Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario by Chandrakala N. Pai and V. Sriram. In Digital Light: National Seminar on Digital Library Management, Davanagere, India. Dec, 24 2011 Abstract: Libraries play an important role in the changing scenario also in supplementing the information needs of its user. Academic libraries enjoy collecting, organizing and preserving materials for current and also future users. The collection of the library should aim to support both casual and serious reading habits of the individual user. Collection development is based upon an understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the collection, the availability of shared resources and the information needs of the community.

1. Digital Light: National Seminar on Digital Library Management,
Davanagere, India. Dec, 24 2011
Collection Development: To Improve Reading
Habits in Academic Scenario
Mrs. Chandrakala N Pai*
Librarian, Prin. KMK College of Pharmacy
Plot no. 23 Jote joy Building
R. S Marg, Cuffe Parade ,
Colaba, Mumbai -400005
email: kalapai@rediffmail.com
Mr. V Sriram
Chief Librarian, KNRaj Library
Centre for Development Studies
Prasanth Nagar, Ulloor,
Thiruvananthapuram-695011
email: vsrirams@gmail.com
* Corresponding Author
Abstract: Libraries play an important role in the changing scenario also in supplementing
the information needs of its user. Academic libraries enjoy collecting, organizing and
preserving materials for current and also future users. The collection of the library should
aim to support both casual and serious reading habits of the individual user. Collection
development is based upon an understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the collection,
the availability of shared resources and the information needs of the community.
Keywords: Collection development, reading habits, information need, academic library
I Introduction:
Collection Development is a planned process of acquiring materials through purchase,
exchange, gift, donations etc. Proper and systematic collection building in various formats
is a prerequisite to match the instructional and research needs of the campus within the
current fiscal environment and resource sharing opportunities. Collection development
policies are framed based upon an understanding of information needs of the community;
and it is a dynamic and continuous activity. It involves the users, the library staff, and the
subject experts on selection team. It is not an end in itself, but a means to develop a needbased, up-to-date, and balanced collection fit to meet the document and information needs
of the users.
II Academic library:
intellectual resource repository of the academic community and helps the members for their
Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario
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University, College, School, and Institutes for Higher Learning. Library is an important
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Academic libraries comprise of libraries attached to any educational institution such as

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self-development apart from taking care of the curriculum requirements. They also assist in
promoting studies and research. Library comprise of the trinity viz. collection, readers, and
staff. In an academic institution library plays an indispensable role in the dissemination of
information and knowledge.
A.
Collection:
Library collection can be described as the holdings of the library. The library collection
development includes systematic selection, acquisition and evaluation to meet the needs of
the clientele. Collection development as a planning process, uses the methodology of
planning, describing the present state of affairs, reviewing relative strengths and
weaknesses, considering environmental influences and other current trends, setting goals
and designing strategies to reach those goals. Collection development will have certain
constraints which differ from one place to another and from one time to another. However
the goal of collection development in any library is to meet the immediate and anticipated
information needs of users.
A.1
Definition:
Encyclopedia of Library and information science describes “library collection is the sum
total of library material - books, manuscripts, serials, governments, pamphlets, catalogues,
reports, microfilm reels, micro cards microfiche, punched cards computer tapes etc”.
Harold’s Librarians Glossary (6th edn) defines collection development as the “ process of
planning a stock acquisition programme not simply to cater for immediate needs but to
build a coherent and reliable collection over number of years to meet the objectives of the
services”
A.2.
Objective
A good library collection programme is expected to provide utmost satisfaction to the users
of the library. Some of the objectives of a planned collection development process are:
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2. Improve and expand research and curriculum instruction
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1. Provide information resources, services and support to users
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3. Identify staff development needs and offer programs to meet them
4. Improve Library facilities
A.3.
Elements of Collection Development policy
Collection development is a process of systematically building library collections to serve
study, teaching, research, recreational, and other needs of library users. It comprise of
several elements such as:
1. Purpose/Mission:
Resources will be selected for the Library's collections that
support the teaching, learning and research needs of the institution
2. User Profile :
Characteristics of the patrons, demographic information, age, what
purposes do they use the library, their occupations and disciplines
of interest has to be kept in mind during the collection
development
3. Materials:
The material selected should maintain an appropriate balance
between teaching and learning requirements and research needs
of the organization
4. Budget, Gifts
Explanation of the sources of funding and the identification of
potential donors has to be kept in mind.
5. Selection
Deciding which materials to buy for the library, as per the user
need
6. Acquisition
Acquiring the materials for the collection through purchase, gifts,
or Exchange programs.
7. Physical Space
Shelving of library materials is an expensive task. Shelves
overcrowded with low-use material may hinder access to
potentially high-use material. Overcrowded shelves lead to
improper handling of materials resulting in damage to collections
A.4.
Steps in collection development process
institution
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2. Formulation and implementation of selection policy to suit the objectives of the
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1. Analysis of the information needs of the users

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3. Acquisition programmes to build-up a balanced collection
4. Resource sharing and its impact on collection development
5. Weeding out programmes to ensure effectiveness of collection
6. Competitive vendors profile and rational budget and
7. Collection evaluation
B.
Library Resources
The library resource includes books, manuscripts, serials, government publications,
pamphlets, catalogues, reports, microfilm reels, microfilm, microfiche, computer tapes, cdrom’s, online databases, e-documents, e-journals etc.
C. Reader and Reading habits
Reader/user is an important component in a library system. The user community in an
academic library system consists of Faculty, students and educational administrators. To
create awareness and to promote the use of information it is necessary to know the needs of
the users.
C.1.
Reading Habits:
Speaking, writing and reading are the three abilities which differentiate Homosapiens from
other living beings. Reading is a cognitive process of understanding a written message.
Reading is a habitual behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost
involuntary. Reading is a gateway to knowledge; it is sine qua non to develop personality,
communication skill, enhance the vocabulary or to know the current information.
C.2.
Benefits of reading:
Reading is the integral part of human life - As food and water is required for our body
reading is for our mind.
1. Reading has the unique power of transforming the readers
2. Reading influence the extent of accuracy for information as well as the attitudes,
moral benefits, judgments and action of readers
3. Reading promotes intellectual growth, memory and improves one’s vocabulary
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4. Reading leads to building lifelong readers and lifelong learners
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5. Through reading there is a lot of increase in our capability of being creative. With
enormous store of knowledge, it becomes easy for us to bring in a flow of natural way of
writing and spontaneous expression.
6. Reading improves concentration and focus
7. Reading helps to builds knowledge and self-esteem
C.3.
Reason for decline in reading habit
Reading makes a man perfect. This is an old saying. Reading habit has been a great help in
developing knowledge, but today, in an age when browsing the net, playing with funky
handsets and passing non-stop SMS seem to be the order of the day. The Internet boom,
interactive medium of images, TV and the silver screen are filling the minds of the modern
youth, taking majority of their free time. It high time for all of us to think seriously how the
coming generations will find time to read. While technology is taking control steadily over
individual’s lives, the reading habit is fast vanishing, due to many reasons
1.
People think that reading books consumes more time than referring in the
computers. Computers seem to be more attractive to people than books
2.
Reading is not considered a relevant leisure activity as it does not form part of
children’s social interaction
3.
Value of reading is not known
4.
In the curriculum centered, and exam oriented education system reading does not
get its desired share of importance and priority.
5.
Students tend to depend more on the senior’s notes, guides for their study than
Independently preparing it themselves.
6.
The collection in the library is of less interest to the user
7.
The gadgets produced as off shoots of technological advancement has affected the
overall life style.
8.
In several institutions the library environment that prevail is not convenient for
Attitude of the librarian and the library staff in several institutions are not purely
professional.
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III.
Role of collection in developing reading
The library / knowledge center is acting as the service provider and there is a great demand
from the users to provide the nascent, updated and analyzed information speedily. The
libraries basically acquire, process, organize, manage and disseminate the information to
the users whenever required. The users visit the library for various purposes but their main
objective is to get the information available in their area of work. The user requirements
and service expectations form the libraries are growing and advancing. It is therefore
essential to provide the user-based services to the library clientele. For providing the user
based services the library professionals are required to understand the user needs and
requirements. These issues and requirements of users are the basis for formulating the
collection development policy and services. The library professionals have to look in to the
following aspects:
1
Finding the needs and expectations of the users
2
Build a proper and useful library collection by formulating collection development
policy
3
Select materials as per the set policy by following the different criteria and features
4
Use technology support to gather, collect and analyze the information and add the
value to it
5
Use new tools of information resources like Internet and searching the online
databases to get the appropriate information required by the users from the
various online resources
6
Understand the future needs of the users these aspects will help the library
users
IV.
Role of library staff in promoting reading habits
As advised by Melvil Dewey- Librarian should strive best in making available the best
literature at low cost to the maximum number of people. Thus Librarian should remember
the following:
2.
Encourage students to read regularly so that they grow mentally & achieve success
3.
Provide recreational reading material to initiate reading habit
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Understand the community and their need
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4.
Build up good collection of books and magazines for leisure time reading
5.
Update the knowledge about the syllabus and books useful for the students
6.
Collect books relevant to the lessons and curriculum
7.
Display newly received titles/title page, Library website OPAC etc
8.
Provide a congenial atmosphere and motivate the student to use library
9.
The Library staff should be polite and approachable to the user community
10.
Provide User education and Library orientation
UNESCO public library manifesto highlighted the importance and value of reading habit
as follows:
-Librarian should act as Advisor
-Library guides and notices
-Library handbook
-Bulletins and book lists
-Readers club or Reader forum
-Library co-operation
-Prizes for serious reader
-Book Talks
-News paper reading
V Conclusion
The library plays an important role of a social agency to spread education and selfeducation and promote reading. Collection of a library should aim to support both casual
and serious reading habits of individual users. Quality of a collection should be looked at
through the angles of both ‘Value – based’ and ‘Demand – based’ approaches. The
responsibility of developing a ‘Good’ collection should be ultimately shouldered by the
professional librarians. It is equally important to evaluate the collection of the library from
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time to time.
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VI References
1. Baker, S. L. (1991). Measurement and evaluation of library services. Virginia:
information resource press.
2. Buckland, M. (1989). Roles of Colllections and the scope of collection
development. journal of documentation , 213*226.
3. Collection Development Policy / Laval University. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.bibl.ulaval.ca/info/polsec.html.
4. Collection Development Policy / National Library of Australia. (n.d.).
http://www.nla.gov.au/policy/colldevt.html
5. Dartmouth College Library Collection Management & Development Program:
Guidelines for Writing Collection Development Policies, D. C. (n.d.).
www.dartmouth.edu/~cmdc/bibapp/cdpguide.html.
6. Dhiman, G. E. (2002). Academic Libraries. New Delhi, : ESS ESS Publication.
7. Drummond, R. C. (1991). A joint venture : Collaboration in collection
development building. Collection Management , 14 (12), 59-72.
8. Evans, G. E. (1995). "Developing library and information center collections,"
3rd ed. Englewood, CO: : Libraries Unlimited.on, A. D. (n.d.).
www.enssib.fr/autressites/poldo/index.html.
9. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
released the. (2004). Retrieved from http://www.ifla.org.
10. Prasher, R. (1993). Developing library’s collection. New Delhi: Medallion.
11. Schamber, L. ((2009).). Library Collection Development in an Electronic Age.
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12.Wortman, W. (1989). A. Collection Management: Background and Principles.
Chicago : American Library Association.
Collection Development: To Improve Reading Habits in Academic Scenario