data management issues

Some very interesting thoughts here, even though both these articles are from the 1970's, I found both to be very pertinent to today's issues. Is interlibrary loan a good alternative to the problems of funding a collection? Does the cost outweigh the benefit and how good is your customer service if your patrons routinely have to wait 5+ days for their material? One idea was expressed by Stencel (1979), a regional sharing plan: periodical center. Apparently this was an idea discussed back in 1977-1979. I am unclear why it was not implemented as this article reports the findings were positive. It is an intruiging concept. The patron would have to travel farther, but would have the resources of a well stocked library, and this would be in contrast to a library that no longer has half the holdings that it once did, or a library that has such limited hours of operation, that it is no longer as helpful as it once was. The article also mentions (yes, I realize this was 1979, but its still an interesting point).
Observers have also detected a marked shift in library expenditures from books to
periodicals. A survey of 79 research libraries showed that in 1970 they spent $77.9 million
for all materials and bought 7.9 million books. In 1975 the same libraries spent $106.3 million
on materials, but bought only 6.9 million books.
My college has numbers that have not moved a whole lot in the past few years. In 2004, holdings were at 89,842 and in 2007 they were at 97,531 as opposed to periodicals, which in 2004 were at 400, and in 2007, were at 445. This is a slight increase, but clearly the college I work at (Okaloosa Walton) is continuing to build its book collection. ILL numbers are also up, from 921 to 1,063. That seems pretty much on par with the periodical/book ratio. Is the way of the future ILL? It seems to me a great deal of money. Perhaps the central library regional sharing plan is a concept worth exploring. There is a great deal of talk in my area about local libraries beginning to charge. If that's my choice or having no library, then I guess I'll pay.
Any thoughts out there?

Stencel, S. (1979). Librarie's financial squeeze. Editorial reports 1979 (Vol.II). Washington: CQ Press.
Retrieved April 9, 2008 from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Researcher Online.

I apologize everyone, my graph will not post, I have been trying for days and have spent much time. It needs to be converted to a program that I do not have. It is in written format below.

thoughts on organizing a collection of knowledge

First, know your collection. If you don't know what you have, how can you have an idea of what you need.
Second, know your needs. what curriculums are in place? Are you ready for each of them?
Next, what presentation would be the most appropriate for the new data you are aquiring? If it is material that is fast changing (such as medical) you may want to stick with journals and/or databases. Each has advantages and disadvantages. I don't think it is necessary to go into that here- you understand what I am talking about.
Next, you assess your choices. Some places use a form for this. My college only uses a form to evaluate for weeding. Do several people need to ok it?
Then, of course, what does your budget say you can do?
Is it possible you can share any data to expand your collection?
These are my overview observations of a collecting system.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know - because I did not, until recently, that the legislature in our (sometimes) great state is funding a group of core databases (84) for ALL Florida colleges. It started in Sept 2006 with more than 50 databases. Each of the state's 28 community colleges has a representative that votes and offers thoughts and opinions on each (mine is Owen Adams in case you're curious!). They are always presenting new databases for consideration. This certainly makes it easier for even the smallest junior college to be well represented on the electronic resource front. It is a telling thing that these resources are seen as being so vital that the state would take this big step....

CCLA. (2006/2007). Annual Report. College Center for Library Automation.

AUTHOR:
Mark Sandier
TITLE:
Collection Development in the Age Day of Google
SOURCE:
Library Resources & Technical Services 50 no4 239-43 O 2006

This was another great article that explored the differing theories on how much libraries should invest of themselves and thier resources into new technology and how much money should stay with the old ways (ie: books). The author brings up a fantastic point by explaining that many librarians think that people will be frustrated by so much technology and so much choice that they will feel less frustrated by continuing to use their local librarians/libraries instead of researching, etc on their own. The author indicates his disagreement with this by observing the numbers of people who choose to use self-serving tools (the example he uses is online trading- just for one). I can see both sides of this. It is true in my experience that a great many people will go out of their way to let someone else "do the work for them" when possible. Particularly in the area of Florida that I live in, we cater to people here. However, a librarian is not going to do your work for you anyway so..... I tend to agree with the author that libraries that do not change with the technology of change, are very likely to be left behind. Personally, it scares me to think of vast amounts of data not being put in print anymore. But why? Deep down, I guess I lack faith in technology. After all, I can think of many occasions that it has not been there for me- I know no one out there can relate to that!!
Sandier, M. (2006, October). Collection Development in the Age Day of Google. Library Resources and Technical Services. 50 (4), 239-243. Retrieved March 3, 2008 from Academic Search Premier Database.

AUTHOR:
Shahnaz Zuberi
TITLE:
DIGITAL PUBLISHING: A NEW CHALLENGE FOR LIBRARIES
SOURCE:
Pakistan Library & Information Science Journal 38 no1 11-16 Mr 2007

This is a great article that discusses the changing impact of the digital technology in libraries today. The author brings up an issue I know I had not considered, at the end of the year, when subscriptions end, how do you keep track of the information you offerered when you do not always have access to the databases that you had at one time? The author brings up the need to develop some way of "verification of material during subscription year". As library professionals, how do we see these types of situations growing with the growth of the technology? This article was very easy to read and really summed things up well in my opinion!

Zuberi, S. (2007, March). Digital Publishing: A New Challenge For Libraries. Pakistian Library and Information Science Journal. 38(1) 11-16. Retrieved on March 3, 2008 from Academic Search Premier.

The purpose of this blog:
collecting information is changing to reflect the technology that is rocking our profession. I will be discussing everything from material evaluation forms, to the process of selecting new material- print and database to the effect all this technology has on patrons, and all points inbetween! I hope to ask questions that will facilitate conversation and thought.