LSSC Collection Development and Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which factor is LEAST relevant when evaluating whether to add a donated item to the library collection?
- Current condition of the item
- Donor's personal attachment to the item (Correct answer)
- Currency and accuracy of the information
- Whether the library already owns adequate copies
Correct answer: Donor's personal attachment to the item
Collection decisions should be based on the item's merit and the library's needs, not on the donor's emotional attachment.
Question 2: What does the term 'weeding' mean in the context of library collection management?
- Adding new materials to fill collection gaps
- Removing outdated, damaged, or underused items from the collection (Correct answer)
- Organizing materials by subject area
- Cataloging backlogged acquisitions
Correct answer: Removing outdated, damaged, or underused items from the collection
Weeding is the systematic removal of materials that are outdated, inaccurate, worn, or no longer relevant to the community's needs.
Question 3: A library that collects broadly across many subjects without great depth in any single area is described as having which type of collection scope?
- Comprehensive collection
- Research-level collection
- General or popular collection (Correct answer)
- Special collection
Correct answer: General or popular collection
A general or popular collection is designed for broad community use, covering many subjects at a surface level rather than deep scholarly depth.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a bibliographic tool used in collection development?
- ILS circulation module
- Books in Print (Correct answer)
- MARC record editor
- Interlibrary loan tracking system
Correct answer: Books in Print
Books in Print is a reference resource listing available titles by author, title, and subject, widely used by selectors to identify and verify titles for purchase.
Question 5: What is the primary goal of conducting a collection analysis or assessment?
- To determine how many items need re-cataloging
- To identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps relative to community needs (Correct answer)
- To set the annual materials budget
- To calculate overdue fine revenue
Correct answer: To identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps relative to community needs
Collection analysis evaluates the collection against the library's mission and community needs to guide informed selection and weeding decisions.
Question 6: Which statement about copyright is most relevant to a library's decision to purchase digital e-book licenses?
- Libraries own digital content outright once purchased
- Licensing terms vary and may limit simultaneous users or loan periods (Correct answer)
- Copyright does not apply to e-books lent through libraries
- Digital licenses never expire
Correct answer: Licensing terms vary and may limit simultaneous users or loan periods
E-book licenses for libraries typically restrict simultaneous use, impose loan caps, or require periodic renewal, unlike physical ownership of print books.
Question 7: In collection development, what does 'currency' refer to?
- The monetary cost of acquiring materials
- The up-to-date relevance and timeliness of the information in a work (Correct answer)
- The exchange rate for ordering foreign publications
- The number of times an item has circulated
Correct answer: The up-to-date relevance and timeliness of the information in a work
Currency in collection evaluation refers to how recent and up-to-date the information is, which is especially critical for science, medicine, and technology titles.
LSSC Collection Development and Management 2
Which factor is LEAST relevant when evaluating whether to add a donated item to the library collection?