The significance of a public library is often determined by the quality of its collections. Considering the educational and social value of public libraries in the communities, this is particularly true as public libraries strive to build superior collection, to extend their services and to draw societal support for the libraries.
Monographs, despite the controversies surrounding their future, have been considered the most important medium to form a collection in libraries. For this reasons, researches, by the practitioners, the academics and the government, have been conducted in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of library collections. Nevertheless, it is often told that public library collections are too poor to meet user demands in terms of quantity as well as quality. It is also criticized that this situation is related to non-systematic selection and purchasing process. Situated in such context, this study attempts to investigate the current situation of monographs selection and purchase as a means of maintaining quality of library collections in public libraries in Korea. This study also identifies current problems and suggests new directions of collection development at the practical level and policy measures in public libraries. To accomplish the purpose of this study, data was drawn from a survey with public libraries, from analysis of the legislative system and from expert verification. At first, the survey questionnaire was distributed to 440 acquisition librarians in public libraries except for branch and children''s libraries and 315 librarians responded to the survey. Total response rate was 71.6%. Additionally, follow-up survey was undertaken to supplement the primary survey results via a secondary survey to 8 acquisition librarians. Second, current policies and regulations that control the purchasing process in public libraries are analyzed, because monographs purchasing process in public libraries is especially influenced by policies and regulations both in national and regional levels. Third, expert verification was conducted to draw an improvement plan for well-developed collections from the previous analysis results. Experts who responded to the verification of contents were composed of 2 faculty members from the departments of library and information science in Korean universities and 7 librarians who have working knowledge of collection development in public libraries.
The main contents of this study are as follow:
1) There is a distinguishable hierarchy among three concept, namely selection, purchase and collection development. Quality of library collections is caused by collection development which is a planning function. Selection, which is a direct function of collection development, is the decision-making process concerned with implementing the goals. Purchasing process to get the materials into the library implements in turn the selection decisions. In conclusion, quality of library collections is strongly influenced by purchase as well as selection therefore; selection and purchasing process play a vital role in collection building. But, purchasing process in public libraries have not been the main area of concerns in the research of library and information science while the areas of selection and collection development have been one of the major issues in this field.
2) In terms of selection, selection guidelines and selection criteria and usage of them, staff structure and size of workforce, committee activities, methods of selection including usage of selection tools and librarians’ recognitions about selection process are investigated. The findings can be summarized as follow. First, many librarians highlighted that public libraries are short of acquisition and selection librarians. Second, it was suggested that core collection list and well-chosen selection tools that public libraries can utilize for selection should be prepared. Third, it was suggested that environment librarians can carry out on-the-spot selection and Daily Acquisition System or One Week System should be prepared.
3) In terms of purchase, purchase guidelines, staff structure and size of workforce, methods of purchase focusing on contract, a discount rate of book which public libraries get and policies and regulations affecting library purchasing process are investigated. Policies and regulations affecting library purchasing process were analyzed into 3 elements namely about prescribing characteristics of monographs public libraries purchase, about purchase contract and discount rates. Significant points in purchase can be summarized as follow. First, it was suggested that policies and regulations that public libraries can apply for monographs purchase should be complemented. Particularly, practical fixed book prices should be revised and imposed on book prices which is applied public libraries as well. Second, it is imperative that librarians should actively be involved in the monographs purchasing process as non-professional staffs have the hegemony in the whole purchasing process.
In conclusion, this study dilated upon several suggestions on the collection development policy and practices. In the areas of selection and purchase, collection development policy for the concrete and coherent material acquisition for improving the expertise of acquisition librarians should be prepared. And it is quite a necessary that the independent department taking whole charge of collection development should be prepared. In summary, this study discussed such crucial issues as current situation in monographs selection and purchase in public libraries and possible impetus toward a better collection development process.