Fundamentals of Managing Reference Collections

This is the essential guide to the knowledge and tools needed to successfully manage reference collections.
Fundamentals of Managing Reference Collections offers insight and best practice for designing, organizing and maintaining both tangible and virtual reference collections, no matter the size, and shows why managing without a plan is a recipe for clutter and confusion. In this very practical guide, reference librarians will learn:

• The importance of collection development policies, and how to effectively involve others in the decision-making process
• New strategies for selecting reference materials, both print and electronic
• Strategies for collection maintenance, including the all-important issue of weeding
• How to increase discovery and access
• How to manage acquisitions, budgets and licenses.
• This important new book will help librarians make better reference decisions, aligned to customer needs and expectations, especially significant with today’s limited budgets.

Readership: Reference collections managers and reference librarians.

Carol A. Singer is a reference and instruction librarian at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. One of her primary responsibilities is coordinating the development and management of the reference collection. Her research has focused on reference collections and services, as well as government publications. She is the author of many articles and the editor of Docs Prescriptions, the newsletter of the Government Documents Round Table of Ohio. Singer earned her master’s degree in library science at Indiana University.