Collection development is largely defined as the process of choosing which materials are added to libraries. It would be beneficial to broaden the concept of collection development to reflect the continuity and interconnectivity characteristic of the contemporary information environment. At Missouri Southern State University, our mission is to serve diverse library users and to expand our resources. The Contemporary Collection practice began in 2013 with the Colbert Report and the Daily Show collections. Such Just-In-Time collections allowed us to be flexible in supplying content and to diversify the library resources. Since then, the Contemporary Collection has become a “standing” component in our library, and several unique and viable collections have been created and acquired to meet the specific needs of the campus and the community as they arise.
This presentation will focus on the joint efforts made by two departments for the creation and maintenance of the Contemporary Collection. We will introduce how a new collection is initiated at the Access Services Department, how the associated items are chosen and placed on display, and what promotions are conducted on campus and through multi-media. We will discuss the practice of the Technical Services Department in cataloging and processing the materials for the Contemporary Collection as well as running its continuous maintenance. The lifespan of two eventually dismantled collections will be explored. In addition, we will share the benefits of our growing collections and patronage as well as the lessons gained from our experience.