Books are the most important medium of communication in the humanities, a major medium in the social sciences, and a central component of academic library collections. This study examined humanities and social sciences books that won prizes from ten leading United States disciplinary associations between 2000 and 2009. The study extends earlier…

Macquarie University Library's planning for a new library coincided with a major renewal of the university's curriculum and research activity. This provided a significant opportunity to re-think the presentation of the library collections in the new environment. This article describes how strategic alignment with university goals and the framework…

This study uses the list of periodicals indexed by "Alternative Press Index" to examine the holdings rates of alternative press titles in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries. Results by subject clusters show low holdings rates. The impact on scholars, students, and library collections is discussed. (Author/LRW)

Argues that the internal organization of collection development and the nature of science and scholarship lead to inevitable gaps in collection development. The structural and intellectual causes of collection development gaps are analyzed, and a number of areas whose literatures are especially vulnerable to being ignored or overlooked by…

Offers suggestions for developing a collection policy that promotes the integration of government documents into an academic library's overall collection management objectives. Steps described include selecting appropriate agencies, selecting appropriate levels of collection intensity, assigning intensity levels to agency materials, and adjusting…

Examines the growing body of literature dealing with interdisciplinary academic research and discusses challenges that the erosion of subject-area boundaries presents to those selecting library materials. Reports on a case study that ascertained patterns of interdisciplinary research at Rutgers University's School of Communication, Information,…

Discusses the use of formula allocations for book and serial funds in academic libraries' collection development and proposes a matrix formula based on disciplinary needs and publishing patterns. Variables in the formula that are used to represent institutional goals at the University of Texas at Arlington are explained. (16 references) (LRW)

Discusses the choices academic libraries are making between digital collections and maintaining print collections and describes results of interviews with faculty at the University of Michigan that investigated their use of print and electronic journals. Topics include convenience; access; books versus journals; differences between subject areas;…

A study of position announcements for collection development and management librarians found in "College and Research Library News" is reported. Data are presented on mean salaries, required skills and experiences, desired skills and experiences, and responsibilities. Areas for further research are suggested. (15 references) (EA)

Describes a survey of academic libraries that explored serials collection assessment. Highlights include serials budget allocations; serials cancellation projects; changes in ratio of allocation by subject area; use of computers for serials collection assessment; use of vendors, especially for statistics; and future plans for collection…

Discussion of access versus holdings of academic library materials and the performance of document-delivery services focuses on work at the University of Liverpool (United Kingdom) that is investigating existing and future document supply services, including costs. Expresses concern regarding the low level of subject coverage by many of the…

Surveys resource sharing among libraries in the cycle of scholarly communication. Highlights include emergence of digital technologies; coherence within disciplines; collection development and innovative solutions; digital works for world knowledge; National Periodicals Center; subscription cancellations; electronic documents; new research areas;…

Provides a case study from the 1930s to the present of cooperative collection development at the Research Triangle university libraries (North Carolina). The rationale and principles for successful cooperation, types of cooperation that work best for different subjects and kinds of materials, and factors that promote long-term cooperation are…

Describes the Research Libraries Group (RLG) conspectus for collection evaluation and how it is being used to foster cooperation among North American libraries. Discussion of the internal benefits includes library planning, collection policy formation, staffing allocation and training, funding allocation and requests, accreditation, faculty…