From Storehouse to Clubhouse: Collection Management in the Library as Place

Abstract

For the past two decades people have been responding to profound societal changes brought about by the increasing digitization of information and the ubiquity of the internet. Believing that all information is mobile and stressed by shrinking budgets, administrators and policy makers are beginning to consider closing libraries in favor of offering a suite of online services. In response to this challenge to demonstrate the relevancy of the library proper in an increasingly digitized world, the library as place movement has emerged. Many libraries have adopted new models of service that have transformed library space into a place for social gathering and community engagement. Mirroring this phenomenon, traditional collection management practices in libraries are being re-evaluated. This presentation examines the changing collection management practices at two public, Indiana universities. At Indiana State University (ISU) and Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) how the collection is developed, preserved, displayed, weeded, and circulated has transformed in response to the new demands of the library as place. Included in the presentation are practical, real-world examples of collection management practices that maintain the traditional role of the library as the preserver of our culture, while adopting the new role of a vibrant community center.