Electronic Collection Development

In the last half of the 20th century, the information world has been transformed from static to fluid with an ever-expanding array of electronic resources requiring new and different means of collecting, organizing and disseminating information. This collection development guide encompasses the total range of electronic resources libraries are using today, including: regional library catalogues; bibliographic services; electronic journals (and ancillary products such as linkage services), large text and image services (like Proquest and Carl UnCover), and subject-specific resources. It begins with a look at the landscape of electronic resources and examines their life-cycle from an acquiring library's perspective. It considers what is available, how to make selection decisions and acquire resources, and how to deliver those resources and assess usage. Special sections are devoted to: collection development for electronic journals and e-books; making resources available both inside and outside the library (including authentication issues and methodologies); evaluating use (including different kinds of usage statistics); and budgeting and planning.