know the needs of

the users.

C.1. Reading Habits:

Speaking, writing and reading are the three abilities which differentiate Homosapiens from

other living beings. Reading is a cognitive process of understanding a written message.

Reading is a habitual behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost

involuntary. Reading is a gateway to knowledge; it is sine qua non to develop personality,

communication skill, enhance the vocabulary or to know the current information.

C.2. Benefits of reading:

Reading is the integral part of human life - As food and water is required for our body

reading is for our mind.

1. Reading has the unique power of transforming the readers

2. Reading influence the extent of accuracy for information as well as the attitudes,

moral benefits, judgments and action of readers

3. Reading promotes intellectual growth, memory and improves one’s vocabulary

4. Reading leads to building lifelong readers and lifelong learners




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5. Through reading there is a lot of increase in our capability of being creative. With

enormous store of knowledge, it becomes easy for us to bring in a flow of natural way of

writing and spontaneous expression.

6. Reading improves concentration and focus

7. Reading helps to builds knowledge and self-esteem

C.3. Reason for decline in reading habit

Reading makes a man perfect. This is an old saying. Reading habit has been a great help in

developing knowledge, but today, in an age when browsing the net, playing with funky

handsets and passing non-stop SMS seem to be the order of the day. The Internet boom,

interactive medium of images, TV and the silver screen are filling the minds of the modern

youth, taking majority of their free time. It high time for all of us to think seriously how the

coming generations will find time to read. While technology is taking control steadily over

individual’s lives, the reading habit is fast vanishing, due to many reasons

1. People think that reading books consumes more time than referring in the

computers. Computers seem to be more attractive to people than books

2. Reading is not considered a relevant leisure activity as it does not form part of

children’s social interaction

3. Value of reading is not known

4. In the curriculum centered, and exam oriented education system reading does not

get its desired share of importance and priority.

5. Students tend to depend more on the senior’s notes, guides for their study than

Independently preparing it themselves.

6. The collection in the library is of less interest to the user

7. The gadgets produced as off shoots of technological advancement has affected the

overall life style.

8. In several institutions the library environment that prevail is not convenient for

reading.

9. Attitude of the librarian and the library staff in several institutions are not purely

professional.




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III. Role of collection in developing reading

The library / knowledge center is acting as the service provider and there is a great demand

from the users to provide the nascent, updated and analyzed information speedily. The

libraries basically acquire, process, organize, manage and disseminate the information to

the users whenever required. The users visit the library for various purposes but their main

objective is to get the information available in their area of work. The user requirements

and service expectations form the libraries are growing and advancing. It is therefore

essential to provide the user-based services to the library clientele. For providing the user

based services the library professionals are required to understand the user needs and

requirements. These issues and requirements of users are the basis for formulating the

collection development policy and services. The library professionals have to look in to the

following aspects:

1 Finding the needs and expectations of the users

2 Build a proper and useful library collection by formulating collection development

policy

3 Select materials as per the set policy by following the different criteria and features

4 Use technology support to gather, collect and analyze the information and add the

value to it

5 Use new tools of information resources like Internet and searching the online

databases to get the appropriate information required by the users from the

various online resources

6 Understand the future needs of the users these aspects will help the library

users

IV. Role of library staff in promoting reading habits

As advised by Melvil Dewey- Librarian should strive best in making available the best

literature at low cost to the maximum number of people. Thus Librarian should remember

the following:

1. Understand the community and their need

2. Encourage students to read regularly so that they grow mentally & achieve success

3. Provide recreational reading material to initiate reading habit




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4. Build up good collection of books and magazines for leisure time reading

5. Update the knowledge about the syllabus and books useful for the students

6. Collect books relevant to the lessons and curriculum

7. Display newly received titles/title page, Library website OPAC etc

8. Provide a congenial atmosphere and motivate the student to use library

9. The Library staff should be polite and approachable to the user community

10. Provide User education and Library orientation

UNESCO public library manifesto highlighted the importance and value of reading habit

as follows:

-Librarian should act as Advisor

-Library guides and notices

-Library handbook

-Bulletins and book lists

-Readers club or Reader forum

-Library co-operation

-Prizes for serious reader

-Book Talks

-News paper reading

V Conclusion

The library plays an important role of a social agency to spread education and self-

education and promote reading. Collection of a library should aim to support both casual

and serious reading habits of individual users. Quality of a collection should be looked at

through the angles of both ‘Value – based’ and ‘Demand – based’ approaches. The

responsibility of developing a ‘Good’ collection should be ultimately shouldered by the

professional librarians. It is equally important to evaluate the collection of the library from

time to time.




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VI References

1. Baker, S. L. (1991). Measurement and evaluation of library services. Virginia: information resource press.

2. Buckland, M. (1989). Roles of Colllections and the scope of collection development. journal of documentation , 213*226.

3. Collection Development Policy / Laval University. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bibl.ulaval.ca/info/polsec.html.

4. Collection Development Policy / National Library of Australia. (n.d.). http://www.nla.gov.au/policy/colldevt.html

5. Dartmouth College Library Collection Management & Development Program: Guidelines for Writing Collection Development Policies, D. C. (n.d.). www.dartmouth.edu/~cmdc/bibapp/cdpguide.html.

6. Dhiman, G. E. (2002). Academic Libraries. New Delhi, : ESS ESS Publication.

7. Drummond, R. C. (1991). A joint venture : Collaboration in collection development building. Collection Management , 14 (12), 59-72.

8. Evans, G. E. (1995). "Developing library and information center collections," 3rd ed. Englewood, CO: : Libraries Unlimited.on, A. D. (n.d.). www.enssib.fr/autressites/poldo/index.html.

9. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) released the. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.ifla.org.

10. Prasher, R. (1993). Developing library’s collection. New Delhi: Medallion.

11. Schamber, L. ((2009).). Library Collection Development in an Electronic Age.

12.Wortman, W. (1989). A. Collection Management: Background and Principles. Chicago : American Library Association.

Education

Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario by Chandrakala N. Pai and V. Sriram