Integrating Circulated Technology into the Library Collection Development Plan

Academic libraries are increasingly focused on the acquisition and expansion of circulating technology collections. These collections are often governed by auxiliary library services such as Access Services or IT departments and not considered as part of the general collection. Technology purchases are typically made with one-time-use funds and replacement is an ad-hoc process depending on budget availability. Users are rarely consulted regarding new purchases and systematic analysis of usage is lacking. As laptops, tablets and other technologies become integral to a library’s circulated resources, they need to be integrated as part of the regular collection and included in the library’s collection management planning. This inclusion would enable the library to apply current and emerging collection development strategies, such as Demand Driven Acquisition, to these collections and center users as the decision makers in technology collection growth by continually assessing users’ needs and evaluating collections based on those needs. This poster chronicles the efforts of San Jose State University Library’s Student Computing Services department to unify technology purchasing with other collection management strategies and policies, which includes demand driven acquisitions, ongoing evaluation and in-depth assessment. It highlights how these methods bring users in from the margins of technology collection development, putting them at the center of technology purchasing decision