2015 Charleston Library Conference

Professional literature on the incorporation of industry standards into a library collection is somewhat limited. The objective of this presentation is to discuss the intricate details of acquiring, managing, and delivering electronic industry standards to library patrons in a seamless manner. Lessons learned regarding vendor selection and license agreements will also be discussed. The background information that will be used for this presentation is a case study of a science and engineering library where the collection development librarians analyzed how collection policies can be properly developed to incorporate industry standards into a library setting. A quantitative analysis of the results from a survey administered to the patrons will be used to illustrate the results in combination with a qualitative analysis of the patrons and librarians’ experiences. The key points of acquisition decisions, avoidance of liability issues, and cost will be addressed.