Page 158 - DLIS003_LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

Unit 9: Acquisition Section

procedures. Collection development, another important function of the library, should be based Notes
on such policies and programmes as would:
(a) Enable the library regularly to receive the books, periodicals, reports, memoranda,
standards, specifications, etc., published all over the world as quickly as possible; and
(b) Facilitate timely access to the users of the original documents required and also enable
them to be continuously aware and knowledgeable about the developments in their
respective areas of interest.
Building a collection of documents and kindred materials is a major and important function of
a library. In the earlier units of this block, you have been exposed to some of the theoretical
aspects of collection building, such as principles of book selection, different types of documents
and selection tools that aid the process of selection, leading to a broad policy of book selection.
In this unit, you would learn the practical operations involved in the actual acquisition of the
various types of documents for the library.
The task of building up a collection of documents is entrusted to the acquisition section of a
library, which functions on the basis of the aims and objectives of the library and is in tune with
the general scope of the activities and services of the library. Acquisition work consists of a
series of operations, involving a number of routine jobs which have to be systematically planned
and operated.
Acquisition work comprises three distinct functions, viz., selection, procurement and
accessioning. The first two functions pose a number of problems in planning and organising the
work of the acquisition department. These functions and the problems are explained in this unit.

In the actual operation of these different functions, a number of records, registers, and files have
to be designed, created, maintained and handled.

9.1 Acquisition Department

Libraries are organized into units/departments/sections based on the functions that they are
expected to perform. Acquisition Department (AD) is one among them and is concerned with
various activities relating to collection development. Its objective is to build up information
resources in conformity with the objectives of the parent institution on the one hand, and that
which is suitable to the differential information requirements of the different users on the other.
It involves the processes of selection, procurement and accessioning of documents. The
requirements of selection and acquisition are given below:

Selection requires:
A Selection Policy (involving a statement about users and needs; subject, topic or
mission to be dealt with and type of information sources to be covered).

Selection Aids and Tools which will help in selection and verification.
Specification of a Selection Process (involving decisions on who selects; procedures
for judging intrinsic value of information in sources and procedures for judging
demand and user appropriateness).
Acquisition/Procurement requires:

Procedures for procurement of necessary information sources. In cases where no
outright procurement is planned or possible procedures for access to sources, e.g.,
getting on loan, photocopying pertinent sections, getting permission to use them in
another information centre/ system, etc., have to be set.

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