Evaluating the role and impact of Hull Libraries? Collection Development Policy on collection development

摘要

UK public libraries? collections are fundamental to their purpose of providing access toudinformation that support the diverse needs of their heterogeneous communities.udDeveloping, maintaining and managing a responsive collection for these changing needsudefficiently and professionally, with space and financial constraints, can be timeudconsuming and challenging. This dissertation?s aim focused on the nature andudadministration of Hull Libraries? Collection Development Policy (CDP) and its impact onudcollection development. The objectives evaluated its purpose, scope and contentsudbefore examining how it was formulated, administered and promoted in a workudenvironment. Finally the CDP?s impact on collection development was evaluated. Thisuddissertation met its research aim through a study of the relevant literature and audpractical research study, employing a case study approach at Hull Libraries. HulludLibraries? CDP and semi-structured interviews with key personnel, two librariansudidentified through purposive sampling, provided the data for the thematic codingudanalysis and findings. This study found the CDP?s purposes aligned with the literature,udforming two main groups of informing and guidance. These included planning,udprotection, justification, parent organisation support, and communication purposes.udThe scope and content resembles the National Acquisitions Group (NAG) modeluddeveloped for UK public libraries, focusing on guidance for the collection life cycle withinuda legal framework rather than including a budget, organisational or communityudoverview. The CDP was developed collaboratively in-house and is reviewed annually.udAlthough promotion and accessibility is limited, it is consulted and embedded in workudpractices. Hull Libraries? CDP formally documents its theoretical and practical approachudto collection development, informing both internal and external audiences. Collectionuddevelopment decisions implementing the framework?s guidance are transparent, whilstudsimultaneously protecting and justifying them. This contributes to a responsiveudcollection, protected from censorship, with accountable and designated standardsuddeveloped efficiently to support its community?s information needs.