Storied: A Case Study of Popular Fiction Collections in Academic Libraries

This study examines how and why academic libraries collect popular fiction literature using a case study approach. Specifically, this exploratory study looks at this component of academic libraries’ collections in the University of North Carolina system and poses two questions: “How do UNC systems libraries collect popular fiction, and why? What purposes do/could these collections serve to users of an academic library?” In order to address these research questions, a sample of popular fiction titles sourced from recent published bestseller lists was title-author searched in the University of North Carolina campus systems’ catalogs. Data on presence, format, and location was recorded and analyzed for a picture of these academic libraries’ popular fiction literature holdings. Qualitative data from interviews with library staff familiar with these collections was also analyzed to understand the intention behind their development in conversation with existing literature. This study may impact collection development practices or interest for future research into this area.Master of Science in Library Scienc