Developing Collections for Children

1.  Use the Library's Collection Development Policy or Other Guidelines if They Exist

• General Information on Collection Development Policies: Arizona State Libraries
• Acqweb Directory of Collection Development Policies on the Web
• Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks

2.  Review Journals: consult the Simmons Online Catalog for electronic access for those not online or selective in coverage.

Booklist	Kirkus Reviews
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books	Library Media Connection (LMC)
Criticas	MultiCultural Review
Horn Book Magazine	School Library Journal
Horn Book Guide

3. Standard Catalogs of Recommended Titles

• Children's Core Collection (formally Children's Catalog)
• Middle and Junior High Core Collection (Formally Middle and Junior High Library Catalog)
• Dewey Decimal Classification System

4.  Recommended Lists

Award Winners and Best Lists
Collection Development Professional Sources

5.  Vendor Databases for Selection and Acquisition (use with caution; be sure to back up selections with strong reviews from professional sources)

• Title Source (Baker and Taylor, no remote access)
• Title Wave (Follett: Free Access After Registration)
• Amazon.com
• Barnes&Noble.com
• Libraryvideo.com (useful source for educational videos, most with reviews)

6.  Review Indexes/Databases

• Book Review Index, Beatley Reference, 1965- [Ref Z1035.A1 B6]
• Book Review Digest Plus
• Media Review Digest, Beatley Reference, 1977-  [Ref  LB1043.Z9 M4]

7.  Other Useful Websites for Selection

• Collection Development Resources for School Libraries
• Database of Award-Winning Children's Literature
• Carol Hurst's Children's Literature Site
• BookHive
• Cooperative Children's Book Center (University of Wisconsin)
• Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
• Readers Club (Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, North Carolina)

8.  Publisher Catalogs

Another part of the collection development process.  Catalogs can alert you to new titles, new editions, and  new titles in series.  Soon you will become familiar with certain key publishers useful for building your particular collection. It is still wise to check reviews before purchase.

9.  Finding Reviews

• List of sources for locating reviews for specific titles

10.  Inprint and Price Verification

• Books in Print Global
• Amazon.com

11  Collection Evaluation and Assessment

• Collection Assessment from the Arizona State Libraries

12.  Weeding

• SUNLINK: Weed of the Month Club (demised but still useful)
• About SUNLINK

13.  Dealing with Challenged Material

• Office for Intellectual Freedom (ALA)

14. Other: Commercial Readers Advisory Sources

• NoveList
• What do I Read Next?

Created by Linda Watkins
GSLIS Librarian
Last Updated 6/25/08

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