Responses to the posting below:
Case Study: 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?
==#1
From: "Marjorie A. Rathbone" <rathbone_at_mailhost.sju.edu>
Response to Case Study #1:
Is there a collection development policy in effect at this institution
which addresses priorities for acquiring materials, e.g., the first
priority is to support undergraduate student needs? If so, this would help
to strengthen the librarian's position. Also, the library rep does not say
in the query whether or not he/she has met directly with the Library Dean
on this issue; I'm assuming that the librarian reports directly to the
Dean, otherwise, he/she should be addressing this issue with his/her
immediate supervisor. If there has not been a one-on-one meeting with the
Dean, that would be my first effort.
I'd run some circulation statistics so that there is demonstrable evidence
of the claim of non-use of materials in this area compared with others and
take these with you to the meeting. My approach to the Dean would be that
this is an area of concern to me because I feel I am not fulfilling my
responsibilities as the Collection Development person for the department,
that I am doing a disservice to the students and other faculty in the area
by committing so much of the funds to little used materials and am,
therefore, unable to acquire resources that are needed by the students. I
would indicate that I understand the need to be diplomatic with the faculty
member and ask what we could do collaboratively to address the
situation. If the institution provides good Interlibrary Loan service,
this could be suggested as an alternative to buying the inappropriate
titles. If the Dean seems at all positive, the next step might be to meet
jointly with the faculty member and, together, explain the Library's
position and suggests alternatives, such as ILL. If the Dean shuts the
door on you, at least, you will have done what you could to remedy the
situation and might just have to live with the situation until the climate
changes.
===#2
From: Donna Signori <dsignori_at_uvic.ca>
This is a good opportunity to bring up the collections policy -which should
cover all areas- and the curriculum noting that the budget is for the
purchase of all materials for the department.
Another possibility is to solicit the aid of the Chair of the department,
assuming it isn't the same person, state what is occurring
(diplomatically), pointing out that all faculty members should be sharing
in the funding, how it affects the collection overall, and it neglects
students' needs as well. This may result in the appointment of a different
lib rep or the chair may even suggest that he takes it over. Departments
here handle their selections differently but many distribute the slips
among the members so they can all see titles being published in their
areas. One of the other problems which can occur is that they purchase
only research materials and forget about the students' needs.
Are there approval plans? Setting one of those up based on vendor profile
designed according to curriculum needs would also resolve the problem.
Another possibility is to tell the lib rep that a certain portion of the
fund is for your own use and that they can have only so much of it to
spend.
===#3
From: "Lori A. Schwabenbauer" <lschwaben_at_hfc.edu>
I'd want to know what this library's collection development policy says
about adding to each subject area in proportion according to some
formula, whether number of students in the discipline, number of faculty
teaching, past usage in the area, etc. Maybe a change in the policy (to
add such stipulations) could be suggested without this particular
discipline or faculty member being mentioned.
Or perhaps this librarian could talk to the library dean, say that
"uneven wear" in the collection has been noticed, and offer(?) to
conduct a usage study by call number to see which areas of the
collection need to be increased and which don't need as much
development.
===#4
From: Ruth Hartman - Ventura County Library <rhartman_at_rain.org>
I'm not an academic librarian, so my answer might be off the mark. The
first thing I'd suggest is that the collection development librarian
convince the library dean that there is a problem. Show the pattern of
buying via acquisition records. Show the age of the books in the
sub-sub-field vs. the rest of the field. Show the circulation records for
the books in the sub-fields. Mention that there is the potential that
other faculty members of that department MAY become upset at the state of
the collection and MAY blame the library, rather than their rep! Once the
library dean sees the light, arrange a workshop for ALL faculty reps,
giving them the broader picture of collection development, and their
responsibility to truly represent ALL their colleagues. Give them ideas
for how to get input from their departmental colleagues so the rep knows
their needs. Be sure the reps have access to the selection resources they
need to cover their entire department's requirements.
The impression I get from this case is that other members of her
department are totally oblivious to what is in the library. Perhaps they
really don't care. If you think they would care, and the rep continues to
stonewall, you could arrange some quiet way of having them actually see
what is in the collection. One way of doing that would be to point out to
the members of that department that you are new, and would invite their
input in weeding the collection in their areas of expertise. Set up
individual meetings in the library with those who are interested, and, if
they are upset by the collection, suggest they give their rep a list of
books they want added.
===#5
From: Jim Niessen <niessen_at_rci.rutgers.edu>
I would recommend the questioner try and work with the department chair and the
rest of the faculty as well as with the departmental rep. While librarians may
feel they are not well-placed politically to stand up to a departmental rep,
consider this:
1. You seem to have facts on your side: gather circulation figures by field, and
present them first to your supervisor, then the rep, then to the department
chair
if the rep is not amenable to change. Your supervisor, department members, and
the chair might not be aware of the situation, or aware of what can be done to
change it. (Perhaps the rep tells her colleagues: well, we don't have much
money...).
2. If you broaden your contacts among department members you'll likely find
you're
stronger than you think. The departmental rep is just one person, and may not
really have the whole department behind her once they understand the situation;
whereas you are well-placed to demonstrated your even-handedness and get both
the
library and the department behind you. It may take awhile, but you'll likely
win
out.
Good luck!
Jim
--
James P. Niessen E-mail: niessen_at_rci.rutgers.edu
World History Librarian Phone: 732-932-7129 x136
Alexander Library - Rutgers University Fax: 732-932-1101
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1169
===#6
From: "Janell Carter" <janellcarter_at_hotmail.com>
Dear Colldv-l,
What you can do is to establish a policy that states to the effect that
"high priority is given to monographs falling within the curriculum; less
priority is given to those monographs supporting the research needs of the
faculty." In this situation, the new collection development librarian needs
to discuss this topic with the library dean.
Hopefully, this will lead to further discussion for the need to develop a
policy for monographs, if one does not already exist.
Because this is clearly not a research institution, the main purpose of the
monograph collection should be to serve the students at the undergraduate
level. Once this is adopted into the policy, the new collection development
librarian can have in hand a policy to back them up when this "high-strung"
departmental library representative requests a monograph that is more
suitable to their research needs and not to the research needs of the
students.
Janell R. Carter
Reference Librarian
Wilkes University
===
Thanks to all respondents. ja
Received on Wed Sep 12 2001 - 11:29:58 EDT