Methods for Increasing Professional Competence in Collection Building

 

Master selection principles

Know "the lay of the land" regarding learning resources

Use professional reviewing tools

Accept responsibility for your selections

(1) don't pass the buck to authors, publishers, reviewers, recommenders, or

 other librarians

(2) select by professional guidelines

Don't trust authors and publishers across the board

Scan current periodicals to know what is going on in science, politics, etc.

Know the stature of the author it you are selecting in sensitive content areas
  1. seek balance and general authenticity
  2. choose the popular books that set off furors, then select the works that try to
answer them Monitor yourself for "drift"
    1. correct when you find yourself purchasing according to your own beliefs

      2. and interests

    2. select pro and con by conscious choice
Be willing to acquire books from small publishing concerns when they are well

reviewed

If you question the accuracy of a book, do some additional reading

 

[Adapted from Boardman's Censorship. 1993]