SLO 2
The student identifies, evaluates, conducts, and applies current research and thought in library and information studies and in other fields.
For my LIS 610 Action Research project, I shadowed the Jane Kaylor, Supervisor of Collection Development services for the Gaston County Public Library system. I was tasked with researching collection development policies and practices and then creating a digital Prezi report comparing how her collection development methodology compared to best practices in the field. Topics I researched included public library selection development policies, selecting vendors, rationing a budget, processing and repairing materials, and weeding methods. Upon visiting the collection development office, I realized that selecting vendors is much more complicated than the research indicated; certain vendors specialize in certain types of materials and some materials come pre-processed, so there’s a lot of personal discretion involved in choosing which materials to purchase from which vendor in order to spend the budget wisely. Likewise, Kaylor provided a lot of special circumstances that go into choosing which materials to weed. By applying my research regarding collection development best practices, I was able to evaluate Gaston County Public Library’s collection management system to identify areas in which they were doing well (selecting materials and creating MARC records) as well as areas that needed improvement (weeding materials more efficiently).
Artifact 1 - Action Research project
Artifact 1 - Action Research project
My LIS 653 collection development and analysis of Huntersville Elementary School’s collection was very extensive and strongly connected to a research based needs assessment of the school and library. The needs assessment utilized data from the School Library Report Card, School Improvement Plan and other demographic data sources. Collection data was gathered using Follett Titlewave data by closely examining 80 titles in the nonfiction area, two curriculum specific collections, and then the collection overall in specifically terms of size, age, circulation rates, and condition. Using charts and narrative discussion, I compared my collection data to my needs assessment research, which revealed the collection was largely insufficient, particularly in terms of the age and size of the collection given the size of the school; however, the majority of materials were in excellent condition and well organized. I then developed a five year purchase plan taking these strengths and weaknesses into consideration; particularly, I found gaps in the collection in relation to both curriculum needs as well as student user needs (more Spanish materials for a rapidly growing Hispanic population and more higher level fiction titles for the TD students). While this assignment was definitively the most time consuming project I’ve completed in the MLS program, it was well worth the time; the needs assessment I conducted prior to the collection analysis could potentially provide strong justification to school administrators as to why my collection budget should be increased and how I would plan to spend the additional money should I be granted the extra funding.
Both of these action research projects enabled me to identify and familiarize myself with standards and best practices in two different types library collections (school and public) and then apply this research as guidelines for evaluating and assessing real collections in real libraries. Having completed these two projects, I now feel much more confident to manage a library collection of my own at either a public or school library.
Both of these action research projects enabled me to identify and familiarize myself with standards and best practices in two different types library collections (school and public) and then apply this research as guidelines for evaluating and assessing real collections in real libraries. Having completed these two projects, I now feel much more confident to manage a library collection of my own at either a public or school library.
northcote_collectionmanagementproject.pdf | |
File Size: | 668 kb |
File Type: |
northcote_five_year_plan.docx | |
File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |
northcote_collection_sample_data.xlsx | |
File Size: | 16 kb |
File Type: | xlsx |