Collections and Collection Development Exercise in Libraries: A Perspective in View

This paper examines what collection is all about and the concept collection
development exercise in libraries stating the methods used in actualizing the
collection development which are community need assessment, selection, and
placing order, receiving/checking. This study also outlines some procedures for
acquiring information resources in the collection development department which
are: purchase, exchange, legal deposit, gift/donation, subscription, photocopies,
inter-library loan and weeding. It also states some problems associated with the
collection development department as: relegation of the library to the
background; poor numeration of the library staff; glory driven consciousness of
the library staff; lack of required information resources and lack of financial
resources. This paper pointed out some relevant impact that collection
development department can accrue to any of the libraries practicing it. The
study thus concluded by proffering some recommendations that will help to make
the library and the collection development department vibrant.