Evaluating your reference collection

Question: Due to budget cuts, my library is looking closely at the reference collection. Are there any policies or guidelines for evaluating reference collections, especially in light of print and paid database resources?

Answer: While ALA does not have a collection development (or evaluation) policy for the reference collection, we do have various guidelines to help you create your own policy. The ALA Library has gathered some resources on our Professional Tips Wiki:

Collection Development -on this page you will find some of the more recent articles concerning reference collections

Electronic Collection Development- this focuses specifically on non-print collections and how to best develop them

Collection Evaluation - includes information about evaluating your collection, how to choose what to keep 9and discard), and some resources on deteriming which copy (print or electronic) to maintain

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