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Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 08:42:20 -0500
From: Ronald Hardy (Central College, Iowa)
<HardyR_at_central.edu>
Subject: RE: Experience needed to be an Acquisitions Librarian
This is a great question, and should be discussed to encourage more MLSs
to consider acquisitions. I came into my current position in
acquisitions/serials/collection development with virtually no experience
in these areas. I had experience in circulation, ILL, library instruction,
reference (of course), but nothing in library school or my previous year
of FT experience covered acquisitions. There was a steep learning curve at
first, then a gradual increase in knowledge that can only come from on
the job experience. After two years I love it, and I am still learning more
every day. I won't get bored with this work any time soon.
Good characteristics to have:
1. balancing numbers and account information (I refuse to say
'accounting')
2. friendly disposition - for vendors and for faculty collaboration
3. get tough disposition - for naughty vendors and some faculty demands
4. organization skills, lots of organization skills i.e. efficiency
potential
5. most important: the desire to do it.
Ronald Kane Hardy
Collection Development Librarian
Assistant Professor of Library Science
Central College - Geisler Library
812 University - Pella, IA 50219
641.628.5221 - hardyr_at_central.edu
(2) ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 09:52:43 -0600
From: "Wickins, Mary" (Regis Univ.) <MWickins_at_regis.edu>
Subject: RE: Experience needed to be an Acquisitions Librarian
In response to Michelle's questions about an Acquisitions Librarian.
I had no experience in Acquisitions when I began, although I had a
lengthy background in public service, both adult and children's services,
both
academic and public libraries. I wasn't even sure of the terms and
meanings of such basic things as purchase orders and invoices. I felt fine
with
the "Collection Development" part of the job. I believe each position would
be different, and much could be learned. The qualities that seem
necessary:
1. Task Oriented
2. Business Experience
3. Knowledge of verification sources (to verify orders)
4. Ability to note details, such as "revised" or "reprint" when
requests are received. Sometimes a bibliographer or faculty member can
order items that already exist in the collection, although in another
format (e.g. cloth 1st edition rather than the paperback reissue or the 25th
anniversary edition). Sometimes, there are only introductory notes that
have been added, and the content has not changed significantly. Or, the
notes might be made by someone of significance to your institution!
5. Ability to see how a new acquisition fits into the existing catalog.
Is there a serial record? Will it need original cataloging? Should it
go in Special Collections, Faculty Collections, Juvenile? Should the LC
number
be altered to serve librarians/patrons better. Is the book part of a series
represented in the catalog?
6. Ability to organize a great deal of information, and keep track of
each order.
7. Ability to analyze vendor performance for time of delivery,
discount, and overall service.
I wondered at first how "book buying" and "Librarianship" tied
together, but I can see the advantage of the library degree in this
position. You need to learn a new vocabulary. You need to be
"creative" sometimes, or "investigative" in trying to find a vendor or
distributor
for certain requests. You deal with foreign vendors. And of course, you
deal with other librarians in public service and technical service. It
helps
to be on their same level. You also deal with salesmen and vendors, book
publishers. You have one foot in the business world, and one foot in
the library world.
Mary Clare Wickins
Acquisitions/Collection Development
Regis University, Denver, CO
mwickins_at_regis.edu
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Mon, 03 June 2002 2:21 PM
Lauren Corbett (Emory Univ.) <lcorbet_at_emory.edu>
Subject: Re: Experience needed to be an Acquisitions Librarian
I encourage you in this endeavor, since Acquisitions Librarians are in
demand.
While I could talk about many characteristics and skills that help in being
a successful Acquisitions Librarian, I currently believe that one of the
most important is supervisory experience.
I am not familiar with any academic library that would have an acquisitions
position at the professional librarian level without some supervisory duties
(and I worked in a very small college with about 1600 students and only 4
librarians). If you don't have any supervisory experience, you will likely
need to find a position where it's preferred rather than required, or you
will need to build some experience before applying.
Perhaps some others will contribute to give you a fuller picture, rather
than my giving you a single perspective. I also believe that some research
was published within the last year or two comparing elements in job
advertisements to what librarians stated as being important. You might
search Library Lit as I don't recall details.
Good luck!
Lauren
Lauren Corbett
Acquisitions Team Leader
Emory University -- Woodruff Library
ph: 404 712 1818
fax: 404 727 0408
Received on Sat Jun 08 2002 - 09:11:05 EDT