Competency F
>
Use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items.
Introduction
The foundation of effective collection management lies in understanding the fundamental principles that guide library science. Ranganathan's (1931) Five Laws of Library Science provide a timeless framework that emphasizes the importance of accessibility, relevance, and adaptability in serving the diverse needs of library patrons.
The Five Laws of Library Science
- Books Are For Use
- Every Reader [Their] Book
- Every Book Its Reader
- Save The Time Of The Reader
- The Library Is A Growing Organism
(Ranganathan,1931)
Guidance by Ranganathan (1931) Five laws can help influence the establishment of strong policies, strategies, and infrastructure in place for the selection, evaluation, and preservation process of collection management. Collection development policy should also abide by current professional standards and procedures, focusing on diverse content selection, including materials that are self-published, independently published, locally focused, relevant to marginalized groups, and use inclusive language (American Library Association, 2019). It is also crucial to provide resources in as many formats as obtainable possible in order to meet a broad range of patron needs.
Collection managers who effectively incorporate strategic planning with a focus not just on internal impact but also on external trends and influences into their collection development policy can assure better evolution of the collection over time (Disher, 2022). By aligning collection development practices to emerging trends and user needs, they can create a dynamic and responsive collection that not only preserves valuable resources but also adapts to the changing landscape of information needs and technological advancements. Adopting a proactive stance ensures that libraries remain relevant and effective in serving their communities by fulfilling the mission of saving the time of the reader while fostering a growing organism that thrives on diversity and inclusivity.
Selection
The selection of materials for any collection, whether it be physical or digital, must ensure that "every reader [has] their book." Ranganathan's (1937) second law emphasizes how essential it is to grasp the various needs and interests of the community that the library serves. Selection primarily relies on logical information while also taking emotional factors into account; judgment is needed, and decisions are influenced by a variety of environmental factors, with quality assessments also playing a crucial role (Evans, 2019). Only a small portion of new resources receive reviews, and it takes time and practice to evaluate quality well. Despite this, reviews can help make quality judgments, especially in smaller libraries where resources may be limited and staff may have less time to conduct thorough evaluations.
Evaluation
Evaluation of library collections can be said to align with the first law, which states that "books are for use." This principle highlights that patrons' use of library materials is key to collections and also that materials are preserved and accessible, especially if availability is limited elsewhere. Weeding library collections is an important process that entails evaluating items according to their condition, usage frequency, and applicability to the needs of the community (Gregory, 2019). When deciding which materials should be removed from the collection, librarians must carefully consider which items are damaged, out-of-date, or no longer useful, e.g., items that are discolored, moldy, or have deteriorated. This process can also be enhanced by identifying materials through gathering qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate collections, focusing on aspects such as circulation statistics, title counts, and user feedback, while also considering the unique characteristics of electronic resources.
Organization
Ranganathan's (1937) fourth law, "Save The Time Of The Reader," can be a guiding beacon in the organization of library collections. For resources to be easily accessed and retrieved, they must be organized well. Effective collection organization involves the creation and maintenance of metadata that accurately describes the resources and facilitates their discovery. Creating and validating technical metadata for digital records is often a labor-intensive challenge and can be complicated by the integration of multiple systems of modern library management (Gorjevsky & Sokolova, 2016). Although the automation of creating digital records is generally easier than manual entry, it requires a great deal of time and effort to create, maintain, and manage.
Preservation
Preservation can be seen as related to Ranganathan's (1937) fifth law, which states that "The Library Is A Growing Organism." This idea acknowledges that in order to satisfy shifting patron demands and technological breakthroughs, libraries must change and develop over time. According to Skinner (2022), the five primary activities of preservation are refreshing, reformatting, replication, and emulation. Implementing a proactive preservation strategy needs to be well defined, and it is important that it aligns with broader organizational strategic plans (Ashley, 2016). This is especially the case when third parties are involved. Both documentation and transparency are vital in this context in order for stakeholders and those in charge of or involved in long-term preservation projects to accurately identify and address risks to digital assets with lasting value.
Competency Development
My career in libraries began with digital preservation. My first job as a student worker in the digital services department of an academic library worked closely with archives and special collections. Some of the projects I worked on were the transcription of born-digital oral histories to make the collection more accessible, aiding emulation through scanning and enhancing 35mm photo slides to be displayed on the university's digital repository, and using a large scanner to digitize college newspapers. Later on in my role as a research services assistant, I aided in a large-scale weeding project, locating what materials could be found at other institutions that could be removed from the library's collection.
The primary course that built my competency in collection development was by far INFO 284 Enterprise Content Management. It featured weekly readings and discussions about the theory and practices of preservation, a projection to building a digital repository with Microsoft SharePoint, as well as skills in digital archiving with Preservica. In INFO 246, Big Data and its implications for libraries, as well as INFO 220, Data Services Librarianship, provided hands-on projects and discussions that focused on data curation and reproducibility.
Evidence
Evidence 1
INFO 284 - Group Project - Preservica Digital Repository \ Image of Access Page \ Image of Object in Collection \
This group project focuses on creating a curated digital collection in Preservica designed for travel agents and independent travelers. Our collection features high-quality images and maps of notable destinations across four regions: the British Isles, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Scandinavia. Each group member selected images that best represented their chosen region. My contribution was in the section Scandinavia. After determining as a group to standardize our metadata to the Dublin Core Metadata standard for the structure and the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF) as the controlled vocabulary, each group member entered the metadata for their respective regions. The resulting collection was connected to a WordPress site for public accessibility, allowing users to easily explore and discover travel options tailored to their interests.
This project serves as strong evidence of Competency F by showcasing my ability to effectively select, evaluate, organize, and preserve both physical and digital information items. Throughout the development of our curated collection, I actively participated in the selection process, ensuring that each image and map was not only visually representative of its destination but also relevant and useful for travel agents and potential travelers. By employing the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set as our metadata schema, I demonstrated an understanding of the principles of organization and standardization, which facilitated consistent and accurate metadata entry across our collection. Additionally, the use of the VIAF controlled vocabulary ensured the clarity and reliability of our metadata. Our decision to maintain JPG file formats for accessibility while considering TIFF formats for preservation also illustrates an intentional approach to the lifecycle of digital assets.
Evidence 2
This is a video describing the SharePoint page I built to serve as a central information management hub for collaboration, resource sharing, and project tracking. The homepage features color blocks for quick access to important information, including a countdown timer for our network launch, a news feed for updates, and a photo gallery for outreach materials. I've designed user-friendly navigation to help team members easily access various pages, including a dedicated installation team page with detailed processes and timelines. Additionally, I created a project tracker to monitor our initiatives and a working documents library for collaboration. Additionally there is an embedded map of library branch locations, which I developed using an open-source tool called Kepler.gl.
This project exemplifies Competency F by demonstrating my ability to select, evaluate, organize, and preserve digital information effectively. In creating the SharePoint site, I carefully selected relevant content and resources that align with the organization's mission, ensuring that all information is pertinent and useful for team collaboration. I organized the site with a clear structure, utilizing intuitive navigation and categorized pages to facilitate easy access to essential documents, project trackers, and outreach materials. Additionally, I implemented a working documents library with records declaration features to preserve the integrity of collaborative efforts and maintain version control.
Evidence 3
This tidy data assignment emphasizes reproducibility by providing a clear citation and access steps for the OpenGrey dataset, ensuring that other researchers can easily obtain the same data. It includes a comprehensive description of the dataset's origin and structure, along with meticulous documentation of the data preparation process using OpenRefine, including SQL queries and specific transformations. The assignment details the identification and removal of outliers, renaming of columns, and splitting of data into meaningful categories, enhancing usability. Additionally, it highlights the importance of exporting the cleaned dataset in a widely used format and includes a .JSON file documenting the session history, which allows others to replicate the workflow.
The tidy data assignment exemplifies Competency F by emphasizing the preservation of digital information through careful management practices. The assignment ensures the dataset's longevity and accessibility by exporting the cleaned data in a widely used format, i.e., CSV, and storing it in multiple locations, including local drives and cloud storage. Additionally, the inclusion of a JSON file documenting the session history in OpenRefine serves as a vital record of the data preparation process, facilitating future access and reproducibility. This underscores the importance of maintaining the integrity and usability of digital information over time and safeguards the dataset for ongoing research.
Evidence 4
In this case study assignment, "Libraries’ Role in Curating and Exposing Big Data," I examine how libraries are adapting to managing and sharing big data. While the authors of the article argue that library data is not currently considered big data, I believe it can play a crucial role in linking various knowledge domains. I also reflect on how libraries can improve their infrastructure and technology to better curate big data, advocating for decentralized systems that promote collaboration and accessibility. I then recognize the challenges librarians face, such as the need for advanced resources and training, while also seeing opportunities to bridge access gaps and build community trust in the digital age.
This case study assignment qualifies as evidence for Competency F in that I analyze how libraries can effectively curate and expose big data, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure and decentralized systems to enhance accessibility. By discussing the importance of structured schemas and the role of librarians in bridging access gaps, I illustrate my knowledge of the evaluation and organization of information resources while considering their long-term preservation and usability in the context of big data.
Conclusion
I hope to continue to build my skills in selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation by actively engaging with emerging trends and community needs of the libraries I serve. I plan to continue to grow my understanding of diverse content selection and inclusive practices, ensuring that I can provide equitable and relevant collections for patrons. I believe there's much to be contributed to in the evolution of libraries as dynamic, responsive institutions, especially in terms of data curation, management, and preservation. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues and community members to develop innovative programs and services that enhance access to information and foster a culture of lifelong learning. By staying attuned to technological advancements and the shifting landscape of information consumption, I aim to help position libraries as the linchpin to ever-flowing streams of information and as the intersection of literacy, community, and knowledge.
References
American Library Association. (2019). Diverse collections: An interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/diversecollections
Ashley, L. J. (2016). “Theory: Creating a Preservation Strategy”. In P. C. Bantin (Ed.).Building Trustworthy Digital Repositories: Theory and Implementation, (pp. 307-312) Rowman & Littlefield.
Evans, G. E., & Saponaro, M. Z. (2019). Collection management basics (7th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.
Disher, W. T. (2022). Managing collections. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 332-341). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Gorjevsky, J. & Sokolova, D. (2016). Implementation: Finding a Black Cat in a Dark Room: Capture and Creation of Usable Metadata. In P. C. Bantin (Ed.).Building Trustworthy Digital Repositories: Theory and Implementation, (pp. 307-312) Rowman & Littlefield.
Gregory, V. (2019). Collection development and management for 21st century library collections: an introduction (2d ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Hunter, G. S. (2020). Developing and maintaining practical archives: A how-to-do-it manual (3rd ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.
Ranganathan, S. R. (Shiyali Ramamrita). (1931). The five laws of library science. Madras: The Madras Library Association. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b99721
Skinner, K. (2022). Curation and preservation. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 179-191). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.