Collection Division Goals and Objectives 2007-2008

I. COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

Goal: Provide a collection of information resources that will support the identifiable research needs of the university community as well as those of scholars worldwide.

• Select new materials needed by faculty and students for research and study.
  • Consider digital versions due to user preferences, remote access, and simultaneous use, in line with the policy statement on electronic collections (http://intranet.lib.msu.edu/collmgt/manual/elecresourcespolicy.htm).
• Select retrospective materials, considering bundled backfiles and electronic formats.
• Select primary sources, media and other newly available digital resources.
• Balance time-savings and discounts from blanket orders with precision of firm orders.
• Evaluate standing orders on a regular basis to identify potential savings.
• Accept gifts and donations that enhance our collections.
• Respond to university curriculum initiatives:
• Monitor significant program changes and hiring decisions in Colleges and Departments.
• Monitor library impact of new degree proposals in the University Committee on Curriculum.
• Address collection implications for the expansion of the College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, and the expansion of the College of Osteopathic Medicine in Detroit.
• Maintain or increase collections in areas of strength.

II. SERVICE TO USERS

Goal: Provide instructional services and personal assistance to aid library users in identifying, locating, and using resources.

• Provide public service through reference operations, by appointment, and/or contacts outside the library
• Strengthen liaison contacts with Colleges and Departments:
• Educate faculty about scholarly communiction issues associated with digital formats.
• Cooperate with faculty to bring key library resources to the attention of students.
• Participate in ANGEL and other distance education programs.
• With the AD, write to new faculty hires in August, survey their serial needs for a report to Director of Libraries, and follow-up with on-campus contact.
• Maintain and publicize liaison and BI to all university programs, including the new residential college.
• Provide users with Web-based Research Guides:
• Review and/or update existing guides for accuracy and relevance annually.
• As needed create new research guides using LibData.
• Assist in implementing software that improves user access to digital resources, including OPAC upgrades (Encore), OpenURL (WebBridge) and federated searching (MetaFind).

III. COLLECTION MAINTENANCE

Goal: Organize, maintain, control, preserve and secure the collection for maximum utilization.

• Post accurate complete collection management procedures online:
• Improve the Collections Division web page(s).
• Correct and update the online Bibliographers Manual including links to forms and procedures.
• Make use of software to manage/evaluate databases including usage statistics, SerialSolutions, Electronic Resources Management, and OCLC WCA.
• Work with conservation and preservation staff to:
• Promote awareness of procedures.
• Identify portions of the collection with the greatest needs.
• Consider "medium rare" storage of some fragile or rare books.
• Consider the impact of mass digitization trends.
• Make best possible use of stack space:
• Withdraw unneeded duplicates in the collection.
• Withdraw journal backfiles when online versionsare adequate (coverage of content, permanence).
• Explore opportunities to contribute unwanted volumes to shared print archive initiatives, such as CRL.
• Take steps to preserve electronic resources:
• Pursue permanent access and third-party archiving in licenses for electronic subscriptions.
• Participate in archiving projects through the CIC, LOCKSS and/or Portico.
• Pursue local actions to preserve MSU-based electronic publications, in cooperation with Archives.
• Improve user access to materials through streamlined cataloging, indexing and finding tools:
• Support efforts to combine the OPAC and ERASMUS as a single search tool..
• Identify, obtain and load MARC OPAC records for electronic resources, microforms and other backlogs.
• Discuss cataloging priorities and options to improve visibility for MSU digitization projects, grey literature, RAMs, Web sites, PDFs, and titles in series.

IV. LIBRARY PROMOTION

Goal: Promote the use of the University Libraries and appropriate information resources.

• Work with the library Public Relations committee.
• Maintain direct bibliographer contacts with university faculty.
• Publicize significant library collections through the Features space on the Libraries Web page.
• Develop displays/exhibits that highlight collections.
• Support seminars, lectures and colloquia that promote our collections.
• Participate in programs that reach out to campus populations that under-use the library.

V. RESOURCE SHARING

Goal: Provide maximum access to resources for our users through cooperative efforts.

• Cooperate with CIC, CRL and other national consortia for efficiency and savings.
• Cooperate on state projects such as MelCat and the MLC electronic journal consortium.
• Cooperate with the MSU College of Law Library and the Library of Michigan.

VI. REMOTE ACCESS

Goal: Make Library resources available remotely.

• Purchase appropriate materials in digital formats that offer remote, multi-user access.
• Replace print-format resources with digital equivalents when suitable.
• Pursue electronic resources licenses that meet our needs, including walk-in access, ILL, perpetual access, and third party archiving.
• Pursue network technologies that facilitate remote access, consistent with security.
• Work with Development, the DMC, the Museum and the Archives toward digitization of MSU collections.
• Educate users about remote access to library collections, including Distance Learning Services support.

VII. ADMINISTRATION

Goal: Provide an appropriate space and environment, and administrative support, for research and study/services and activities.

• Keep Collection Development Policy statements current:
• Review and update each policy annually, and provide access at http://www.lib.msu.edu/coll_man/policy/.
• Describe collections using the guidelines in http://www.lib.msu.edu/libadmin/policies/CollMgtGuidelines_2-2-1.html.
• Revise and update the online Bibliographers Manual.
• Manage materials funds effectively and efficiently:
• Review materials budget expenditures in light of campus curriculum trends.
• Project serials inflation estimates to minimize end-of-year purchase situations.
• Manage TLE and unusual purchase opportunities to benefit the full range of programs and users.
• Share information within the division:
• Coordinators: hold regular meetings for selectors in their subject area groups.
• AD: hold coordinator meetings twice a month.
• AD: hold all-bibliographer meetings four times a year ("fifth Wednesdays").
• Post appropriate minutes for all staff.
• Carry out internal library administrative procedures on time:
• Submit personal goals & objectives for 2007-2008 in May/June 2007.
• Complete mid-year and spring merit evaluations in September and March.

VIII. DIVERSITY

Goal: Maintain a diverse staff with the skills to support the Libraries' goals.

• Hire and retain staff with appropriate skills.
• Serve under-represented populations through collections, staffing, instruction and liaison.
• Address library-related social issues through professional activities.

IX. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Goal: Contribute to the development and dissemination of new knowledge.

• Support staff development programs to keep staff skills up-to-date.
• Support professional and scholarly activity by members of the Division:
• Speaking, writing and other scholarly and creative activities.
• Participation in local, state, regional, national and international associations.

X. FUNDING

Goal: Seek additional sources of funding from outside the University.

• Pursue grants and fund raising targetted to library needs.
• With the library's Development Officer, manage our endowments carefully:
• Maintain accurate lists of collection-related endowments to show purposes and responsible responsible selectors.
• Maintain "wish lists" that are current, accurate and descriptive.
• Spend available endowment funds for the year, unless saving for larger future purchases.
• Report on purchases from endowments each fall to the donors.

URL = http://www.lib.msu.edu/sowards/colldev/Gs&Os08.htm
Page created 29 March 2007, last modified 19 February 2008.
Page editor: Steven Sowards.

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