Need of A Collection Development Policy In College Libraries: A Study

The collection development process permits the library to develop collections based on the user's needs and requirements. The collection development policy acts as a guide for selecting library materials. It helps to maintain library cooperation and communication between library staff. The study adopted a descriptive survey method. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 32 provincialised colleges affiliated with Gauhati and Dibrugarh University. The purposes of the present study are to know the status of collection development policy in college libraries, identify the factors affecting the development of library collections, and assess the need for a CDP for college libraries in Assam. The study found that none of the libraries have an e-resource purchasing policy. Again, 9.37% of college libraries have a collection development policy for print resources. Moreover, 90.63% of college libraries do not have a CDP for print resources. Similarly, 6.25% of college libraries have a collection development policy for e-resources. Likewise, 93.75% of college libraries do not have a CDP for e-resources. The study recommended that all libraries adopt a formal or standardized collection development policy. A strongly enforced policy is important for the development of quality-based collections in the college libraries of Assam. The government and the library professional association should conduct training programs to update library staff on the changes over time.