COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

Responsibilities of the WSU Subject Liaison Librarian are to:

Enhance the collections and make informed subject collection decisions based on:

• curricula and research
• data  from a variety of sources.

Tips for the Subject Liaison Librarian:
1. Become familiar with the Wayne State University graduate and undergraduate courses.

• Read the appropriate sections in the Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins issued by the University. 
  
  • Wayne State University Graduate Bulletin
  
  
  • Wayne State University Undergraduate Bulletin
• Another source is the Wayne State University “Schedule of Classes, which describes the previous, current and next semester course offerings.

2. Survey the faculty in his/her subject departments to understand the research needs in the area.

• Schools, colleges and departments at Wayne State University are represented by web pages: http://wayne.edu/academics/programs.php Often times, the individual school, college or departmental pages will display faculty research interests along with a list of the current faculty.
• The Subject Liaison Librarian should supplement this information with personal contacts with faculty via email, telephone or a site visit to the school, college or department.

Compiling data about WSU courses and faculty research is an ongoing process requiring periodic review due to their changing nature. The collection should reflect these changes. It is important to inform faculty that they can contact the Subject Liaison Librarian for resource requests.

An important part of a subject area may not be emphasized in the curriculum or by faculty research interests. Materials in these areas should still be represented in the collection.

Book Selection in Wayne State University Libraries:

Data gathered on curricula and research is used to make collection decisions.  Most monographic material is purchased for the collection using two methods:

• An “approval plan” that takes predetermined purchasing decision parameters and matches those parameters against the book inventory of an approval plan vendor, and                 
• A "discretionary fund" that is allocated to each Subject Liaison Librarian to use for his or her subject areas.

Approval plans: 

• Discretionary funds are used for book purchases, which can be guided by the approval profiles set up by each Liaison Librarian.
• Using the knowledge gained about courses and faculty research, the Subject Liaison Librarian works with the approval vendor to enter those selection variables into the vendor’s system as subject area profiles.
• Currently, approval plan profiles are the basis of the libraries' patron-driven acquisitions (PDA) model.  The approval profiles select thousands of e-books (designated DDA in the catalog) each month.
• Electronic slips generated from approval profiles are automatically sent to Liaisons at regular intervals.
• If a Liaison Librarian notices several copies of the same e-book, notify Acquisitions to delete the DDA record.
• Faculty material requests employ the Liaison Librarian’s subject knowledge and are usually purchased using discretionary funds.
• Subject area collection purchases are not static.  Subject Liaisons are responsible for continually monitoring curricular and research changes, and then applying this knowledge to both discretionary and approval plan purchasing.

This workshop handout provides techniques for manipulating journal lists and also provides a variety of criteria for journal review decisions.

Electronic Resources Information and Statistics:

Liaisons should monitor the following resources:

• Discipline resources, especially electronic subscriptions purchased for or used by departments.
• Links and vendors can change, backfiles can move, and content or enhancements can be added. 
• Periodic emails are sent to the ALLWSULS listserv when major changes are announced.  It is the role of Liaisons to remain current in their areas and share new features with their departments.

E-Resource statistics are available on a title-by-title basis:

• If multiple years, titles or provider information are needed for renewals, cancellations or collection development decisions, helpful presentations called InfoSessions, developed by the Electronic Resources Librarian and Acquisitions staff, will assist Liaison Librarians in their selection duties (i.e. collection development ).  
  
• E-Resources Statistics databases
• Statistical reports are available from various data management systems to which the WSULS subscribes.  Please request these reports from the Coordinator of Acquisitions.  

E-Resources Request Form (link below):

Digital Collections

Liaisons should become familiar with the library’s Digital Collections, as well as the work of our Digital Librarians, and efforts underway in Digital Publishing. Incorporating these specialized collections into instruction, as well as including them in Library Guides, adds yet another dimension to the libraries’ resources.

Some of the collections were created from our print resources that are now in the public domain i.e., Ramsey Collection’s children’s books, or content has a connection to the local community, or the university i.e., the Digital Dress collection, or Virtual Motor City. 

In addition, some of the collections were developed with grant funding, and with the involvement of community or campus partners.

Liaisons should be on the lookout for opportunities to work with faculty, as well as with on and off campus partners, and the Digital Projects Team to bring potential digital collections to light.

Link to Digital Collections:  https://library.wayne.edu/resources/digital/collections.php