Course Overview

Acquisitions is the process of selecting and procuring materials in a range of formats to meet the needs of the community the library serves. For libraries and information services to remain relevant they need to be proactive in developing collections that are accessible and relevant to the community. This is applicable to all types of libraries and information services.

How libraries select and acquire resources has undergone a number of changes in recent years. Outsourcing, e-resources and collection development software are just some examples. As our communities diversify it is important this is reflected in library collections. The involvement of the community in the selection process is becoming more important.

This is a 3 week professional development unit. You will receive a Certificate of Participation upon the successful completion of this course.

Course Content

The purpose of this course is to provide knowledge and skills to evaluate a library’s collection against library policies and client group needs and acquire resources that fulfil these needs, and will specifically cover:

Reviewing collections through the evaluation of data on trends relevant to customer needs and formats

Recommending items for inclusion and exclusion to the collection based on customer needs and requirements

Trends in the processes for selecting and acquiring library materials

Diversity of collections that reflect “a wide array of people and cultures to authentically reflect a variety of ideas, information, stories, and experiences” (ALA, Diverse collections)

Right for you if...

Work in the library and information sector and / or have an interest in selection and acquisition processes

Would like to increase your knowledge of new tools and methods available to assist in the acquisitions and development of collections

Are interested in engaging your community in the selection process

Course Delivery

Contact with facilitators will be through online forums on Moodle (the online Learning Management System used by TAFE NSW for these courses).

Participants will connect with each other through forum discussions.

There are no specific times you need to be available.

The time investment required is approximately 4-5 hours per week, depending on the individual.

The course is designed to be completed in 3 weeks but as it is developed to be self paced, it is possible to finish a little earlier or later depending on your learning styles and needs. However, if you wish to vary the usual time taken, please discuss this with your teacher.

Participants require a computer with internet access.

On behalf of...

Our training partner for this course is TAFE NSW. TAFE NSW is the leading provider of vocational education and training in Australia. Each year, more than 500,000 students enrol in their nationally recognised courses and training.

What to expect once you have registered

Following the close of registrations, which is 28 September, we will be in contact with you before the course commences to provide you with further information about the next steps of enrolment: TAFE student registration and Moodle login set up.

More information

Cancellation Policy