I am halfway through the spring quarter at school. The class I am taking is on collection development and I can’t say that it has been the most interesting of my classes. One of the things that is keeping it from being all that it can be, in my opinion, is the outdated textbook from 2005. This book talks about collecting VHS tapes. Choosing electronic resources is given less than a chapter and the discussion of them has a bit of a negative whiff to it. It talks about how to choose e-resource vendors but includes nothing about how to go about deciding on canceling print materials and subscribing to the digital version instead.
A further indication about how out of date the book is comes at the very beginning when the authors think it necessary to discuss what a book is in the first place. They make a prediction that e-books will not be popular for a very long time because there are no decent e-book readers on the market, and really who would want to read an e-book anyway?
Another indication about how out of date this book is. I had to read two chapters for the upcoming discussion this week on the process of acquisition which takes place after the selection decision has been made. Basically, it is the part where someone orders the books and other materials. The authors talk about paper order forms and mailing in orders and how some vendors now make things easier with electronic ordering!
Then to top it all off, there is a discussion about obtaining library materials from bookstores. The authors, for some reason, think it necessary to spend several pages telling readers about how bookstores operate. The section is so ridiculous that I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Here is how it begins:
Bookstores are interesting places to visit, whether or not one is responsible for collection development [Really? I've never been to a bookstore before, perhaps I should go one day]. Many librarians started haunting bookstores long before they became librarians [What a useful and relevant observation written with such literary style too]. (If there is a bibliographic equivalent of alcoholism, many librarians have it.) [Oh, you textbook authors are so funny!] Bibliomania is defined as “excessive fondness for acquiring and possessing books.” Most bibliomaniacs (librarians included) cannot stay out of bookstores and consider it a great feat of willpower and self-control if they manage to leave one without buying a book. [Where is the editor's red pencil? Why did this not get removed? What does it have to do with collection development?]
Although most librarians have undoubtedly visited many bookstores innumerable times [oh yes, undoubtedly], one should make a special visit to at least two local stores that have existed for many years to answer some specific questions. [I have some specific questions. Who taught you how to write? Do you know how many extra words you have in this sentence? Did you get paid by the word, is that why you write such bloated, dull and overly complicated sentences? Do I have to keep reading this crap? I think my eyes are starting to bleed.] What are the environmental and operating conditions necessary for a successful bookstore? [Something every librarian should know because running a library and running a bookstore are so similar] How does the store display and market its materials? [The better to borrow their display ideas for your library] What is for sale? [Sex, drugs and rock and roll, the usual things for sale in a bookstore] How wide a range of materials is available? Could this shop be of any value in developing the collection? [Is there a coffee shop? Does the barrista make a good mocha? Can you hire her/ him for the coffee shop in your library?]
It hurts us, Precious. And as if that isn’t bad enough, we have to read journal articles in addition. Some of them have been from as long ago as the mid-1990s referencing studies and statistics from the 1980s. One of my classmates is obviously as fed up as I am and actually complained in a post to the class discussion board about how out of date the reading material is. The professor gave him a verbal spanking in a reply post on the board. Ouch. I appreciated the guy’s nerve, but I’m personally saving my displeased comments for the end of term anonymous evaluation form. I’m not brave enough to bring the wrath of professor down upon my head before I have a final grade for the class.
Wow, that’s bad! I can’t believe how outdated and awful the book is, but especially how clueless the professor seems to be. Hello! Students need to know about electronic resources! Sorry about that.
Haha, oh man, I find the excerpt you quoted hilarious, but only because I’m not being graded on taking it seriously! That sucks. And it’s also frustrating that the professor is putting other students down for commenting on something that’s, well, pretty OBVIOUS to anyone in the 21st century. Grr.
Oh my, I can see why reading stuff like this would make the class a bit hard to take! Start preparing your evaluation form, Stefanie. I can imagine it will be a long one!
Oh dear, that’s hysterical…thanks for sharing.
A couple of years ago I had the job of converting a university’s distance (paper-based course) on collection management (which of course includes) collection development) into an online course. One of the first rules of thumb I was given was that, while I needed to keep the text book (which was way better than yours – it clearly recognised digital but was a bit uncertain about it all), I needed to find up to date journal articles. I included little or nothing from before 2000…and even those would be getting a little long in the tooth now, two years later. I found some good OCLC (if I recollect) reports from around 2004 that had useful stats.
I can’t believe they are using a 2005 book for your class….crazy really.
Wow, this is pretty sad. I can’t believe you have a professor using such an outdated resource. Does he even work in a library, and in collection development? I can tell you this bears little resemblance to what I do and see in my job . The book ordering part is pretty straightforward (and yes, electronic ordering does make life easier…does anyone even use paper order forms still??), it’s the e-resources and online journals and licenses and everything that goes along with it that is what is complicated and probably would be a little helpful to learn about. Too bad, this could have been a really interesting class. And forget VHS, you might want to learn about streaming videos….(Do you get the feeling the professor has been teaching this for the last 20 years and doesn’t want to change his teaching outline?).
Absolutely AND probably been in academia so long he is completely out of touch with modern librarianship. He is clearly not keeping up with his reading, let alone getting out and doing his own field research.
(BTW I think there still are small under-resourced libraries using some paper forms but they will not be the libraries that most library students will be working in or going to!)
Sounds more like a book from the 90s than 2005!
Also, can I just say that 2005 seems like yesterday?
This reminded me of when I was at Library School (a very long time ago!) and we soon realised that what was taught bore very little relationship to actual library work. Sad, that it’s still the same now.
Later I took an Open University course and learnt then that you had to write the answers the tutor wanted in the format s/he wanted in order to do well. It was no good trying to do anything different.
Ina way it’s a bit like going to the doctor or dentist – don’t complain until you’ve been treated!
Even a book written last year would probably be seriously out of date today, at least in regards to how libraries are like bookstores. The most recent changes happening with my employer [a big box bookstore that rhymes with ‘darned ignoble’) are that we are increasing – in a large way – items for the floor (games for kids, in this case) that can’t be downloaded in ebook form. Our evolution towards becoming the world’s largest cybercafe continues. If they’d just take out the magazine section and put in pizza ovens instead I’d be totally okay with it all.
Dorothy, I was surprised too. I didn’t realized the pub date at first but then reading along the first week and the whole e-book thing made me check the date. Then I was afraid I ordered the wrong edition, but nope, I got the right book.
Emily, isn’t it dreadful? And to think that they got paid decent money for it and I had to waste money on it. At least I can sell it back and it won’t be a total loss. I felt really bad for my classmate. He was noticably quiet in the discussion the rest of the week.
Iliana, I’m halfway through the class so I only have to grind through five *cringe* more weeks.
whisperinggums, see, you know what you’re doing! Wish you were the one doing my class. I’m sure there are some libraries that still have to use paper ordering but they aren’t the kind have acquisition departments.
Diane, it is carzy. I can’t believe the book hasn’t been updated. Just wait, when I go to sell mine back I won’t be able to because there will be a new edition coming out in a month!
Danielle, My professor does not currently work in a library as far as I know. She graduated with a Ph.D about 5 years ago. She is teaching two sections of the course and there is another professor teaching one or two sections of the course and they are all using the same syllabus and readings. I’m not sure if my professor helped design the class or not but I would have expected her to at least acknowledge the fact that much of the reading is out of date.
Daphne, I know, 2005 wasn’t that long ago but things change fast so it seems sort of ancient in some ways. How sad is that?
BooksPlease, you have touched on a debate that seems to be a continuous one in the library school world. Do they teach us theory or do they teach us practical stuff? is the job of librarian professional or vocational? Right not the pendulum has swung to professional because a segment of librarians don’t feel like they get any respect from professors so they are trying to elevate the status and even advocating for tenure something I think it ridiculous.
Cameron, I’ve noticed that the sidelines at your employer are taking up more and more floor space. I used to be able to go there and find all kinds of great stuff but now it is getting hard to find anything other than bestsellers and the recently published. Everyone is always nice and offers to order the book for me but it just isn’t the same and heck, I can order it myself for less online. Pretty sad. Pizza ovens, now that’s an idea!
LOL you’re right of course, they’ll be little libraries with one or two librarians (who may or may not be “real” librarians). Sorry, is the professor a “she”? Somehow I thought you’d said “he” but I realise now that the student was “he” and “the professor” was just “professor”. Apologies.
I’m curious about the verbal spanking posted by your professor. Did she simply shush your friend, or did she defend the book?
@Stefanie
What I’ve witnessed in regards to CDs over the last two or three years is inevitable for books, but it’ll happen far more slowly, though not as slowly as we’d all like.
I’ve speculated in conversations with a like-minded manager that maybe, just maybe, with the slow death of cheaply produced dead-tree books we’ll see a rise in the production of truly fine-quality hardcover AND paperback editions – you know: things made with decent materials and that are actually edited for typos (O! the things I’ve seen in our otherwise good lookin’ bargain editions!). With music, vinyl has made a comeback as a niche market in stores that have enough space to spare for them. I can see that being the case for those of who enjoy having a really nice edition in hand (and on the shelf).
You had me laughing out loud with the quotes you shared. I’m with kenny — did the professor defend the book? Is this a very old professor who’s been there for a LONG TIME or something? Seems very odd that previous evaluation forms haven’t, you know, red flagged this professor.
Hi Stephanie,
I believe we are in the same class. I am glad to know I am not the only one frustrated with the materials and reprimands. I am counting down the days which is sad because I was so looking forward to this class.
See you on the boards…
Karen
Sorry I totally spelled your name wrong!
K
I’m a bit horrified at the professor’s lack of professionalism. First of all to set a text that’s so out of date (even WE don’t have a VHS player any more and we’re always a decade behind) and then to tear a strip off the student indicates only his own guilty feelings about being so poorly prepared to teach. Bad.
LOL! Sound more like The History of Collection Development than anything else to me. I can imagine how frustrating it is if you’re wanting to learn about how to develop a collection in 2015. It’s fascinating to me how quickly things have changed, though, isn’t it? I just read this great little book (title, quite obviously, stolen from you) called So Many Books about books and publishing. It was written in 2003, and I was surprised to read the author’s take on how the e-book will never really catch on, because it’s too difficult to cart around computers.
Kenny, the student is currently working in a library and the professor basically said that not everyone in class works in a library and therefore don’t have his experience and knowledge. No defense of the book but an implication that the out of date information is useful somehow.
Cameron, nicely produced books without typos would definitely be a thing of beauty! I agree that it will take some time for e-books to change the face of bookstores; people are passionate about paper books.
Rebecca, as I replied to Kenny, there was no direct defense but an implication that the outdated information is still useful somehow. This is a fairly young professor. To be fair, I don’t know if she chose the readings herself. All of the collection development classes use the same syllabus and readings. I think it’s time for the professors to get together and update the course.
Karen, cat’s out of the bag! I am glad you are feeling the same way too. I was also looking forward to this class and find myself gritting my teeth and counting the days. Very sad.
Litlove, It is rather sad. I wish the prof had acknowledged the material isn’t the most current and then bothered to explain why and how it could still be useful. That would have been ok. Instead the student was reprimanded for stating something most of the class has been thinking.
Emily B, history of is right. It is amazing how quickly things change and I imagine it is hard to keep up sometimes. Is that the Zaid book you read? I don’t recall his statement on e-books it’s been too long since I read it but, oh, that’s funny about computers being too big to carry around!
Wow, that sounds painful (ah, brings back memories of those good old library school days when we learned to catalogue manually and were excited about those newfangled things called ‘email addresses’)
Seriously, though, your class syllabus sounds like it needs a reprimand. Do they realize that VHS tapes are not being manufactured any longer? Maybe you should bring up the thorny question of what to do about all those 8 tracks taking up space
I agree with Danielle, it’s the e-resources and licenses etc. that are bloody confusing and I could use a refresher course on those. But I have never in all my years worked in a library with paper order forms.
But don’t worry, not much of what you learn will be relevant after a year or two of work, that is the joy of library school.
Keep meaning to tell you that yes, it was the Zaid book.