Final guide in Sudden Position Series provides tips and tools for library acquisitions

CHICAGO — ALCTS Publishing has released its third and final guide in the Sudden Position Guide series, the Sudden Position Guide to Acquisitions. Authored by Deborah Hathaway, Paul Kelsey, Stacey Marien and Susan E. Thomas, the Sudden Position Guide to Acquisitions arms those new to library acquisitions with the tools and resources needed for traditional collection development and print monograph, streaming media, e-book and serials acquisitions. In addition, it familiarizes those new to the field with scholarly communications and open education, licensing electronic resources, negotiating with vendors, cataloging and working with library systems. Through this guide, readers will gain the knowledge and competencies required for library acquisitions work.

The work of acquisitions is challenging and constantly evolving, and new acquisitions library workers will need a wide range of skill sets to perform their responsibilities well in this position. Budgeting and accounting, managing purchase orders and invoices, evaluating usage statistics, submitting fiscal reports, supervising employees and communicating effectively are just some of the necessary skills needed to work in acquisitions. Throughout this guide, authors share a variety of resources, tools and advice, offering a solid starting point for learning best practices and acquiring the background knowledge necessary to succeed in the acquisitions field.

Established by the former Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) Monographs Editorial Board, the Sudden Position Guide series is designed to provide the reader with essential knowledge, tools of the trade and best practices in a concise, easy-to-read and reference narrative format. The guides are specifically meant to aid anyone who is taking on a new position or added technical services responsibility. Previous guides in the series include the Sudden Position Guide to Cataloging and Metadata and Sudden Position Guide to Collection Management, and all guides are available in print and as a PDF in the ALA Store and on Amazon.