Over the last 20 years, Belk Library's collection development policy has shifted from prescriptive to descriptive, deemphasizing specific collections outcomes and empowering liaison librarians to make purchasing decisions for their partner areas. Without any coordination or mandates, librarians began purchasing materials meant to meet the whole-person needs of their liaison groups, converging on a collection capable of supporting campus both through and beyond the curriculum. Our presentation will explore the effect of placing more collection development in the hands of liaison librarians already immersed in different user populations. This case study demonstrates how extending the trust already placed in liaison librarians to include materials selection can yield new and improved relationships throughout the university, as well as deeper library involvement in projects and activities across campus and the surrounding communities. We offer lessons learned on the counterintuitive ability of decentralization to build collections with a shared vision; how popular materials can advance the mission of academic libraries; and the value in crafting policies allowing for organic and responsive collection development rather than those imposing narrowly prescribed visions on library collections.
Thursday October 16, 2025 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT Salem 3A301 West 5th Street, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
