Collection management in an NHS Library Service

John Scott

Abstract

This article examines some of the key elements of collection management, and is based on research carried out as part of an MSc dissertation in Information and Library Studies. The original focus of this research was an historical collection of disorganised medical books which had been accumulated over a number of years by the Maria Henderson Library in Glasgow. However, the recommendations presented in the dissertation were adapted to suit the Library’s main collection. This work describes the research process and outlines how the successful completion of the research has helped to inform practice within an NHS Library.

Introduction

This research was conducted as part of an MSc course in Information and Library Studies at the University of Strathclyde, and formed the basis of the author’s dissertation (1). The research began as an attempt to define a method by which one could successfully organise a disparate and varied collection of ‘old books’. The books in question are housed in the Maria Henderson Library, which is the central library of NHS Greater Glasgow Primary Care Division, and at other storage locations. These books had been accumulated over a number of years and from a number of sources, and had never fully been integrated into the Library’s holdings. This was in large part due to the familiar problems of time, money and resources. The author decided that such a collection would make an excellent focus for research. This article will outline the research process undertaken, its central findings and their application to Library practice.

The Research Process

Before conducting this research, it was anticipated that other medical libraries would have encountered similar circumstances and that therefore the main area of this research would be based on an analysis of case study material. The research process also comprised a review of the current professional literature. Since the author had not yet qualified and thus had a limited amount of experience on which to draw, it was deemed that the literature review would be a good place to start.

The first step involved several visits to the Andersonian Library at the University of Strathclyde. After having successfully identified and retrieved several relevant items from the University’s Collections, the research process began in earnest. Armed with a variety of key terms, author names, article titles and the like, a thorough search of the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database was performed. The material obtained from the University Library as well as the search results from LISA suggested that an examination of the principles of Collection Management would be essential if the research was to be successful in addressing the problems faced by the Maria Henderson Library.

Next, the process of gathering and collating those items identified by LISA began. It was quickly discovered that many of the items required were not accessible in the Greater Glasgow area. Fortunately, the Maria Henderson Library, through its links with Glasgow University Library and access to Inter-Library-Loan schemes, was able to provide the majority of materials. During this stage the author also tried to locate or identify other similar libraries with similar historical collections that would be willing to participate in case study analysis. Despite the obvious benefits of this type of examination during the research process, it proved difficult to identify libraries that were suitable. Indeed, through dialogue with colleagues at the Maria Henderson Library and through background reading, it became clear that many NHS Libraries have informal collection management policies. Therefore, the research focused only on the policies of large libraries - the Wellcome Trust Library in London, for example.

Collection Management

A review of the professional literature highlights the necessity of effective collection management in libraries. As part of this management process, it is essential that libraries construct an effective collection development policy. This policy is designed to describe the collection’s strengths and weaknesses and should include;
o guidelines and/or procedures;
o information about library users, aims and objectives, and;
o policies for evaluating, preserving and weeding collections (2, 3).

Typically, most of these techniques or methods are applied to collections that are already organised and accessible. Many of the practices encompassed by the theory of collection management were adapted to specifically apply to the historical collection at the Maria Henderson Library.

The process of weeding can be defined as “the process of removing material from open access and reassessing its value”, but weeding is also a “generic term, which includes both relegation and discarding” (4). Typically, this involves an item being disposed of, or else being moved to a remote storage location. The weeding of library collections can be achieved in a number of ways and through a variety of different techniques. All are based on one key principle; the formation of criteria against which a collection can be judged. The age, condition or relevance of items may be selected as criteria, as may the amount of use a given item receives (5, 6, 7).

The effective evaluation of library collections can be conducted by utilising a number of different techniques. These techniques all have the objective of determining the strengths of library collections as well as their usefulness or appropriateness to service communities (8). Therefore, evaluation acts as a checking mechanism for the success of collection development policies (9). Several of the evaluation techniques identified in the professional literature are largely similar to many of those techniques identified for the weeding process.

Preservation is a “generic term… [which] includes all activities associated with the maintenance of resources and the preservation of information content” (10). The practices encompassed by preservation are too numerous to examine in great detail here, however, the practices can range in price from the most inexpensive – for example, prohibiting the consumption of food and drink in areas where collections are stored – to the extremely expensive – mass de-acidification programmes, for example.
Findings

The original research focused on the aspects of evaluation, weeding and preservation that were most applicable to the needs of an historical book collection. The specialised nature and circumstances of the historical collection meant that many of the most frequently used methods could not easily be adopted by the Maria Henderson Library. Therefore, the research focused on the development of a method by which the historical collection could be evaluated and weeded. The preservation needs of a collection of this type were also examined and the research identified a number of inexpensive techniques that could be applied to the historical collection. The means by which this collection could be classified and catalogued were also examined by the research. Ultimately, the research made a number of key recommendations that should be used in order to organise a disorganised historical collection of medical books, encompassing all of the topics outlined above. Furthermore, it was argued that the Maria Henderson Library should develop a collection management strategy for this collection and that it should be in the form of a formal written policy.

Putting the Research into Practice

The research made several recommendations regarding how the historical collection could be organised and stressed the need for the development of a formal collection development policy. A number of strategies were developed in order to facilitate this, however, due to financial constraints as well a more pressing concerns, the recommendations have not yet been put into practice.

Whilst the research was being conducted, the main collection at the Library began to suffer from an acute lack of space. The growth of the collection began to stretch the current shelving allocation to the limit. It appeared that the Library would have to either secure more shelving or else obtain new, larger premises. Given the current financial situation of the NHS, it was unlikely that the Library would be able to secure new premises. Furthermore, the Maria Henderson Library was already maximizing the space afforded by its current location. Therefore, the only feasible course of action available to the Library was to reduce its book stock. With this aim in mind, the recommendations of the research were adapted to suit this collection. Weeding criteria were defined for this collection, the most significant of which were the amount of use an item received, followed by its relevancy, value (both financial and intellectual), its age and condition. A method was devised by which such a major task could be carried out.

The expertise of the other Library staff ensured that applications such as Excel and Endnote could be used to record data, and that the Heritage Library Management System could be manipulated to yield the relevant information. The project is still ongoing but to date around 270 individual items have been disposed of, 60 moved to a special collection and 150 relocated to storage from a collection of some 5,000-plus items. This has meant that the Maria Henderson Library has been able to update its main collection by removing irrelevant or inappropriate items, and subsequently to purchase newer and more accurate replacements. Several small-scale preservation measures have also been introduced, including the use of lignin and acid free storage boxes and slipcases for the storage of valuable items. The project is also attempting to develop a collection management strategy for all of the Library’s collections, which will ultimately culminate in the creation of a formal collection development policy.

The Future Aims of the Project

The project is expected to last until at least the end of the current year. The Maria Henderson Library's main collection has been successfully evaluated and weeded. Therefore, the project has been successful in achieving one of its principle aims. Attention will now focus on the Library's special collection, known as the Henderson Collection, consisting of some 1,500 works in the field of mental health. New and specific criteria will be developed that reflect the unique characteristics of this collection. Several of the preservation measures identified by the original research will also be implemented to ensure and preserve the future of this collection. Once the special collection has been weeded and preservation methods have been put into practice, the project will examine the historical collection that formed the original focus for the research. It is hoped that this will not only allow the original research and its recommendations to be 'tested' in reality, but that it will facilitate access and use of a previously inaccessible collection. Finally, an assessment of various statistics, including circulation figures and I.L.L. requests, as well as communication with library user groups combined with the findings of the project will allow the effective development of a collection development policy for all of the Library's collections. This will mean that the Maria Henderson Library will be able to effectively manage its collections and their future development.

References

1. Scott J.A. The organisation of a disorganised special collection: The Maria Henderson Library’s historical collection [dissertation]. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde; 2003.
2. Overmier J, Mueller M.H. Collection development policies and practices in medical school rare book libraries. Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 1984; 72 (92):150-154s.
3. Clayton P, Gorman C.E. Managing information resources in libraries. London: Library Association Publishing; 2001.
4. Clayton P, Gorman C.E. Managing information resources in libraries. London: Library Association Publishing; 2001.
5. Magrill R.M, Hickey D.J. Acquisition management and collection development in libraries. Chicago: American Library Association; 1987.
6. Evans E.G. Developing library and information center collections. 4th ed. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited; 2000.
7. Slote S.J. Weeding library collections: library weeding methods. 4th ed. Colorado: Libraries Unlimited; 1997.
8. Evans E.G. Developing library and information center collections. 4th ed. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited; 2000.
9. Gorman G.E, Miller R.H. Changing collections, changing evaluation. In: Gorman G.E, ed. International yearbook of library and information management: 2000-2001 collection management. London: Library Association Publishing, 2000.
10. Clayton P, Gorman C.E. Managing information resources in libraries. London: Library Association Publishing; 2001.

John Scott
Library Assistant
Primary Care Division NHS Greater Glasgow

Maria Henderson Library, Divisional Headquarters
Gartnavel Royal Hospital
Glasgow G12 0XH
Phone: (0141) 211 3913
Fax: (0141) 211 0348

john.scott@gartnavel.glacomen.scot.nhs.uk
http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/ggpct/library