This practical manual demystifies the process of creating and maintaining a quality school library collection—an invaluable resource for anyone working in a library media center. Today's school librarians have many different responsibilities, but arguably the most important aspect of their job is developing and maintaining a collection that their library customers love. School Library Collection Development: Just the Basics is an accessible, practical manual that explains the fundamentals of purchasing, developing, and managing a collection. Containing information useful to anyone from a paraprofessional working under the guidance of a certified school librarian to a newcomer to the field to a certified media specialist, this book covers all of the basics through best practices. The authors provide much-needed advice on how to add to an existing collection, how to weed books no longer needed, and how to process and inventory that collection. This book is a must-have resource for staff members who are new to school libraries and need an easy-to-read guide to help them quickly learn the job.

Packed with discussion questions, activities, suggested additional references, selected readings, and many other features that speak directly to students and library professionals, Gregory’s Collection Development and Management for 21st Century Library Collections is a comprehensive handbook that also shares myriad insightful ideas and approaches valuable to experienced practitioners. This new second edition brings an already stellar text fully up to date, presenting top-to-bottom coverage of the impact of new technologies and developments on the discipline, including discussion of e-books, open access, globalization, self-publishing, and other trends; needs assessment, policies, and selection sources and processes; budgeting and fiscal management; collection assessment and evaluation; weeding, with special attention paid to electronic materials; collaborative collection development and resource sharing; marketing and outreach; self-censorship as a component of intellectual freedom, professional ethics, and other legal issues; diversity and ADA issues; preservation; and the future of the field. Additional features include updated vendor lists, samples of a needs assessment report, a collection development policy, an approval plan, and an electronic materials license.

By focusing on the basics, readers can begin to reflect on and customize plans for action. A timesaver for the busy school librarian, this collection development digest is the tool you need to ensure success.

This work attempts to fill the void in the library literature relating to collection development policies for school libraries and to assist both library school students and professionals in the field with the compilation, revision, and implementation of policies.

Provides vision for strong school library programs, including identification of the skills and knowledge essential for students to be information literate. Includes recommended baseline staffing, access, and resources for school library services at each grade level.