Building the Collection
Course
Introduction [1:33]
In many ways, the library collection is the foundation of the school library program. From all the stuff you have in your collection—and the system for organizing and using it— librarians construct and teach lessons, provide reference, offer recreational reading, and design loads of activities and events. To make all that possible, you build the collection in an ongoing way, usually in a cycle of formalized exercises and day-to-day interactions. In this course, you will learn to assess community needs and evaluate your library collection, then select and process resources using your findings. Watch the video lessons and complete the reflection activities to deepen your collaboration within the learning community around you!
- Learn the value of curriculum mapping as it relates to building a relevant collection
- Learn about various collection analysis tools to help evaluate your collections in relation to your community's needs.
- Learn ways that the visual representation and usability of your collection influences the perceived value of the library's collection
- Learn how to use external resources to gauge societal and communal trends that influence collection development
- Learn to gather data from co-educators, students, and families to inform collection development
- Learn to leverage digital tools to create and manage curriculum mapping as a shared and continuously evolving process
- Learn how to create a reconsideration procedure for your library that upholds library and patron rights while addressing individual concerns
- Learn the value of examining the myriad of resources available for acquisition and support a diverse, ever-changing learning community
- Learn about various purchasing tools to support your learning community's unique collection development needs
- Learn how to approach selection criteria, including the weeding process, for an eBook collection
Each course lesson includes video content and at least one follow-up activity to help you apply and show evidence of your learning.
Introduction Video
Lesson 1: Evaluation and Management of the Collection Activity: Launch a Collection Analysis
Lesson 2: Community Analysis and Needs Assessment Activity: Conducting Informational Interviews
Lesson 3: Curriculum Mapping Activity: Develop a Curriculum Map
Lesson 4: Selection Policies and Procedures Activity 1: A Selection Policy for Your School Library
Activity 2: Reconsideration Procedures for Your Library
Lesson 5: Selection Tools Activity: Compare and Contrast Selection Tools
Lesson 6: Acquisitions and Processing Activity: Planning and Advocating for Future Acquisitions
Lesson 7: The E-Book Collection Activity: Discover eBook Platforms
Closing Video
Course Certification Quiz
Earn three professional development clock hours for completing this course's videos, activities, and quiz. Consult with your supervising organization about applying these to your professional development requirements.
To show evidence of learning for this course, complete and share responses to the following activities:
- Launch a Collection Analysis
- Conducting Informational Interviews
- Develop a Curriculum Map
- A Selection Policy for Your School Library
- Reconsideration Procedures for Your Library
- Compare and Contrast Selection Tools
- Planning and Advocating for Future Acquisitions
- Discover eBook Platforms
- Workshop Quiz Results / Certificate of Completion
School Library Connection is a publication of Libraries Unlimited, a publisher in the field of academic, public, school, and special libraries since 1964. Libraries Unlimited's mission—to cultivate and maintain a supportive community where librarians, archivists, and information specialists can learn about and discuss leading-edge trends and acquire new skills through every phase of their careers—is supported by over 2,000 publications. Since 2008, Libraries Unlimited has been an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, an award-winning publisher of digital and print products in the realms of reference, contemporary thought, and professional development. With both a long-standing reputation for authoritative and trustworthy materials and a current prominence in delivering cutting-edge content in diverse and innovative forms, ABC-CLIO continues to be driven by pursuit of its core mission: to serve as source, catalyst, and support of lifelong learning.
To make inquiries about this workshop, please email WebinarSLC@abc-clio.com.
To make all that possible, you build the collection in an ongoing way, usually in a cycle of formalized exercises and day-to-day interactions. In this workshop, Building the Collection, you will learn to assess community needs and evaluate your library collection, then select and process resources using your findings.
Some of the activities you'll learn about may sound like solo projects at first–running a collection analysis on your library's online catalog, for instance–but to go it alone would be to exclude critical perspectives and support. As you learn today, consider and promise yourself you'll call upon a network of people and resources who will make this process successful and useful for you.
For example, ask your principal for guidance in obtaining and analyzing test scores and demographic information. Seek out teachers for curricular needs. Connect with your students and families for language, reading level, and cultural considerations, and check in with school counselors and specialists for more student needs. Ask other librarians and use professional resources for guidance on policy and procedures. Let's begin.
Additional Resources
About the Author
MLA Citation
Brown, Stacy. "Building the Collection. Introduction [1:33]." School Library Connection, ABC-CLIO, February 2023, schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2293924?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930.
https://schoollibraryconnection.com/Content/Course/2293924?learningModuleId=2293930&topicCenterId=2293930
Entry ID: 2293924