Any acquisitions librarians here?

[OneGrassRoot]

I'm putting together a community project with creative writing classes and have a question for acquisitions librarians: high school, public and private libraries.

I'm contacting the local acquisitions librarian but would really appreciate feedback from a variety of sources with regard to this project. If you're out there, please PM me. :)

Thanks in advance! :hi:

[TygrBright]

1. Most public library acquisitions are done by a combination of individual librarians and...

...an overall acquisitions committee. The committee (and/or its staff) put together a compendium of lists of available books and MAY (depending on the jurisdiction and the approved acquisitions procedure) remind librarians of areas where acquisitions are prioritized. (Example: Reader surveys/patron feedback indicates a request for "more current movie DVDs" or "more fiction in the thriller category" or "non-fiction biographies," etc.)

They may or may not also put together information on the current acquisitions budget and the amounts remaining in each separate library/category account.

They may or may not also provide meta-lists of requests and interlibrary transfers showing what patrons at each library or department are asking for.

That information goes to the librarian coordinating acquisitions at each branch/department/division with a 'return by' date.

Generally each library examines the pitiful dollar amounts available, the list of stuff that patrons and readers have been ASKING AND ASKING FOR... the data they've been compiling about what's popular, requested, etc., and throws up hands and weeps on the desktop for a couple of days.

Then they put together a list of what they WANT and return it to the committee.

They will not always get what they want. A big problem is new releases of very, very popular authors (not always NYT bestsellers, either) will take up big chunks of money because they will order large multiples of each item to have them available immediately and reduce waiting list times.

By the time those are taken off the top, and the requests from readers/patrons ("THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I'VE ASKED YOU TO GET A COPY OF THE XXXXXXXXXXXXXX COOKBOOK!") are dealt with, and the mandatory categories and priorities assigned by Central are added in ("All branches are required to increase current educational DVD collections by XX% in the following categories",) most "acquisitions librarians" don't have much to work with in the way of creative leeway.

I'm not a librarian but one of my best friends is, and I have a front row seat, as it were.

diffidently,
Bright

[OneGrassRoot]

2. Oh goodness....

what a dismal picture, though I'm not surprised.

You're a wealth of information! Thank you so much for responding. :hi:

[tanyev]

3. Not a librarian, but I work in a library, and I had to look up TygrBright's location

to see if she was talking about my library. I'm sure she isn't, but it sounds very familiar.

[LWolf]

4. No,

but I was a library tech and spent 12 years doing acquisitions for k-8 school libraries, among other duties, before I finished my credential and moved into the classroom.

I then continued doing acquisitions for the school I was teaching at, because, due to budget cuts, there was no one on site trained to do so.

If that would help you, let me know.

[shimmergal]

5. Close..

I was never an acquisition librarian but have been a reference/public services librarian with selection responsibilities in two public libraries. Depending on what you want to know, I might or might not be able to help out.

[MountainLaurel]

6. I've done collection development

At a college library and at a public library (small one where I was responsible for all adult fiction and reference, and half of the circulating adult nonfiction). I'm not working in a library right now (due to a relocation in which I had to take the first job I could get that would pay well). But I'm trying to help out CD in my local public library (which sucks) by buying and donating books they should but don't have.

So, please PM me with your question, and I'll answer it to the best of my ability.