CDL: Case study #1

From: John P. Abbott <AbbottJP_at_conrad.appstate.edu>
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 10:46:16 -0400
To: colldv-l_at_usc.edu
CDer's-

  An idea from your faithful co-moderator.  Traffic has been light on colldv-l
(NB: getting less email is NOT a bad thing, I realize very well).  I 
wonder about some in-service training in CD where more  
experienced CDO's might share what works with the list (now 2300 readers).  
What if we had an occasional case study of common CD problems and those 
with experience can offer their approaches?  I'll pull the responses 
together and provide the contributors w/ anonymity if requested.  Most 
readers are in academic libraries, so situations may lean to that venue.  
If you have a case you'd like to suggest, email me directly. I'll 
assemble a list, and post one every other month or so.  If there are no/few 
responses, I'll assume there is little interest and stop.  Here is the post
to me for the list that spawned the idea:

=====

Case Study #1, The Case of the Hobby-Horse Departmental Library Rep.

Dear Colldv-l,

	I am new in collection development. I have a department 
with a good-sized monographs budget ($15k). I supplement it 
as needed from general funds I control.  The book orders from the 
department's faculty rep are largely for books in her sub-sub-field 
of the discipline to the exclusion of the other topics in the 
department. A look in the stacks reveals that books in her area are 
largely pristine, while books in other areas of the discipline
are often worn and dated.  The department's advanced degree
is master's level and this is not a research institution.  The rep 
is high-strung and tends to go directly to the library dean with 
issues.  Those encounters rarely back up line librarians' decisions. 
I am new to this library and the profession. What can I do?

====

Over to you Colldv-l.

-- 
John P. Abbott, co-moderator

Coordinator, Collection Development
University Library
Appalachian State University
325 College Street
Boone, NC  28608

828-262-2821
828-262-3001 (fax)
abbottjp_at_appstate.edu
Received on Thu Aug 30 2001 - 07:47:25 EDT