LTA Collection Management and Acquisitions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'standing order' in library acquisitions?
- A one-time purchase of a single title
- An automatic order for each new volume in a continuing series (Correct answer)
- A request to hold an item until funding is available
- A recurring subscription to a periodical
Correct answer: An automatic order for each new volume in a continuing series
A standing order ensures the library automatically receives and pays for each new volume or edition of a series as it is published.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes 'weeding' in collection management?
- Adding new items to fill subject gaps
- Systematically removing outdated or underused materials (Correct answer)
- Repairing damaged items for continued use
- Moving items to remote storage to free shelf space
Correct answer: Systematically removing outdated or underused materials
Weeding (also called deselection) is the process of systematically removing materials that are outdated, damaged, or rarely used to maintain a current and useful collection.
Question 3: What does the acronym 'ILL' stand for in library services?
- Integrated Library Lending
- Interlibrary Loan (Correct answer)
- Item-Level Locator
- Internal Library Listing
Correct answer: Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service that allows a library to borrow materials from another library on behalf of a patron.
Question 4: A library uses the CREW method for weeding. What does the 'C' stand for?
- Circulation
- Currency (Correct answer)
- Cost
- Condition
Correct answer: Currency
In the CREW method (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding), 'C' stands for Currency, referring to how up-to-date the information in the item is.
Question 5: Which type of vendor provides libraries access to electronic journals from multiple publishers through a single platform?
- Jobber
- Aggregator (Correct answer)
- Approval plan vendor
- Antiquarian dealer
Correct answer: Aggregator
An aggregator bundles electronic content from many publishers into a single database or platform, giving libraries one-stop access.
Question 6: What is 'demand-driven acquisitions' (DDA)?
- Purchasing items based on subject librarian recommendations
- Acquiring items only after patron usage triggers a purchase (Correct answer)
- Ordering materials based on circulation statistics alone
- Buying all titles from a publisher's new release list
Correct answer: Acquiring items only after patron usage triggers a purchase
DDA (also called patron-driven acquisitions) means a library purchases or licenses an item only when a patron actually accesses or uses it enough times.
Question 7: A library receives a gift collection of 200 books. What is the FIRST step in processing?
- Add all items directly to the catalog
- Evaluate the items for relevance, condition, and duplicates (Correct answer)
- Send a thank-you letter and accept all items unconditionally
- Immediately discard items already owned by the library
Correct answer: Evaluate the items for relevance, condition, and duplicates
Before accepting or cataloging gift materials, staff should evaluate them for relevance, physical condition, and duplication of existing holdings.
LTA Collection Management and Acquisitions 2
What is a 'standing order' in library acquisitions?