Collection Development in the Electronic Environment

Book excerpt: This book, first published in 1999, suggests proven, effective strategies to deal with a librarian's most pressing problems. One case study shows how Iowa State University turned a cutback in journals into a new vision of what the library should be, involving a broad-based committee in the project. Other chapters discuss the specifics of budgeting for the unpredictable pricing of electronic materials, the increased demands on library staff, and the challenges of maintaining dual libraries—the electronic and the paper-based—both facing expensive issues of preservation. Through case studies and first-hand experiences, it provides fresh analysis to guide the library into the electronic era.