Defying Gravity: Beyond Traditional in Collection Development

1. Defying Gravity: Beyond Traditional in Collection Development Shawn Townsend, Upland Public Library Ryan Baker, Irwindale Public Library Nina Biddle, Sacramento Public Library Shellie Cocking, San Francisco Public Library Celeste Steward, Alameda County Library Randy McDevitt-Parks, Alameda County Library

2. Shawn Townsend Upland Public Library

3. Ryan Baker Irwindale Public Library

4. Nina Biddle Sacramento Public Library

5. Defying Gravity : Beyond Traditional in Collection Development Sacramento Public Library Nina Biddle, Collection Services Manager

6. Sacramento Public Library

7. SPL Facts & Figures • Service Population: 1.2 million in Sacramento County • Facilities: Central Library with 27 branches • Collection size: 495,000 titles; 1.8 million items • Annual Circulation FY12: 7.7 million

8. Extreme Makeover in 2011 • Centralized selection – 3 selectors • Floated the entire collection • Created Lucky Day collections at each branch • Procured added value services of cataloging and processing for 90% of the collection • Changed bibliographic utility for 40% annual cost savings • Acquired CollectionHQ • Renovated the department • Decreased turnaround time from 150 to 3 days

9. 1. $2.8M Materials Budget 8.4% of total budget 33% reduction in two-year annual budget cycle Common Challenges

10. Common Challenges 2. Accommodating eContent eBook and eAudiobook checkouts Sept. 2011-Sept. 2012 131% increase in eBook checkouts

11. How do we meet goals for our collections ….with Less Money? • Floating Collection & Resource Sharing • Fewer copies • Streamlining through Centralization & Standardization • No more branch processing or repairing • Centralized selection • Partnering and Collaboration • Getting creative with formats and community connections • Maximizing Supplemental Revenue Sources • California State Library and other grant opportunities • System Friends • Branch Friends • SPL Foundation • Employing Principles of Fiscal Responsibility

12. PARTNERING & COLLABORATION

13. Crocker Art Museum Art Packs Backpacks containing a collection of children's books, art materials, music, games, and art education resources for parents that can be checked out at Sacramento Public Libraries Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Partnered in January 2012 to circulate energy usage monitors for home appliances Continuing partnership 2013 household energy usage meters Branching Out with Formats

14. Partnership Benefits • Materials are often free to acquire • Reach a larger “audience” -Develop broader awareness and potential support for the Library and its collection • Establish a mutually beneficial relationship to strengthen service to the community • Remain relevant to the community

15. Maximizing Supplemental Revenue California State Library and Other Grant Opportunities • eReader Project – Over 300 eReaders preloaded with content System and Branch Friends • Lucky Day collections • “Friends Helping Friends” 3-way matching funds SPL Foundation • Lucky Day collections • Responsive to well-defined needs, e.g., early literacy

16. Fiscal Responsibility -Optimizing Savings • Evaluate multi-year contracts • Use competitive procurement to full advantage • RFPs for value-added services

17. Vendors are flexible Usage reports are valuable tools Scrutinize charges e.g., Automatic 5% renewal fee Take advantage of vendor cost-saving programs Negotiate!!

18. Thank you!

19. Shellie Cocking San Francisco Public Library

20. CollectionHQ: How We Use It Easier Weeding & Inventory Control Smarter Floating Better Targeted Spending

21. Weeding & Inventory Control

24. Smarter Floating

27. Better Targeted Spending

31. Celeste Steward Alameda County Library

32. collection Management: Alameda county library Central Selection and Promotion

33. Children’s Materials Selection 10 branch libraries + 1 Bookmobile All formats: Print, ebook and audiovisual Annual Budget – varies One million - $700,000

34. Reader’s Advisory Central Reading Rocks! http://guides.aclibrary.org/read Twitter Feed: https://twitter.com/aclib

35. Getting Started • Track suggested titles and booklists • Ask for staff suggestions • Subscribe to vendor newsletters/blogs • Study industry sites and trade journals • Promote on social media sites • Involve web services • Save public comments for reports/statistics • Borrow and adapt promotional materials

36. Seasonal Reader’s Advisory Banned Books: http://guides.aclibrary.org/banned/childrens Summer Reading: http://guides.aclibrary.org/summer/childrens

37. For More Information Celeste Steward, Collection Development Librarian IV Alameda County Library 2450 Stevenson Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 510-745-1586 csteward@aclibrary.org @bookladybyday

38. Randy McDevitt-Parks Alameda County Library

39. Who We Are: • We serve 7 communities, with 10 branch locations, and with a 560,000 population service area. • Extension Services includes a Bookmobile and services to seniors, jails and juvenile detention centers. We are developing partnerships with youth centers and other County departments and agencies. • Staff: 286 employees, FT/PT Centralized selection at alameda county library County Librarian – Jean Hofacket Circulation is 6.5+ million and increasing.

40. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library Materials Selection has been centralized since February 2009. It was a hybrid system before that. Impetus for Move to Centralized Selection: • Need to do more with less. • Staffing levels had remained static for years, with attrition and vacancies major factors. Selection processes were becoming more complex and branch staff lacked adequate time for thoughtful selection. • County Librarian wanted public service staff to concentrate on outreach, programming, and working more directly with Library members.

41. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library Goals & Expectations for Centralized Selection: • Develop comprehensive systemwide collection development and management plans, including regular CREW-based weeding and collection refresh orders. • Concentrate selection among a small group of full time selectors with expertise in selection and with vendor relations. • Rationalize the acquisitions, processing, and cataloging functions with fewer people. Primary print wholesaler also catalogs and processes for us.

42. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library Goals & Expectations for Centralized Selection: • Increase efficiencies and flexibility with scaling – monthly and themed selection lists from vendors, larger system funds to draw from, quantity ordering, additional copies to meet holds demand, centralized leased book ordering for popular titles, less duplication of orders. More ability to be nimble, as needed, especially with specially funded projects. • Better budget management and fluidity – fewer fund codes needed, ability to shift funds as needed more easily, and to meet customer demand, easier budget analysis. Current FY materials budget is $3 million.

43. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library Regular Collection Development Staff 1 Collection Development Coordinator – Adult Ordering of Bestsellers, High Holds, High Demand, Large Refresh Lists, CREW Weeding management, CollectionHQ oversight, communications with staff and public. 1 Children’s Selector – print, AV, and ebooks, regular monthly orders, refresh lists and projects, communication with staff. 1 Adult/Teen Selector – print and AV, regular monthly orders, refresh lists and projects, communication with staff. OtherCollection Development Staff • 1 Web Services Librarian orders econtent. • 10% of 1 FT branch librarian’s time is devoted to selection and maintenance of Spanish print and AV. Farsi materials are selected by designated branch staff. • Other language selection is outsourced to vendors.

44. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library OUTCOMES • Selection staff have adequate dedicated time to concentrate on selection and collection management. • Selectors have become expert in their selection area and as resources for all staff and the public. • Selectors have time for professional development – webinars, classes, conferences, professional literature. • Selectors have developed close working relationships with acquisitions, processing, and cataloging staff. • By necessity, selectors have become extremely knowledgeable about the publishing industry - both print and electronic, the music , TV and film industries, and the materials wholesale industry. They keep current on a daily basis.

45. Centralized Selection at Alameda County Library OUTCOMES • Diversity and local community needs can still be met, as long as clear communications are maintained. • Localized pockets of personal biases can be minimized when selecting systemwide. • Customer purchase requests are centralized as well, giving selectors a broad feel for needs, interests and trends. • Centralized selection works well with floating, which was phased in in summer 2009. Everything now floats, with some exceptions.