Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Recipe For A Healthy Collection Assessment, Paula Barnett-Ellis, Charlcie Pettway Vann

Presentations, Proceedings & Performances

Collection assessments are conducted at the Houston Cole Library to ensure that current programs are supported adequately and to find out if materials are needed for newly added programs. They are conducted approximately every 5 years or sooner if needed for program reaccreditations.

Subject librarians prepare collection assessment reports using either a detailed long method with conspectus worksheets, or a short method with more numbers and less narrative. Ingredients are mixed together with the help of the technical services and acquisition departments to prepare needed data.

Assessment reports on various Library of Congress subjects have the same basic recipe. Some …