Music Library Staff Guide: Collection Development Assistance

"Collection development is the thoughtful process of developing a library collection in response to institutional priorities and community or user needs and interests"

Johnson, Peggy. Fundamentals of Collection Development and Management. 2nd ed. London: Facet, 2014.

Library Catalog • WorldCat • AllMusic • Discogs • Encyclopedia of Popular Music from Oxford Reference Online

Please note that some of these forms are still in development; Holling may ask that you use paper bookmarks instead.  Always check with Holling first.

Romans Gift, not art/classical music • Romans Gift, art/classical music • Wise Gift • Grooved Media (45s, 78s, Vinyl, Shellac) General Form • Art Music, General (in development)

This is the time hone your searching skills! It’s tremendously ineffective to browse through a long list of results when looking for a specific item. Use the techniques you have learned to create searches that are specific enough to retrieve a small/manageable list of results. Remember that, in Library Catalog, you can include the editor and publisher. In WorldCat, publisher searches must go in the publisher search box. Use the advance search to limit your scope or look for helpful keywords to add to your arsenal of search terms, such as “ Vocal score[s]”, “parts”, “scores”, “disc[s]” (for CDs and LPs), “videodisc[s]” (for DVDs), etc.  Feel free to pose questions to full-time staff!

You’ll be looking for “true duplicates” of each item. The term “true duplicate” means, in addition to a matching author and title, the edition (1st, 2nd, etc.), publisher, date of publication, and format (score, score & parts, or parts) should be identical as well in order for the item to be a true duplicate. 

• When cat-checking a list of items, you’ll be looking for “true duplicates” of each item.  The term “true duplicate” means, in addition to a matching author and title, the edition (1st, 2nd, etc.), publisher, date of publication, and format (score, score & parts, or parts) should be identical as well in order for the item to be a true duplicate. 
• When you’ve found a true duplicate of an item in Library Catalog, write an “X” next to that item. 
• When you’ve found a similar item, but not a true duplicate, write “LH” (Library Has) and succinctly include how the item differs from the item on the list.  Exs. LH 2nd ed., LH 2008 Henle [Henle is the publisher], LH 2009 Naxos recording by Bournemouth S[ymphony]O[rchestra]. 
• When we don’t have any copies of the item, write a “0” (zero) next to the item.
• You may also be asked to include WorldCat holdings for each item. After finding the item in WorldCat, the number of holdings will be next to “Libraries Worldwide” or “Libraries Worldwide that own item”. Record holdings next to the item as “WC: [number]”.
• In WorldCat, you may sometimes find more than one record for the same item.  When this happens, add up the holding's numbers for each record and notate next to total recorded holdings next to each item on the list.