What questions should you ask when reviewing library collection development policies? What do we need to consider as the purpose of libraries evolves? Learn to think like a designer and innovate how we approach creating and using library collection development policies. Created for a collection development and management course at UCLA.

1. Collection Assessment
& Policies
IS 430 (UCLA)
Sarah Clark
Monday, October 14, 2013

2. Overview of Today
1. Design Thinking Crash Course (90 min)
2. Discussion of readings and how to innovate
approach to collection policies (20 min)
3. Evaluation of collection policies (30 min)
4. Collection policy brainstorm (20 min)
5. Closing

3. Evaluate your CD Policies
● How well does the policy
address criteria listed in
Gregory textbook? Assess
the strengths and
weaknesses of the policy.
● Is there a mission for the
policy?
● How well does the policy
address the library
mission and user needs?
If it does not do this well,
what suggestions would
you make for amending
the policy?
● How flexible is the policy?
How often would it need
revision?
● What changes would you
suggest to make this policy
more focused on ways the
library supports users and
their needs? How can it be
less library-focused?
● How might you use a
design-thinking
approach to revising how
libraries approach creating
collection policies?

4. Elements of a CD Policy for your
Institution Type
● There are many
possible elements of a
CD policy. For the
group’s institution type,
which aspects make the
most sense for inclusion
and why?
● What seems to be
●
outdated in CD
policies? What needs
rethinking?
Consider how CD
policies are normally
written and consider
your library’s mission
and how it is to serve its
community. How could
the nature of the CD
policy be rethought?