This SPEC Kit, published six times per year, examines how Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries have structured themselves to identify networked information resources in the market, to evaluate them for purchase, to make purchasing decisions, to publicize them, and to assess their continued utility. In the summer of 1999, the survey…

A case study based on theories of loose coupling and loosely coupled systems focuses on the relationship between librarians and faculty who share collection development responsibilities. Data indicates that areas of collaboration at a public comprehensive university library center more on procedures of collection development than on substantive…

Librarians at Harvard University have written the most comprehensive guide to selecting research collections for digitization. This article applies the Harvard Model to a digitization project at Indiana University in order to evaluate the appropriateness of the model for use at another institution and to adapt the model to local needs. (Contains 7…

Reports on the book-buying trends and predilections of libraries at two-year colleges, four-year colleges, universities, and large research institutions. Four tables and figures show findings for purchasing power of academic libraries; areas academic librarians believe need more titles; most-bought book categories; and sources used to make…