Michelle Leonard

A bit of everything, some funny, some sad, some that will hopefully make you think

Are you spending money wisely? If you’re a technical services manager at an academic library, an administrator, or a dean, you’re tasked with proving it. Incorporate assessment and analysis work into your library’s existing workflow with the guidance of this new collection from the Association of Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS). Contributors from several academic libraries draw from real-world practices to suggest new approaches for acquisition and collections, cataloging and metadata, digital preservation, and e-resources and serials. You’ll find advice on such topics asassessing e-resource budgets, workflows, vendors, and collaborative initiatives;how to use multiple data sets to assess collections across subjects, formats, or other factors;working with data using common applications like Excel, Access, or MySQL;four types of preservation assessment and how to structure them for actionable results;ways to save on serial expenses while avoiding cancellations;seven key considerations for building a data warehouse; andbenchmarking techniques for improving metadata processesExploring your options for assessment will lead you to the right balance of traditional and new metrics, and this book provides a valuable overview.

This enlightening new book in the Practical Guides for Librarians series presents the practicalities of developing, implementing, and evaluating use-driven acquisition (UDA) in academic and special libraries, from the multi-dimensional perspectives of collections, acquisitions, and e-resources. Now that UDA is a proven method of collection management being utilized by an array of libraries around the globe, the need for a straightforward, uncomplicated guidebook is more essential than ever. This book is both a reference source and a guide for current and future librarians. In addition to chapters highlighting e-book, print, and article-level UDA plans, the book will also include considerations for budgeting, interlibrary loan, consortia UDA, ongoing management and assessment strategies, and stimulating future trends. Of special interest are project management cycles detailing each phase and steps of implementing UDA plans, and relevant case studies involving librarians and vendors who have established UDA plans in libraries of various types and sizes. This book provides a practical methodology for setting up use-driven acquisitions plans to acquire access to print and e-books for users in academic and special libraries. Every chapter covers important collection development and budgeting objectives of the library, and proposes methods to assess cost and usage of the content received to determine effectiveness and potential modifications to UDA plans. Practical features that can be used in day-to-day operations include: • Project management lifecycle with phases and steps for successful implementation • Sample reports and executive summaries for administrators • Marketing and branding strategies • Step-by-step checklists • Assessment tools and examples • Multiple case studies of various types of libraries, including budgets and current UDA policies • Evaluative survey questions • Interview transcripts • Glossary of terms and acronym explanations