Leads readers through many aspects of a library's collection including the user, current holdings, selection, and acquisition of new materials. This book helps them consider budgets, and how books are made available in 21st century markets. It describes methods for assessing library vendors. It is intended for students or practicing librarians.

Agee taught graduate courses in Selection and Acquisitions for several years, he directed an ALA accredited MLS program, has given acquisitions seminars in Sofia, Bulgaria; Manila, Philippines; Pretoria, South Africa, and has travelled extensively visiting libraries in the US and other nations. Readership The book is focused on librarians who are new to acquisitions, library and information science students globally at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and anyone who is seeking an acquisitions or collection management position. The book may also be of value to librarians who have not had formal training, or researchers in library and information science. Contents Campus and community Collection evaluation Selection of materials Collection management Financial considerations Book chain development Vendor assessment Speculations about the future

University community - knowing who uses the library and their needs
Collection evaluation - discovering what is in the current collection, as a basis for adding new resources
Selection of materials - learning about tools that are available to help librarians find new materials
Collection management - gaining insights into how a collection can be balanced, and realizing the complexity inherent in academic library collections
Financial considerations - looking at financial flows, and responsible financial management
Book chain development - appreciating the steps of production and distribution that take a book from concept to library shelf
Vendor assessment - measuring how well or how badly a vendor serves the library and how other vendors' service compares
Speculations about the future - discusses new implications for information management and access in the future.