A collection explosion: finding our collection roots and examining how we got from there to here
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present research findings from a project to identify, locate and examine the first collection of a large academic research institution. The article also examines changes in collections over time and some of the factors influencing changing collection development policies and practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Methodology included historical archival research, collection discovery and item by item comparison.
Findings
As electronic access, shared repositories and access to shared content reshape the collection development landscape, the emphasis is shifting toward global access and unique local content. And yet, we see that this new model is built on a solid foundation of collection development almost 150 years in the making.
Originality/value
Understanding how the University Library got to where it is will help inform future decisions and directions regarding collection development, and allow others to compare our findings against their own institutional growth and forward trajectory.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the Research and Publication Committee of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, which provided support for the completion of this research.
Citation
Laskowski, M.S., Maddox Abbott, J.A. and Norman, M.A. (2015), "A collection explosion: finding our collection roots and examining how we got from there to here", Collection Building, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 136-143. https://doi.org/10.1108/CB-07-2015-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited