Selecting materials:
a review of print and
online resources
Jim Agee
Selection of materials is the heart of good
library acquisitions, the best way to build a
quality collection. Although significant
differences exist among academic libraries, the
need for careful selection is common to all. This
article will discuss some selection tools from a
very large and dynamic field. It will include a
variety of print and online review sources. In
our increasingly digital world, it is essential that
we anticipate the end needs of our users and
provide them with the best materials possible.
However, busy librarians need tools to
acquaint them with the best new materials. This
article will introduce librarians to some of these
tools.
Catalogues
Although publisher catalogues may be
promotional and lacking in objective reviews,
they are often the first notice of a newly
published title. Catalogues vary in value, but
many new book catalogues ± especially in
esoteric subjects ± should be considered a
potentially useful selection tool.
Vendor catalogues can be useful tools,
showcasing new or popular titles. While
some librarians base selection on content,
others focus on materials that have been
selling well. This ``market demand''
approach for what is popular with readers
is reflected in the New York Times ``Best
Seller'' lists that are a popular guide for many
libraries.
Many vendors produce monthly bulletins
or catalogues. For example, Baker and
Taylor publishes Forecast (the Newest
Selection in Hardcover) (McArthur, 2002a);
Paper Clips (the newest selection in adult
paperback) (McArthur, 2002b); and Now
Hear This (the newest selection in audio
books) (De Blasi, 2002). These monthly
catalogues describe new and popular titles
and may include more than 1,000 books per
issue. Each title entry is illustrated with the
book cover and includes a brief paragraph
describing the contents. A very few include
journal reviews.
The author
Jim Agee is in the Library Acquisitions/Adjunct Faculty,
Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg,
Missouri, USA.
Keywords
Selection, Libraries
Abstract
Selection is the heart of good library collection building. This
article reviews a variety of print and online sources of
materials in an attempt to acquaint librarians with new
selection tools. Traditional print sources, such as publisher's
catalogues and monthly magazines, are discussed as part of
the larger attempt to locate both core and specialized
materials. Private and association online sites are reviewed.
In addition, three sites for literature that are freely available
in digital format are reviewed for their content. While these
sources represent only a sampling from the plethora of those
available, the scope of these reviewed sources may
encourage new ways of thinking about locating relevant
materials efficiently.
Electronic access
The Emerald Research Register for this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/researchregister
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0160-4953.htm
137
Collection Building
Volume 22
.
Number 3
.
2003
.
pp. 137-140
# MCB UP Limited
.
ISSN 0160-4953
DOI 10.1108/01604950310484465