Have you ever wondered where those books in your library come from? I always figured that there was alot of work put into what to get and how to get it, but this chapter was enlightning in that it really gave me an idea of how the process worked and what needed to be considered.
For me, the points I took away the most we that you need to be engaged in the community and the profession. Knowing what your patrons both want and need is what keeps them coming back. If they can't find what they are looking for, or they have a sense that you are not interested in getting it, will result in a loss of faith in the library. Being interested in what the public is looking for will create a relationship that extends beyond checking out a book. In addition to building relationships with community, you have to build relationships with vendors and the people who fund the library. These connections will benefit the library!
In addition to staying connected, I enjoyed hearing the thoughts about what to collect, especially as it refered to changing technology. The point that you have to weigh repurchasing books or music in new formats v. spending that money on new releases was interesting. It's a simple point, but one I hadn't really thought of. With all the changing technology it's impossible to keep an entire collection up to date, so you have to choose carefully and thoughfully what to buy.
There is a ton of different aspects to consider and I look forward to taking on and hopefully meetin the challenge if and when the opportunity comes!
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Haycock, K. & Sheldon, B. E. (Eds.). (2008). The Portable MLIS: Insights from the Experts. (locations 1379-1551 ). Westport, CT. Libraries Unlimited
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