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Purpose – The purpose of this article is to encourage public librarians to reconsider the future value of their paper book collections. Design/methodology/approach – The author interacts with developing trends to make an argument for supporting paper book collections in the digital age. Findings – The liquidation of Borders Group Inc. provides the public library with an opportunity to market its paper collections to publishers and paper book buyers. Originality/value – The article offers a contrarian perspective on the enduring value physical book collections will play in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to offer a reflective analysis of project planning for the legal disposition of a large Federal Documents Collection in an off-site storage facility. Design/methodology/approach - This paper provides a case study. Findings - This paper examines specific steps in a project plan for relocation and disposition of Federal Documents received under the Federal Depository Library Program. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the discussion of library space needs, the disposition of tangible resources in an increasingly electronic age and the challenges libraries face in managing collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a library with useful information about selection criteria for an electronic resource assessment system and practical assistance on how to implement efficiently such a system. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on literature review, desk research, and implementation experience. Findings - The paper identifies a number of homegrown, open-source, and commercial electronic resource assessment systems and discusses their selection criteria. Based on the implementation of 360 Counter, the paper details the efficient way to implement the system. Originality/value - Collecting usage statistics is very important to make informed and well-rounded collection decisions. Libraries are seeking suitable measuring tools to meet their needs. This paper reviews several electronic resource assessment systems, discusses the selection criteria and implementation process of 360 Counter, and detailed learned lessons as well. Future directions for usage statistics are also explored. It is believed that the deployment experience should be instructive when carrying out similar projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to address the challenges that special collections repositories face when creating digital surrogates driven by researcher demand, to link these digitization issues with archival practice, and to provide recommendations for improvement. Design/methodology/approach - Presents an overview of the development of the University of Maryland Libraries' digital imaging workflows and a critique of current practices. Findings - A viable digital repository can be built from surrogates created in response to researcher demand, but there are limitations to this approach, with opportunity for improvement. Research limitations/implications - As a case study, this paper is limited to one institution's perspective. Practical implications - Provides insight into constructing and managing digitization programs at special collections repositories. Originality/value - This paper offers a case study approach for an institutional digital repository influenced heavily by researcher demand, in contrast to a digital repository constructed with a more structured plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to show how Olin Library has maintained exceptional service to its users before, during and after a periodicals review resulting in deep subscription cuts. Design/methodology/approach - The paper takes the form of a review of activities at the Library during a time of financial restraints. Findings - Although Olin's cancellation project is not entirely completed, there is sufficient anecdotal evidence that the exceptional service has not deteriorated. At some point, soon after the cancellations are in place, a survey should be initiated to confirm this assumption about exceptional service. Practical implications - Several guidelines are presented and discussed that may be useful for other libraries faced with having to make tough periodicals decisions after being directed to cut budgets by their administrations. Originality/value - The paper provides guidelines that should greatly benefit librarians in facilitating a periodicals review and the resulting cuts during difficult economic times while still providing the service to which users are accustomed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Poets House, a poetry special collection in New York, hosts an annual exhibit of the preceding year's poetry publications in the USA. This paper aims to offer a selection of recommended titles that reflect the range of poetry titles including single-author works, anthologies, and prose about poetry. Design/methodology/approach – The paper researched and requested donations of 2010-2011 poetry titles from US poetry publishers to assemble and display a comprehensive collection of poetry publications, from which a selection of 50 titles was made. The selections should appeal to a range of poetry readers, from novices and students to poets looking to access the latest work from their peers. Findings – Over 2,500 poetry titles were published and/or available to readers in the USA between June 2010 and June 2011. These titles range from mainstream publishers to independent presses to artists' collectives publishing works from established poets as well as emerging and international poets. Research limitations/implications – Without a budget for collection development, the exhibit and resulting titles represent those which publishers have opted to donate to the library. Every effort is made to be all-inclusive, with the understanding that publishers may send only a selection of their list. The selected titles herein are based on the titles received for the exhibition. Practical implications – For 19 years Poets House's annual Showcase has been the main collection-development tool. Publishers donate copies of their titles, which are arranged by publisher for a month-long exhibition. This approach enriches the poetry special collection, a unique poetry library built on community participation. The all-inclusive collection-development approach results in a full representation of poetry publishing. Originality/value – A selection made from a comprehensive collection of the year's poetry titles offers a sample of poetry publishing from large to small presses and the self-published in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate if collection developers in American academic libraries have added predominantly "yellowface" movies to their collections, or have actively sought out movies created and acted by Asian and Asian Americans, to balance out their libraries' collections. Design/methodology/approach – In total, ten acknowledged "yellowface" movies and ten critically acclaimed Asian and Asian American movies were chosen. The collections of 157 academic libraries throughout the entire USA were then surveyed, including geographical areas that have had very few Asians or Asian Americans in their populations throughout their histories. Findings – The results show that neither "yellowface" movies nor Asian and Asian American movies are overtly dominant in the collections of American academic librarians, and one can conclude that the collection developers actively sought to find a balance between movies in both categories, no matter the geographical locations of their libraries. Social implications – No matter how unsavory is our racist past, representations of past bigotry and discrimination should be available for scholars of history, cultural studies, and sociology. However, interpretations of Asians defined with this jaundiced eye must be balanced with movies of Asians and Asian Americans defining themselves. Originality/value – The area of Asian and Asian American movies is rather small and arcane, yet the results of this survey show that there are no academic areas too small or narrow that do not demand the attention of a knowledgeable collection developer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated definition of academic liaison work and examine methods for developing effective liaison relationships. Design/methodology/approach - The authors reviewed and incorporated recently published (1989-2009) material relating to academic liaison work. In addition to published material the authors conducted a survey of faculty in their liaison areas during the fall 2008 semester in order to access their knowledge and satisfaction with liaison services. Findings - The paper finds that liaison work is multifaceted and success is based both on administrative support and the individual liaisons efforts. Originality/value - The originality of this work includes the definition of liaison work and requirements of academic liaisons in today's libraries. The paper is of value to current academic liaisons and librarians just entering the field of academia. The paper incorporates recent research, an author conducted survey and the authors' nearly two decades of combined liaison experience and may serve as an overview of the expectations and potential benefits of academic liaison work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Patron driven acquisitions (PDA) programs have emerged as an important component in library collection practices. The authors aim to report on four PDA programs (two completed, two currently underway) undertaken by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign either by itself or in partnership with a statewide academic library consortium known as CARLI. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a case study approach based on their professional experience and direct involvement with these programs. Findings – The programs were built on successful partnerships with both vendors and consortial partners; each program was informed by and built on the success of the previous one. The processes can be scaled up and applied to larger systems in order to maximize their impact and user satisfaction. Originality/value – Acquisitions librarians and selectors will find the local PDA programs of interest, while the consortial approach will be of interest to anyone involved with building and sharing collections in a multi-institutional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]