MLS Collection Development and Management 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a library transitions from print to electronic journals, which cost factor is MOST commonly underestimated?
- Initial subscription price
- Platform access and hosting fees over time (Correct answer)
- Cost of discarding old print issues
- Reference desk staffing reductions
Correct answer: Platform access and hosting fees over time
Ongoing platform fees, perpetual access costs, and migration charges are frequently underestimated when libraries shift to electronic journal subscriptions.
Question 2: The MUSTIE criteria used in weeding stands for Misleading, Ugly, Superseded, Trivial, Irrelevant, and:
- Expensive
- Elsewhere available (Correct answer)
- Unread
- Excessively worn
Correct answer: Elsewhere available
The 'E' in MUSTIE stands for 'Elsewhere available,' meaning the item can be easily obtained through interlibrary loan or digitally, reducing the need to retain the physical copy.
Question 3: A special library serving a law firm should follow which primary collection development consideration distinct from public libraries?
- Broad popular reading collection for staff recreation
- Highly current and jurisdiction-specific legal materials aligned with practice areas (Correct answer)
- Balanced viewpoints on legal issues for general public use
- Children's and young adult materials for family programs
Correct answer: Highly current and jurisdiction-specific legal materials aligned with practice areas
Special libraries must align collections tightly with the parent organization's mission, so a law firm library prioritizes currency and jurisdiction-relevant legal resources.
Question 4: Which metric BEST demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of an electronic resource subscription?
- Total number of titles in the package
- Cost per download or cost per use (Correct answer)
- Publisher impact factor
- Number of full-text articles available
Correct answer: Cost per download or cost per use
Cost per use (or cost per download) divides the subscription cost by actual usage, providing the most direct measure of value for electronic resources.
Question 5: An academic library's collection policy states it collects at 'research level' in chemistry. According to Conspectus definitions, this means the collection:
- Supports only introductory undergraduate coursework
- Includes major published works and supports doctoral research (Correct answer)
- Collects everything published regardless of quality
- Focuses exclusively on open-access chemistry journals
Correct answer: Includes major published works and supports doctoral research
Research level (Level 4) in the Conspectus means the collection includes major published works and is sufficient to support doctoral research and independent research.
Question 6: What is 'deselection' in collection management?
- The process of not selecting new materials in certain subject areas
- The systematic removal of outdated or low-use materials from active collections (Correct answer)
- Canceling vendor approval plans
- Restricting patron access to certain collection areas
Correct answer: The systematic removal of outdated or low-use materials from active collections
Deselection (also called weeding) is the deliberate, systematic removal of materials from the active collection based on established criteria for currency, condition, and use.
Question 7: Which approach to collection assessment uses actual borrowing records and reshelving data to measure how a collection is used?
- Citation analysis
- Circulation-based assessment (Correct answer)
- Availability study
- Collection mapping
Correct answer: Circulation-based assessment
Circulation-based assessment analyzes actual checkout records and in-house use data to evaluate which parts of the collection patrons actively use.
MLS Collection Development and Management 4
When a library transitions from print to electronic journals, which cost factor is MOST commonly underestimated?