Writing the Collection Assessment Manual |
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| Abstract: | A regular, systematic collection assessment program is essential to a well-managed collection development operation. But too often librarians lack the knowledge and skills to plan and conduct such assessments. To help librarians develop their professional competence in collection evaluation, this article rccommends a collection assessment training manual. Such a manual should provide not only the practical techniques and procedures necessary to conduct, analyze, and report the assessment activities and results, but also the broader rationale needed to develop tailor-made evaluation programs to meet a variety of assessment objectives. The article also recommends and discusses a number of collection-centered and client- centered measurement techniques that should be included in the manual as well as planning and reporting considerations and suggestions for format, etc. Developing an assessment manual requires considerable effort, but the effort is well invested when the results are better collection development decisions. |
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