Contents: Preface. 1. Collection development. 2. Selection of library collections. 3. Evaluation of library collections. 4. Acquisition process. 5. Cataloguing. 6. Subject analysis. 7. Library automation. 8. Collection security. 9. Preservation of library collections. 10. Responsibilities of collection managers. Bibliography. Index.

"The goal of a library is to assist users by satisfying their needs and requirements for management, access, storage, and manipulation of the variety of information stored in the collection of material that represents the holdings of the library. The key to effective library collections management is to implement simple structural organizations and be able to present those organizations in a way that library users find useful and can understand easily.

The present book provides a comprehensive description of collection management principles and practices followed in modern library situations. It attempts to forecast the increasingly complex and dynamic interplay between the evolving system of scholarly communication and the collection management function of libraries. It will be a useful reference tool for practicing librarians and students of library science." (jacket)