National Library of New Zealand collection development policy : strategic or circulation based approach?

Abstract

The study examines the National Library of New Zealand Collection Policy and its choices for subject areas designated collecting areas in the new, smaller, tailored collections. It examines the Business Information, Library and Information Science and Music collections. The study is limited to monographs added to the collections between 1 July 1995 and 30 June 1996 and circulations of those monographs from 1 December 1996 to January 1997. The study applies collection use analysis methods to determine if monographs are being used and meeting user needs. The study found that the smaller tailored collections are not receiving a high level of use. The study concludes that the Business Information, Library and Information Science and Music collections need further attention and that the National Library of New Zealand Collection Policy has failed to provide a balanced and well used collection that meets user needs.