Collection Development Embraces the Digital Age: A Review of the Literature, 1997–2003

Abstract

Collection development and management literature of the past seven years reveals distinct trends among issues, philosophy, and practice. Digital age themes reflect the increasingly networked nature of the profession, with new attention focused on scholarly communications and publishing, digital collection building, consortial collaboration, and quantitative assessment. Some issues that dominated the library literature a few years ago, such as access versus ownership and organizational structure, have been eclipsed by other challenges, such as the serials crisis, finance and budgeting, and licensing. Neither solved nor forgotten, they have taken backstage to trendier subjects. Publications on organization, training, professional development, management of print collections, and subject-oriented collection development from 1997 through 2003 generally indicate reliance on traditional skills and knowledge even though practitioners are applying practical approaches to new formats and types of media. More theoretical commentary on fundamental changes emanating from an increasingly networked environment comes from authors who explore the implications of collection building in the digital age and challenge readers to imagine a vastly different future for collection development practice.