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Library acquisitions involve selecting and obtaining resources that enrich the library’s collection and meet community needs. Librarians evaluate requests, monitor usage, and may receive donations, but must also weed collections to make room for new acquisitions. Different types of libraries have unique collection needs, and acquisitions librarians must understand their library’s mission to develop a useful collection. Academic, law, and business librarians have similar responsibilities in acquiring relevant resources for their respective fields.
Library acquisitions refer to the process of selecting and obtaining library resources. A librarian for acquiring or developing a collection reviews book requests and the library’s needs for new materials. During the acquisition process, a librarian will evaluate the collection and community needs and, within budget, purchase materials that enrich the library’s collection and further its mission. In some cases, a library may also receive donated materials, which are evaluated by a librarian and, if useful to the library, will be added to its collection.
There are many different types of libraries, each with their own collection needs. A librarian responsible for library acquisitions must have a thorough understanding of the library’s needs in order to develop a collection that is useful to patrons. In the context of a public library, an acquisitions librarian will likely screen various genres, such as popular literature, magazines, and children’s books, in order to make sure that the library offers a wide variety of popular and current reading materials. He or she will also monitor clients’ usage of various collections to be able to select appropriate additions to the library’s offerings. Many librarians make library acquisition decisions by considering reviews in journals and professional journals aimed at collection development librarians.
Library procurement departments often receive donations, which need to be processed. Some donations may not be appropriate for a particular library’s mission, and an acquisitions librarian is typically responsible for making this determination. While donations are generally encouraged and appreciated, it is not always possible for a library to accommodate all donated materials. Similarly, a collection development librarian may need to periodically weed his library’s current collection to make room for further acquisitions. While weeding collections and withholding donations can be controversial practices, they are often necessary given limited space in many libraries and concerns about library materials that contain outdated and potentially dangerous health or scientific information.
Acquisition librarians in other types of libraries perform similar tasks. Academic librarians working in library acquisition must ensure that the library subscribes to the academic and professional journals necessary for faculty and student research. Law librarians will be expected to keep relevant law journals and books available to members of their law firm, and may also be responsible for acquiring and maintaining legal databases. Likewise, business librarians may need to acquire a variety of up-to-date business materials, including legal resources, journals, and industry reports.
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