Selecting and Managing Electronic Resources: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Librarians » (1st Edition)

This manual for librarians presents guidelines for the evaluation, selection, and management of electronic resources. Following a discussion of collection development policies, Gregory explains how to determine which electronic resources are required and which available format will best meet the needs of library users. Other topics include budgeting considerations, cataloging tools, and preservation issues. The revised edition features a new chapter on digital rights management systems. Gregory teaches library collection development at the U. of South Florida in Tampa. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Library Journal

In a short period of time, information in electronic format has become the preferred version for many library users. Libraries are inundated with free information via the Internet, and some are overwhelmed simply managing the numerous databases they purchase. Beginning with an explanation of the need for good collection development policies, Gregory (director, SLIS, Univ. of South Florida, Tampa) sets out checklists and explanations for selection criteria, budgeting worksheets and ideas, evaluation, assessment activities, and a discussion of copyright and licensing issues. The chapter on organization and access to electronic resources is particularly refreshing in that Gregory recommends the MARC cataloging of resources as the highest level of organization. It may very well be impossible to catalog the entire web, but that is not necessarily our aim. Instead, our goal in collection development should be to select useful information resources for each particular library, to organize the resources appropriately, and make them available to our users. Gregory cements these concepts with an overarching discussion of collection development theory backed up with concrete checklists and worksheets. Recommended for all libraries.--Margaret Sylvia, St. Mary's Univ. Academic Lib., San Antonio Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.