Developing Collections for Young Adults

1.  Use the Library's Collection Development Policy or Other Guidelines if They Exist 

• General Information on Collection Development Policies: Arizona State Libraries
• Acqweb Directory of Collection Development Policies on the Web
• Demographic Data
• Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
• Standards for Public Library Services to Young Adults in Massachusetts (Massachusetts Library Association)
• Massachusetts School Library Media Program Standards for 21ST Century Learning 

2.  Review Journals: consult the Simmons Online Catalog for electronic access for those not online or selective in coverage. 

Booklist	KLIATT
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books	MultiCultural Review
Horn Book Magazine	REFORMA Newsletter
Horn Book Guide	School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews	VOYA: Voice of Youth Advocates

3. Standard Catalogs of Recommended Titles 

• Middle and Junior High Core Collection
• Senior High Core Collection
• Dewey Decimal Classification System
• Public Library Core Collection: Nonfiction  (might consider using for some high school level collections)

4.  Recommended Lists 

Award Winners and Best Lists
Collection Development Professional Sources

5.  Vendor Databases for Selection and Acquisition (use with caution; be sure to back up selections with strong reviews from professional sources) 

• Title Source (Baker and Taylor, onsite access only)
• Title Wave (Follett: Free Access After Registration)
• Amazon.com
• Barnes&Noble.com
• Libraryvideo.com (useful source for educational videos, some with reviews)

6.  Review Indexes/Databases 

• Book Review Index, Beatley Index Shelf, 1965-
• Book Review Digest Plus (Wilson)
• Media Review Digest, 1970-2006 [Reference LB1043.Z9 M4]

7.  Other Useful Websites for Selection 

• Collection Development Resources for School Libraries
• Cooperative Children's Book Center (University of Wisconsin)
• Favorite Teenage Angst Books
• Reading Rants: Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklist
• Guys Read
• Graphic Novels for Teachers and Librarians
• No Fying No Tights
• Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
• Readers Club (Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, North Carolina)
• Genrefluent

8.  Publisher Catalogs 

Another part of the collection development process.  Catalogs can alert you to new titles, new editions, and  new titles in series.  Soon you will become familiar with certain key publishers useful for building your particular collection. It is still wise to check reviews before purchase.

9.  Finding Reviews 

• List of sources for locating reviews

10.  Inprint and Price Verification 

• Books in Print Global
• Amazon.com

11  Collection Evaluation and Assessment 

• Collection Assessment Methods from Arizona State Library

12.  Weeding 

• SUNLINK: Weed of the Month Club  [defunct, but still useful]

13.  Dealing with Challenged Material 

• Office for Intellectual Freedom

14. Other: Commercial Readers Advisory Sources 

• Novelist
• What do I Read Next?

Created by Linda Watkins
GSLIS Librarian
Last Updated 2/19/10

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