What is acquisition? The process of acquisition in academic libraries, special libraries and public libraries. ~ Library

Acquisition is a process of selecting, ordering and acquiring various materials or documents for library and information centers and then maintain the record of your purchase. Every library system have a collection development policy and keeping that policy in mind every library have to build-up the collection of the library. The acquisition is not a one step process it involves various kind of act. The first step is pre-order bibliographic searching of the catalogue of library to avoid the duplication of the library material which are not even required in more quantity. Then the selected materials are ordered. There are various kind ok method for acquiring the materials such as gift, subscription, purchase. Then the selected and ordered materials are received by the library and they are checked by the library staff for their quality, quantity, processing invoices, making payment to the vendor etc. This is done to ensure the library receive what is ordered by the library nothing else and the received material is of the same quantity as it was ordered. And the last step is maintaining the necessary records for this process.

It is the first function of Library Technical Services other functions are cataloging and collections management which are performed after the acquisition process. Acquisitions is a responsibility handled by the Acquisition Department. And this department is responsible for all the acquired materials library have. In case of historical libraries the process of library material acquisition is handled by library staff and the final decision is of the librarian. This case is still true for most of the small libraries. But in case of large libraries and the information centers with large collection all the activity related to acquisition is exhibited by the Acquisition Department. Acquisition department is also known as acquisition unit.

What is the function of Acquisitions?

Though the basic function we understand the acquisition department perform is of acquiring the books or documents. But function of the Acquisitions department goes beyond just buying books. Here are listed some functions which are included in the responsibility of acquisition department:

To order, claim, receive, preserve, and pay for all library materials.
To handle licensing agreements for electronic publications and on-line services.
To monitor, coordinate, implement, and evaluate all collection related activities.
To check-in, organize, and perform shelf preparation for all serials.
To perform gift and exchange activities.
To select and evaluate sources of supply.
To provide management and financial reports and statistics

Acquisitions in a Small School/College Library

The prime aim of the library of school and college library is to have the documents that support the curriculum the school and collage library have for the students. The chief aim is to follow the area which have the content that is taught in the courses.

Acquisitions Procedures that School Libraries follows:

Most of the library just have librarian that deals with all the main work library have to do like collection development : acquisition, classification, cataloguing, circulation, information literacy etc. For the selection policy for library material the library professionals seek input from the specialist and teachers (professional staff) and students. the activities like weeding out is also exhibited by the librarian in the school library. The decision related to subscription of any item and whether they have to purchase the gift is purely the decision of librarian or any higher authority. This all are under the guidance of policy guidelines.

Example: School Library Acquisitions Procedures

Selection of learning resources (professional personnel will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs). They will consult with the subject specialist and also ask students requirements through suggestion box. Also look for the duplication of material through library catalogue.
Recommendations for purchase involve administrators, teachers, students, district personnel, and community members, as appropriate.
Even the gift material is required to be judged if your library have the need of the donated documents or not. whether the donated documents have reliability, validity and currency.
Selection is an ongoing process it include weeding out (removing materials that are no longer used or needed), adding materials (collection development as library is a growing organism) and replacing lost and worn materials that still have educational value.

Acquisitions in a Special Library

In a special library and libraries of business schools, engineering institutions, medical library, agricultural library etc. acquisitions functions are performed to support the research needs of the scholar of the organization and collections are built chiefly in its area of specialization that will provide more micro level information to support the research.

Acquisitions in an Academic Library

In large academic libraries acquisitions units are often organized and have different departments (the material types to be ordered, generally categorized as either a monographs units, serials or periodicals unit, and further subdivided by the country or region of the world or by languages).

Acquisitions Procedures in Academic Libraries

The ideal condition is many members of a library’s staff are responsible for reviewing material for purchase or acquisition. There is a selection policy that outline the specific areas in which a library will collect, and professional library staff should be assigned for the selection of material for specific collection areas. Librarians may consult from faculty about purchase, but the final acquisition decisions are the responsibility of the librarian.

Example: Academic Library Acquisitions Procedures

Item selection is done by professional librarians with support from the faculty (subject experts). Each expert is responsible for recommending material for purchase in their assigned subject areas. And the librarian look for the actual need of the material in library.

Acquisitions in a Public Library

Public libraries purchase materials of general and broader interest containing information for all people in the communities they provide services to.

Acquisitions Procedures in Public Libraries

In larger public libraries, more than one member is responsible for the collection development in case of an ideal environment. The selection policy will outline the specific areas in which a library collects materials. Those areas should be identified and selectors should be assigned for the identified collection areas. These selectors are the experts of his/her area. In case of smaller libraries, one person may be responsible for selecting resources.

Example: Public Library Acquisitions Procedures

The manager of the main library and professionals of different branches and mobile services have the system-wide responsibility for the overall selection and maintenance of all materials and formats within the collection of the library. This responsibility is monitored by the library director and assistant director, and is delegated to these individuals as a result of their education, training, experience, and job classification.
All materials and formats are selected or approved for the library’s collection by staff members who are qualified to do so by reason of education, training, experience, knowledge of subject area, and job classification.
Approved materials can be selected for the various collections within each branch library or mobile services unit.

Acquisitions in a National Library

National libraries house the collection of the most important works in that country. One of the purposes of a national library is national bibliographic control. The national library provide following functions and the collection development is accordingly:

Provide leadership among the nation’s libraries
Serve as a permanent depository of all publications issued in the country
Acquire other types of material, provide bibliographical services
Serve as coordinating centre for co-operative activities
Provide service to government.

Selection Guidelines:

Decide whether a particular title should be purchased, look for the duplication
Decide on the location for which book should be catalogued
Decide on which fund should be charged
Does the item support an academic department’s instructional or research programs?
Does the item represent content not already available in another title in the collection?
Is the title at the appropriate level for this university?
Is the item affordable?
Is there already a copy in the Library?
Should a duplicate copy be acquired?
Send order request to Acquisitions

Process of ordering an item:

Receive order request
Review request to make sure that it is complete
If an unwanted duplicate arrives, return order request to selector with this information and the reason for cancellation.
Decide on the method of acquisition.
May check Books-In-Print and other sources to make sure that item is available, at what price, and from what source
Select vendor from whom item can be obtained
Upon receipt, the “on order” status is changed to “in process” as the material is passed to Cataloging.
Query vendor if order is not supplied on a timely basis; respond to any questions from vendor about format, edition, cost, etc. Reorder from another vendor if order is refused by first vendor.
Receive item and invoice
Update on-line acquisitions system with receipt information
Approve invoice for payment and forward invoice to Fiscal Office.

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