GLC Collection Development & Resource Management 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a key consideration when selecting audiovisual materials for a public library collection?
- Whether the item can be cataloged using MARC format
- Format compatibility with patron-owned devices and equipment (Correct answer)
- The item's cost relative to the library's art budget
- Whether the item has been reviewed in a print journal
Correct answer: Format compatibility with patron-owned devices and equipment
Format compatibility ensures patrons can actually use the AV materials; selecting formats that require obsolete or unavailable equipment defeats the purpose of acquisition.
Question 2: A librarian discovers that several expensive reference databases overlap significantly in content coverage. The BEST immediate action is to:
- Immediately cancel all overlapping subscriptions
- Conduct a detailed cost-per-use and overlap analysis before making cancellation decisions (Correct answer)
- Negotiate with each vendor separately without analyzing usage
- Add more overlapping databases to ensure comprehensive coverage
Correct answer: Conduct a detailed cost-per-use and overlap analysis before making cancellation decisions
A thorough overlap and cost-per-use analysis ensures decisions are data-driven, preventing the accidental loss of unique content while eliminating genuine redundancies.
Question 3: When selecting materials for a school or public library serving English language learners, which additional criterion is MOST important?
- Whether the item is published by a domestic publisher
- Availability of materials in multiple languages and appropriate reading levels (Correct answer)
- The item's price relative to the English-language budget
- Whether the item has a Dewey Decimal number assigned
Correct answer: Availability of materials in multiple languages and appropriate reading levels
English language learners benefit from collections that include native-language materials and English titles at accessible reading levels to support literacy development and cultural connection.
Question 4: Which statement BEST describes the role of selection aids such as Booklist, School Library Journal, and Choice in collection development?
- They provide legally binding standards for what libraries must purchase
- They offer professional reviews that help librarians identify quality materials for selection (Correct answer)
- They serve as the official acquisition catalogs for all Georgia public libraries
- They function as interlibrary loan request platforms
Correct answer: They offer professional reviews that help librarians identify quality materials for selection
Review journals like Booklist, School Library Journal, and Choice provide professional, expert evaluations that guide selectors in identifying quality, appropriate materials for their collections.
Question 5: A library receives a complaint that a specific book should be removed from the collection because a patron finds its content offensive. What is the appropriate FIRST step?
- Immediately remove the book to prevent further complaints
- Ask the patron to submit a formal reconsideration request following the library's established policy (Correct answer)
- Transfer the book to a restricted section without patron notification
- Contact the publisher to dispute the book's content
Correct answer: Ask the patron to submit a formal reconsideration request following the library's established policy
Established reconsideration procedures ensure complaints are handled fairly, consistently, and in alignment with intellectual freedom principles before any removal decision is made.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST defines 'scope' in a collection development policy?
- The physical size limits of the library building
- The subject areas, formats, languages, and depth of coverage the library collects (Correct answer)
- The dollar amount allocated for new acquisitions annually
- The number of items that can be checked out simultaneously
Correct answer: The subject areas, formats, languages, and depth of coverage the library collects
Scope defines the boundaries of what a library collects—including subjects, formats, reading levels, languages, and depth—so selectors have clear guidance for purchasing decisions.
Question 7: What is the primary benefit of maintaining accurate and current catalog records for collection management purposes?
- It reduces the cost of purchasing new materials
- It enables librarians and patrons to locate, assess, and access holdings efficiently (Correct answer)
- It eliminates the need for physical shelf inventories
- It automatically triggers weeding recommendations
Correct answer: It enables librarians and patrons to locate, assess, and access holdings efficiently
Accurate catalog records ensure that holdings are discoverable and that librarians have reliable data for collection assessment, weeding decisions, and gap analysis.
GLC Collection Development & Resource Management 5
Which of the following is a key consideration when selecting audiovisual materials for a public library collection?