Maria Fierro

Independent Study 801

Collection Development Policies for Popular Materials at Academic and Public Libraries

When building a collection of popular materials for a public library or for an academic

library, there is bound to be some overlap in popular materials purchased but not entirely. Due to

various factors, each library will have a different popular materials collection. Factors that

influence a library’s collection include a library’s mission and vision, the audience or community

being served, librarians’ biases and oversights, and administrative issues having to do with the

budget, staff time, and physical space. These factors are key and essential for a librarian to note

while creating a collection development policy for their library. By looking at two current

collection development policies from actual libraries, key and essential elements of the policies

will be pinpointed and identified for building a collection development policy for popular

materials. The two collection development policies that will be analyzed will be one from a

public library (Cook County Memorial Public Library) and one from an academic library

(Rebecca Crown Library).

According to the American Library Association (ALA), a public library is “established

under state enabling laws or regulations to serve a community, district, or region... [they are]

places for education and self-help and offer opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds"

(2022). Depending on what community, district, or region is being served, the library’s

collection will look different. Librarians should adjust their collection and programming

according to the community they are serving by having conversations directly with the patron

and by consulting resources, like local community groups and the latest census (ALA, 2022;
Fleet, 2003). Being a public library will usually mean that popular materials will be the most

requested and circulated (ALA, 2022; Fleet, 2003).

An academic library, on the other hand, serves students in higher education. An academic

library must support the programs, degrees, certificates, etc., that the school is offering. For

example, at the Rebecca Crown Library at Dominican University, there is a focus in building a

collection for library professionals because they are one of two schools in Illinois that offers an

MLIS program. A university like UC Berkley might not hold as large of a collection for library

professionals, if any at all, since they do not have a library science program. Although academic

libraries have a responsibility to build a collection that supports their programs, they also have a

responsibility to build a collection beyond that. The ALA states on the academic library

resources website that academic libraries should “provide a gateway to all future library inquiry,

not only preparing students for graduate work and research, but also teaching them to use

information sources as citizens, as consumers, as professionals, and for recreational purposes”

(2022). If the popular materials being requested are in-line with the library’s mission, vision, and

scope, then they should be considered for the collection.

Essentially, both public and academic libraries should have room for a popular materials

collection, yet there are certain issues, limitations, expectations, oversights, and/or biases that

might impede a library from building a successful popular materials collection.

Public libraries, like most libraries, must deal with issues surrounding budgets, staffing,

and physical space (Conklin et.al., 2015; Elliot, 2007; Fleet, 2003). Unfortunately, these are

nearly universal issues that most public and academic libraries must deal with. Despite this, this

is not an excuse enough to justify not building a popular materials collection. There are creative

ways in which librarians can overcome these constraints (Elliot, 2003; Montaño, 2022). There is
also the issue of biases, oversights, and gatekeeping (Fleet, 2003). Unfortunately, there are public

librarians who choose not to purchase popular materials because they believe it is “low-quality”

material (Elliot, 2007; Fleet, 2003). This comes with consequences since it is found that popular

materials “may entertain and amuse, excite the imagination, reduce mental and physical stress,

give a sense of order or control, validate ideas or emotions, or meet social needs of belonging

and understanding” (Fleet, 2003). Meeting this need is just as important as meeting the

information needs of a patron.

Academic libraries also have their own issues and limitations. Unfortunately, academic

libraries also must often find creative solutions to issues surrounding budgets, staffing, and

physical space (Conklin et.al., 2015; Elliot, 2007; Fleet, 2003). Another issue that academic

libraries must overcome is students’ preconceived notion that academic libraries do not carry a

popular materials collection. Mueller et. al. write1` that “when [students were] asked about their

expectations of the SHSU library to supply materials for fun reading, 32.2% of respondents

answered that they didn't expect the library to provide leisure reading materials. Some

respondents indicated they perceive the library's mission is to supply “academic” materials”

(2017). This misconception is harmful to the library, especially if there is a popular materials

collection since this means it is not being used as much as it could be. Notably, many professors

and educators are using popular materials in their classrooms, making them required reading

(Blick, 2015). There is also the issue of gatekeeping and of librarians being purveyors of

"quality.” In a survey given to academic library directors and deans, it was found that popular

materials might not be purchased because there is “a belief that extracurricular reading does not

fit the library’s mission” (Conklin, 2015). Blick argues that to “neglect popular culture materials

is to avoid a major didactic tool in the twenty first century and to miss out on some of the most
timely and relevant issues today” (2015). Having a popular materials collection also encourages

students, staff, and faculty to make use of their library. It should be a librarians’ goal to create

lifelong learners at the library, and a popular materials collection encourages exactly that (ALA,

2022; Fleet, 2003; Mueller et. al., 2017). The success of an academic library should be

determined by their ability to provide “a gateway to all future library inquiry, not only preparing

students for graduate work and research” (ALA, 2022).

With these limitations in mind, it is essential that each library build a collection

development policy that will best benefit each respective library. The ALA asserts that libraries

should aim to “adequately support [patron’s] needs. The library’s collection policy should

adequately describe this goal. Collection and access policies should be written, up-to-date, and

readily available” (2022). There should be a clearly delineated mission and vision as well (ALA,

2022; Montaño, 2022). In these policies, the direction or scope of the collection needs to be

defined in order to have guidance when purchasing future materials while also having a resource

to consult when weeding or auditing materials already in the collection (Fleet, 2003; Montaño,

2022). These materials should encourage patrons to “seek information of personal interest”

(ALA, 2022). Along with that notion, “collection policies should include access to information

on current events, cultural interests, careers, and recreational reading, among others, to

encourage exploration of information resources as a part of everyday life” (ALA, 2022). It is also

essential that in the policy there is a section that prioritizes developing for diversity and

community representation.

Librarian Karen Jensen created a YA Diversity Audit Resource guide that provides

librarians with the tools to audit their collection for diversity and representation. Although the

resource guide was created for auditing a YA collection, there is still much to be taken from her
resource guide. Jensen writes, “it would be good to acknowledge upfront that an able bodied,

white cishet neutral is assumed in society and in publishing, and, for that reason, "diversity" is

the imperfect umbrella term used to bring perspectives other than that assumed neutral into

focus” (2017). It is important to collect popular materials that are not just catering to the “able

bodied, which cishet neutral.” Jensen provides various other types of diversity to consider, such

as religion, body diversity, disability representation, family structures, sexuality, and more.

Jensen reminds us that “not all people within a group share the same experiences or stories so we

need to have a wide variety of stories” and that “not all representation is necessarily good

representation” (2017).

The Cook County Memorial Public Library provides a great example on what a

collection development policy should include. In their policy, they state that their mission is “to

connect our diverse community to resources and experiences that educate, enrich and inspire”

(2022). They follow up their mission by providing actions in which they accomplish their

mission, which makes their mission actionable:

The Library’s mission is accomplished in the following ways:

 By collecting and facilitating the use of print, digital, and audiovisual materials,

electronic information services, and equipment that are relevant and/or of interest to

District residents.

 By making available materials and services from sources outside the Library which

support the Library’s mission.

 By creating specialized resources to meet the needs of District residents.

collection: “The Library is responsible for providing library materials to residents of all ages,

backgrounds and opinions.” Finally, they provide a checklist of factors to be considered for

general selection, which include:

 Accuracy of information.
 Comprehensiveness
 Clarity and logic of presentation.
 Merit, awards, or critical acclaim.
 Timeliness or importance as an historic document.
 Popular interest or demand.
 Ability to fill a gap in the existing coverage of a subject.
 Expression of a challenging or unique point of view or style.
 Reputation of the author or publisher.
 Cost.
 Existence of authoritative published reviews.

Similarly, the Rebecca Crown Library is an academic library in River Forest which serves the

students at Dominican University. In their policy, they delineate what selectors look at when

choosing materials for the collection. These include, “student needs (e.g. course assignments,

reading lists, etc.), accreditation requirements, curriculum or program changes, and perceptions

of the collections’ strengths and weaknesses” (2022). There is also a section that encourages

patrons to submit requests for purchases through their “Request an Item for Purchase” form. The

collection development policy also has a statement on diversity and building a collection for

representation:

In recognition of its role as a general cultural resource for the campus community, and
its duty to provide for the well-rounded education of its students by giving them access
to all the significant works of human thought and achievement, the library collects
materials representing diverse cultural traditions. In addition, the library selects
some materials which are outside the scope of the University's curriculum. Such
materials are chosen very selectively; the primary consideration being their value as an
introduction to an important area of human endeavor, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Finally, they also have a “general criteria” section where they checklist what needs to be

considered before the materials are added to the collection, which include:

 Appropriate content that supports the curriculum, student research needs, and/or faculty
teaching
 Materials that cultivate and enhance the Caritas Veritas mission of Dominican
University
 Items that represent and bolster cross-campus cultural competencies and other diversity,
equity, and inclusion efforts
 Materials needed for accreditation purposes
 Materials that augment or support departmental programming
 Quality, relevance, currency, accuracy of information presented
 Authoritativeness and reputation of the author, material, and publisher
 Strengths and weaknesses of the current collection
 Materials can be accessed by all current members of the Dominican University
community
 Timeliness and historical value of materials
 Budget and price constraints

For public and academic libraries to thrive, having a popular collection is essential

(Elliot, 2007; Fleet, 2003). It is imperative that both public and academic libraries realize the

importance of building a popular materials collection in order to better support their mission,

their vision, and their community. To recall an important figure in library science history, S. R.

Rangathan’s laws of library science: 1. Books are for use, 2. Every person his or her book, and 3.

Every book its reader. There should be a priority to connect our patrons to popular materials that

best suit their needs via developing a sound collection development policy.

Annotated Bibliography
American Library Association. (2022, June 27). LibGuides: Definition of a Library: General

Definition. Retrieved from https://libguides.ala.org/library-definition/general

 The American Library Association (ALA) has a libguide section where they define the

different types of libraries, which are public, special, and academic.

American Library Association. (2006, September 1). Guidelines for University Library Services

to Undergraduate Students [Text]. Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL).

https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ulsundergraduate

 The American Library Association (ALA) developed guidelines for university libraries.

In these guidelines, the ALA asserts the need to collect materials for students for research

and learning purposes, but also emphasizes the need to develop the collection beyond

strictly academic purposes. There is added value in an academic library collection that

expands beyond the strictly academic and into a collection that encourages exploration,

the pursuit of individual interests, and recreational reading.

Blick, W. M. (2015). Pulp Poets and Superhero Prophets: A Case for Popular Culture in

Academic Library Collection Development. Community & Junior College Libraries, 21(1/2), 5–

10. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763915.2015.1111069

 In this article, Blick strongly argues for a popular materials collection in an academic

library. Blick defines what popular materials are and they argue that they are some of the

most timely and relevant materials of today. To not include popular materials in an

academic library is an oversight with actual consequences. It is important to promote

cultural literacy as well. It is also noted that many classes in universities today assign

popular materials in their classes, especially in the English, Humanities, and Sociology.
Collection Development Policy. (n.d.). Cook Memorial Public Library District. Retrieved June

14, 2022, from https://www.cooklib.org/collection-development/

 In order to provide more specific examples in this paper, the Cook County Memorial

Public Library collection development policy is referenced as an example that public

libraries could use for building their own policies. Aspects of the policy that are

highlighted are the sections regarding the library’s mission, vision, goals for diversity and

impartiality, and criteria for general selection.

Conklin, J.L, Moreton, E.O. Blurred lines: Tying recreational reading to research in an

academic library March 25–28, 2015, Portland, Oregon. Presentation at ACRL 2015 (2015)

Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/

confsandpreconfs/2015/Conklin_Moreton.pdf

 Conklin et. al. presented in an ALA conference on Southern Illinois University

Edwardsville (SIUE) and their process for integrating popular materials in their

collection. They noted that when they asked their students about the collection, they often

asked about current and popular books that they could not order through I-Share or

interlibrary loan. Like most libraries, before they further developed their collection, they

had to overcome constraints, such as their budget, staffing, and even librarians’ own

perceptions of what does and does not belong in the collection. It is finally argued that

having a popular materials collection makes students more engaged in their library and

encourages them to become lifelong learners.

Elliott, J. (2007). Academic libraries and extracurricular reading promotion. Reference &

User Services Quarterly, 46(3), 34–44.

library’s stance on recreational reading. It is found that elitism, snobbery, and

gatekeeping have been culprits in keeping popular materials out of academic libraries. Of

course, it should also be considered that considerations on budget, staffing, and space

have also influenced collection development practices. Once these constraints are

overcome and a popular collection can be developed, an academic library better fulfills

its goals and duties towards the needs of their users.

Fleet, C. V. (2003). Popular Fiction Collections in Academic and Public Libraries. The

Acquisitions Librarian, 15(29), 63–85. https://doi.org/10.1300/J101v15n29_07

 In this article, Fleet covers popular materials collections in both academic and public

libraries. More recently, popular materials are being used for teaching in schools, hence it

makes sense to have a popular materials collection. Public libraries are always getting

requests for popular materials as well, and it should be noted that unfortunately there are

some public librarians who might not want to collect from genres like romances,

mysteries, westerns, and more. Fleet concludes that a popular fiction collection is

essential in both public and academic libraries.

Jensen, Karen, Diversity Considerations in YA: Doing a Diversity Audit. (2017). 13. Retrieved

from https://cod-lis.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=61464246

 Jensen created a diversity audit resources page for librarians who need guidance with

auditing their YA section. Despite being made for librarians who want to audit their YA

section specifically, there is much that can be adapted for collection development

practices and policy writing. The purpose of an audit is to ensure that the collection best
 represents the community and audience that it is serving. In this resource guide, we are

made to consider diversity, representation, and authenticity as reflected in our collections.

Montaño, Estevan. Independent Study Powerpoints (n.d.). Retrieved July 4, 2022.

 Throughout my independent study, Estevan Montaño oversaw the study and provided

weekly PowerPoint presentations with information regarding different aspects of

collection management and collection development. In the paper, there was a focus on

Montaño’s points on collecting popular materials for an academic library, as well as

general library collection development policy creation.

Mueller, K. L., Hanson, M., Martinez, M., & Meyer, L. (2017). Patron Preferences: Recreational

Reading in an Academic Library. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 43(1), 72–81.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2016.08.019

 In this article, Mueller et. al. argue for recreational reading at academic libraries. They

argue that recreational reading promotes and supports any library’s mission and vision to

create lifelong learners and readers. By not having a popular materials collection,

libraries run the risk of turning away a huge part of a library’s community. It is noted that

an issue that academic libraries might come across if that some students, staff, and faculty

might not be aware that an academic library has a popular collection since they do not

expect them to have one.

Rebecca Crown Library Collection Development Policy – Collection Development. (n.d).

Rebecca Crown Library. Retrieved June 14, 2022, from https://research.dom.edu/ld.php?

content_id=65881945
 In order to provide more specific examples in this paper, the Rebecca Crown Library

collection development policy is referenced as an example that academic libraries could

use for building their own policies. Aspects of the policy that are highlighted are the

sections regarding the justification for popular material selection, the “Request an Item

for Purchase” form, their mission and vision statement, especially regarding building a

collection for diversity and representation, and their general collection development

materials criteria.