Collection Assessment

Assess—Define What You Need

Support Materials:

1. Identify collection needs

a. Identify needs based on the school curriculum.

Curriculum Documents-Acquire and study current curriculum documents: program outcomes, course outcomes, unit and lesson plans; research topics.
EALRs-Be familiar with the content of the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs).
Be familiar with grade level expections (GLEs) for each grade level served.

b. Identify needs based on your knowledge of the collection.

Keep a research project notebook or ongoing topic list of collection areas needing additional resources. See Curriculum Connections in the Bellingham Public Schools-Elementary & Middle School; High School.
Consider age and condition of materials in current collection.
Consider student demographics and collection balance.

c. Identify needs based on student and staff requests.

Survey students and staff for titles supporting curriculum and pleasure reading.
Track informal student requests and interests.
Collect information from staff using the Evaluation of Library Resources questionnaire.

d. Create a plan to systematically review each area of the collection.

2. Conduct an annual or bi-annual inventory of the collection to determine replacement needs, missing items and status of the collection.

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Library Manual

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