Synopsis
Get informed answers to your questions and concerns about integrating the materials in your library’s collection
Library collections have always included materials in many formats—handling a mix of material types is an accepted part of library work. And in recent years, the very concept of “collection” has been significantly redefined by the addition of electronic resources. But are print and digital materials really merged in library collections or are they treated and maintained as separate entities? Integrating Print and Digital Resources in Library Collections examines a variety of collection management issues, combining practical theory, research findings, “how-to” articles, and opinion pieces to encourage efforts in establishing fully integrated and accessible collections.
While achieving a truly integrated collection can be difficult, the failure to do so can lead to duplication of access, effort, and expense. Integrating Print and Digital Resources in Library Collections can help guide you through the difficult aspects of keeping your collection up-to-date, including the “Big Deal” and consortial purchasing, shifting the emphasis from purchasing print to procuring online resources for library reference work, analyzing use patterns of electronic versus hard copy resources, serials workflow studies, and review projects.
Integrating Print and Digital Resources in Library Collections examines:
- the implications of electronic resource licenses
- future directions of academic reference collections
- technologies that can help integrate electronic resources into reference collections
- the “Big Deal”—the purchase of access to large aggregations of materials in electronic formats
- integrating electronic resources into the collections of ARL libraries
- a corporate library’s progression to an all-digital collection
- how to decide what can—and can’t—be digitized
- how large e-book collections affect the circulation of comparable print collections
- and much more!
Doody Review Services
Reviewer:Tracie J. Ballock, B.A., MLS(Duquesne University)
Description:In this timely collection of articles, research projects and case studies, librarians from several institutions discuss some of the numerous issues facing libraries as they try to integrate their print and digital resources. This compilation of articles was copublished simultaneously as The Acquisitions Librarian, Numbers 35/36, 2006.
Purpose:The editor's extensive experience shows in this well-chosen collection of scenarios addressing varied aspects of librarianship related to digital resources and their integration into library collections. The book enables librarians to compare their own processes, decisions, and even dilemmas to those of other institutions.
Audience:Although many of the issues discussed in this work are currently being addressed in most libraries, it should still be a useful and informative read for most academic librarians.
Features:The editor begins with an insightful introduction describing some of the challenges libraries face as collections become more focused on digital resources. The articles that make up the 13 chapters of this book are written by academic librarians and fall into one of three content categories: issues and opinions, research and analysis, and histories and projects. Since the chapter authors come from a variety of academic institutions and library departments, the book covers a wide range of topics and perspectives. Discussions include how integrating these resources impacts both public and technical services when dealing with budgeting, selection of resources and formats, license agreement negotiations, cataloging, creation of access points, and maintenance issues. The book also covers debate over the need to continue specific print resources and analysis of current trends. Each chapter includes a list of valuable references, and the book concludes with a useful index of terms.
Assessment:It is apparent that the purchase and integration of digital resources are dramatically changing libraries and their collections. Since this work offers many real-life examples of what may or may not have worked at other institutions, it will be a beneficial read for academic librarians on all levels.