From School Library Journal
Thirteen chapters range from historical descriptions to depictions of the current library landscape. The human dimension of collection management, policies, selection, acquisition, evaluation, and funding management are also examined. Of high interest is the chapter entitled "Collection Management Dilemmas in the Digital Age." Phyllis Van Orden's words on weeding (in the chapter on maintaining collection viability) will provide comic relief. The text is clear and well organized with excellent use of headings, bullets, and charts. An extensive bibliography, a useful index, and sample policies are included. This book would well serve any school library management course and should be consulted by those of us "in the trenches" who need material to back policy proposals, funding requests, or grant writing. For those who don't need a lot of theory, but prefer a "nuts and bolts" approach, try Karen R. Lowe's
Resource Alignment: Providing Curriculum Support in the School Library Media Center (Beacon Consulting, 2001).
-Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Clear and well organized...This book would well serve any school library management course and should be consulted by those of us "in the trenches" who need material to back policy proposals, funding requests, or grant writing. (
School Library Journal )
...this text provides a general guide for any teacher-librarian serious about responsibly developing a school collection. All facets of collection management are included in the text, from drawing up a policy for collection development through to the funding of such a project....it would be suitable as a text for use in library studies courses at TAFE and university undergraduate levels. (
Orana )
...the conceptual discussions of collection management issues and practices are well written and...thought provoking...the balance of local library applications...will make the material immediately valuable. The book succeeds in communicating the complexities of collection management. It represents a valuable resource for school librarians facing the challenges of this work. (
Technical Services Quarterly )
...useful for teaching the theories involved in collection management in school library media centers. (
Arba )
