Whether libraries have a designated Local Studies Librarian or not, they have to provide this service and manage their own local studies collection. This book will be a guide to key areas they need to know about, each chapter by a different expert: introduction and background; resource providers (who holds what types of record); policy, finance, staffing, accommodation; different media - sound, print, photographic - information they hold and how to access it; acquisition, cataloguing and classification; management and preservation; marketing the collection; dealing with enquiries. The guide is aimed at public, academic and specialist librarians, archivists, and will also be relevant to those working with local authority records, local history societies and private collections.

A helpful and informative guide for librarians responsible for local studies collections covering the key issues in the twenty-first century. Each chapter is written by a different specialist, covering: resource providers; management of service provision; management of the collection and its materials (from books and pamphlets to microforms, CD-ROMs and websites); information access and retrieval; marketing; dealing with enquiries. Introductory and concluding chapters consider the local collection within its library context, the wider cultural, social, political and economic setting, the international local studies perspective and the future for this specialism in the UK. The guide is aimed principally at public librarians but will be of interest to academic, school and special librarians, library school students, archivists, those working with local history and related societies, and those in charge of private collections.

In this book, collection management staff at academic libraries will find fertile ideas for transforming print collections to become more engaging and widely used by the diverse communities they serve.

Health Sciences Collection Management for the Twenty-First Century is intended for those with any level of experience in health sciences collection management. This book from the authoritative Medical Library Association starts with the context of health sciences publishing and covers the foundations of selection, budgeting, and management. It won’t tell new librarians what to buy but will give them background and criteria that should go into their selections. However, the focus of this book is not only on best practices but also on the big picture and the deeper changes in the field that affect decision making. Subjects not always covered in many collection development textbooks such marketing or accessibility are included because they are part of the larger collections landscape. Chapter contributors bring their own perspectives to the topics. Stories of different libraries’ experiences bring interesting topics to the forefront in practical, specific, and timely detail. While whole books have been written that go into some of these topics more in depth on their own, the treatment of each topic here focuses on the unique perspective and concerns of the collection manager.

The Digital Age and Local Studies examines the impact of various electronic developments, particularly the internet on local studies librarianship. The recent explosion in use of the internet has been matched by an increased interest in local, family and community history, all areas in which local studies libraries excel. The book provides practitioners with practical advice on the provision of web-based services for users. Such areas as e-genealogy and e-learning are covered. Importantly, the book provides examples of best-practice and shows how practical lessons can be learned from the experiences of the innovators in the field. - Nothing comparable in print and has contemporary relevance - Increased recognition of the importance of local studies - Covers the electronic revolution which has not been addressed in this field

First published in 1992, this volume recognises that it is not unusual, when practising librarianship, to come across small to medium collections within the library, which, because they are different from the main collection, are outside the librarian’s experience or are a new type of material not properly managed or exploited. Therefore this volume contains chapters on a range of materials which are united by a certain rarity in the experience of most librarians. It is aimed at those who need to know how to progress from scratch with a collection, but not necessarily to take it into complete specialization. There is information about characteristics of each type of material as well as guidance for their management. Lists of further reading are provided and a note of some important collections.