Library collection budgeting
I think the focus of collection budgeting should be on what resources are needed to meet the collection rationale and how they are used to best meet the needs of users. In my opinion (and admittedly, limited experience as a teacher librarian) these are of greater importance than how big the collection is or on maintaining its size. A small, curated and balanced collection of resources can be more effective than a very large collection of irrelevant resources. Therefore, the emphasis should be on budgeting to ensure quality rather than quantity.
In my current context, the library has been without a qualified TL for six years. The collection is quite large, but much of the material is outdated and not used. The teacher resource section has not undertaken a stocktake in any staff member’s memory. The collection is primarily physical, with very few electronic resources available or used by the community. Therefore, in moving forward and budgeting for a balanced collection, I feel we will need to consider a needs-based and qualitative approach for collection measurement.
The Teacher Librarian may consider:
Gaps in the collection – mapped vertically and horizontally against Australian Curriculum and International Baccalaureate PYP framework
Availability of resources that support equitable access e.g. large print, audiobooks, differentiated text, online subscriptions, e-books
Learning styles or needs e.g. for EALD, disabilities
Variety of formats and/or delivery modes e.g. Story Box Library, e-books
Access to ICT at school/home e.g. bring your own device, computer lab, group sets of devices
Popularity and borrowing rate of certain resources
Subscriptions, consumable resources, professional learning
To gather this data, the Teacher Librarian might engage a combination of the following:
Observational/anecdotal records i.e. Pokemon books are very popular
Oliver reports
Borrowing rate
Age of resource
Resource tags e.g. cross-curriculum priority areas, key learning areas
Survey to staff i.e. Google Forms
Types of physical resources used
Types of electronic resources used
Teaching style and preferences
Observed student needs and preferences