Publisher's Synopsis
Technical services, traditionally defined, comprise the functions of acquisition and cataloging, two operations in which interaction with the public is not required.' In the last several years, application of computers to these two services exposed their natural relationships with circulation and interlibrary loan services as well as separate serials control systems. All of these functions and services are based on files containing bibliographic data identifying titles and/or individual items in a library's collections. The role of technical services operations in the collection evaluation process is multifaceted and significant. The role of technical service librarians to the process, however, is not necessarily clear or universally recognized, resulting in conditions that are becoming increasingly counterproductive to efficient and effective efforts to evaluate the relative quantity and quality of a library's holdings in subject areas, formats and so on to determine future needs of the institution. Collection evaluation, where it is explicitly defined and practiced, is usually part of a larger system of collection development or management under the public service or reference unit, composed of specialists in the disciplines or media being examined. Even where collection development/management officers are part of a technical service unit, their relation to the rest of its staff may only be to provide a conduit for transmitting selections for purchase to the acquisition department. The determination of needs and subsequent translation into titles selected for purchase are performed beyond the pale by bibliographers, with or without input from the public. Current trends in collection evaluation indicate the importance of examining the responsibilities of technical service librarians to the process as well as the development of new strategies to incorporate them more thoroughly into the system. Introduction to Technical Services in Library Performances includes all the functions, such as acquisitions, cataloging, classification, binding, photographic reproduction, and circulation, and operations directly based upon a library's bibliographic files-its catalog(s) and shelflist-in whatever form they exist. The text investigates relationships of each of these functions to collection evaluation, and the responsibilities and contributions of librarians performing these functions to the process. Technical services, traditionally defined, comprise the functions of acquisition and cataloging, two operations in which interaction with the public is not required.' In the last several years, application of computers to these two services exposed their natural relationships with circulation and interlibrary loan services as well as separate serials control systems. All of these functions and services are based on files containing bibliographic data identifying titles and/or individual items in a library's collections. The role of technical services operations in the collection evaluation process is multifaceted and significant. The role of technical service librarians to the process, however, is not necessarily clear or universally recognized, resulting in conditions that are becoming increasingly counterproductive to efficient and effective efforts to evaluate the relative quantity and quality of a library's holdings in subject areas, formats and so on to determine future needs of the institution. Collection evaluation, where it is explicitly defined and practiced, is usually part of a larger system of collection development or management under the public service or reference unit, composed of specialists in the disciplines or media being examined. Even where collection development/management officers are part of a technical service unit, their relation to the rest of its staff may only be to provide a conduit for transmitting selections for purchase to the acquisition department. The determination of needs and subsequent translation into titles selected for purchase are performed beyond the pale by bibliographers, with or without input from the public. Current trends in collection evaluation indicate the importance of examining the responsibilities of technical service librarians to the process as well as the development of new strategies to incorporate them more thoroughly into the system. Introduction to Technical Services in Library Performances includes all the functions, such as acquisitions, cataloging, classification, binding, photographic reproduction, and circulation, and operations directly based upon a library's bibliographic files-its catalog(s) and shelflist-in whatever form they exist. The text investigates relationships of each of these functions to collection evaluation, and the responsibilities and contributions of librarians performing these functions to the process. Technical services, traditionally defined, comprise the functions of acquisition and cataloging, two operations in which interaction with the public is not required.' In the last several years, application of computers to these two services exposed their natural relationships with circulation and interlibrary loan services as well as separate serials control systems. All of these functions and services are based on files containing bibliographic data identifying titles and/or individual items in a library's collections. The role of technical services operations in the collection evaluation process is multifaceted and significant. The role of technical service librarians to the process, however, is not necessarily clear or universally recognized, resulting in conditions that are becoming increasingly counterproductive to efficient and effective efforts to evaluate the relative quantity and quality of a library's holdings in subject areas, formats and so on to determine future needs of the institution. Collection evaluation, where it is explicitly defined and practiced, is usually part of a larger system of collection development or management under the public service or reference unit, composed of specialists in the disciplines or media being examined. Even where collection development/management officers are part of a technical service unit, their relation to the rest of its staff may only be to provide a conduit for transmitting selections for purchase to the acquisition department. The determination of needs and subsequent translation into titles selected for purchase are performed beyond the pale by bibliographers, with or without input from the public. Current trends in collection evaluation indicate the importance of examining the responsibilities of technical service librarians to the process as well as the development of new strategies to incorporate them more thoroughly into the system. Introduction to Technical Services in Library Performances includes all the functions, such as acquisitions, cataloging, classification, binding, photographic reproduction, and circulation, and operations directly based upon a library's bibliographic files-its catalog(s) and shelflist-in whatever form they exist. The text investigates relationships of each of these functions to collection evaluation, and the responsibilities and contributions of librarians performing these functions to the process.
