Cornell University Library Collection Development Manual: Selector Competencies

Competencies for Cornell University Library Selectors

The purpose of this statement is to define and to provide examples and best practices of the skills needed by selectors to develop and manage the Cornell collections in all formats. The Cornell library collections are developed and managed in order to ensure that Cornell faculty, students, and staff have the best possible access to that information they need to do their work. Collection development consists of prioritizing and privileging specific resources in the information universe such that those particular objects are more immediately accessible and useful to Cornell users. Collection management consists of using the same or analogous criteria to prioritize resources that are already part of the collection in order to make decisions about their accessibility, maintenance and retention.

1) COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT ROLE - Understands the broad role of collection development in the library, the University, and the profession and incorporates that understanding into selection decision making.
Examples: knows and understands University priorities, college, school or departmental priorities, and CUL goals and objectives; writes and keeps updated subject collection development policy; knows and implements CPCRs; knows and adheres to ALCTS/ACRL guidelines; knows and adheres to CUL collection development priorities.

2) CURRENT TRENDS - Maintains awareness of current trends and research in collection development and scholarly communication.
Examples: reads and makes contributions to the state of knowledge on research library collection development; attends regional and national conferences relating to collection development and scholarly communications, participates in committees and delivers papers.

3) EXPERTISE - Develops and maintains in depth bibliographical, topical and linguistic expertise in assigned subject areas, and uses that expertise to build and maintain the collection.
Examples: keeps current with subject literature; attends relevant events on campus; is aware of new publications in the field; is aware of gaps in the assigned subject or area collections; keeps foreign language skills current.

4) LIAISON - Maintains active liaison with constituencies, explaining current library goals and conditions to those constituencies, and obtaining from them input on their information needs and priorities.
Examples: meets regularly with each department or program supported; meets at the beginning of the semester individually with new faculty; knows and meets with graduate students in the field; creates newsletters and/or Web sites to communicate new information.

5) RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Makes the best possible use of allocated resources, primarily time and budget.
Examples: is familiar with individual serials and standing order series, as well as their costs; uses tools that facilitate efficient selection; tracks expenditures carefully; articulates budget needs persuasively as part of the annual allocation; spends all of the budget, but no more.

6) COLLABORATION
a) Communicates and collaborates with other selectors and other CUL operations.
Examples: is aware of the subject responsibilities of other selectors; routes relevant selection sources to other selectors; is aware of the needs and responsibilities of processing and preservation, and takes these into account when making selection decisions; participates actively on the appropriate selection team.
b) Seeks active collaboration with other institutions and other service providers.
Examples: knows and stays in contact with subject selectors at other institutions; watches for opportunities to partner with other institutions, publishers and vendors.

7) COLLECTION MANAGEMENT - Applies bibliographical, subject and linguistic expertise and knowledge of local needs and priorities to decisions relating to resources already in the collection..
Examples:evaluates regularly the quality the integrity of the assigned collections; reviews the condition of the collection and works closely with Preservation; periodically deselects items from the collection; periodically transfers materials to RMC or the Annex.

8) DONOR RELATIONS - Supports external relations activities to enhance the collections.
Examples:contributes to writing grants to obtain funding that can be used for the improvement of the collection; works closely with External Relations; meets with alumni and other potential donors to talk about the quality and needs of the collection.

Last reviewed, 12/19/03