Rebecca Gerber's blog

Question: Due to budget cuts, my library is looking closely at the reference collection.  Are there any policies or guidelines for evaluating reference collections, especially in light of print and paid database resources?

Answer: While ALA does not have a collection development (or evaluation) policy for the reference collection, we do have various guidelines to help you create your own policy.  The ALA Library has gathered some resources on our Professional Tips Wiki:

“What should my kids read over the summer?” is a common question at this time of year.  With school letting out for the summer break, teachers and parents alike are searching for reputable lists of books for their students and children.  First, check with your local public library, which often has a summer reading program.

The subject of boys and reading has been a major one in the last few years. Boys will read if the books are on subjects that interest them. "Why Aren't Little Boys Reading?" in Library Administrator's Digest (December 2006, p. 74) reports research at the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, and offers the following suggestions:

    * Provide staff training
    * Develop programs that are attractive to boys

Question: Is there a standard library barcode identification system?

Have you ever wondered about the history of the library card?  Library cards now come in all shapes and sizes, and even children are urged to get one.

Briefly, the library card came into existence because of the development of the model for modern library circulation. The 1955 ALA publication, Charging Systems by Helen Thornton Geer, explains John Cotton Dana’s role in its creation around 1900, and the machine based on that model that was introduced by the Gaylord Brothers in 1932.

Question: We’d like to make our website available to patrons that have “smartphones”.  Do you have any resources to help us?

Question: What is the oldest university library?

Question: I know there are seals libraries can buy for children’s books that win awards from the American Library Association. Are there seals I can buy to put on the copies of those books that our library already owns that were named Notable Books for Children?

Answer:

Question:   Is there a collection development policy would address the shift from print to electronic materials, the selection criteria for such materials, and what kind of reference materials should be preferably purchased in electronic format compared to the ones we should keep in print format?

ALA’s LinkedIn account has a vibrant discussion going on about obtaining an MLIS degree from an online program.  If you have a LinkedIn account, you can follow the discussion here (http://bit.ly/cVbNfF).  So what are your experiences with online MLIS programs? We look forward to reading your comments below.