University of Florida Levin College of Law UF Law Scholarship Repository UF Law Faculty Publications Faculty Scholarship 2-1970 Book Selection and Acquisitions: Comments and Annotated Bibliography Betty W. Taylor University of Florida Levin College of Law William W. Gaunt Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/facultypub Part of the Legal Education Commons, and the Legal Writing and Research Commons Recommended Citation Betty W. Taylor & William W. Gaunt, Book Selection and Acquisitions: Comments and Annotated Bibliography, 63 Law Libr. J. 107 (1970), available at http://scholarship.law.ufl.edu/facultypub/684 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at UF Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in UF Law Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of UF Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Book Selection and Acquisitions: Comments and Annotated Bibliography By BErY W. TAYLOR-' and WILLiAm W. GAUNT** Samuel Johnson said: "Knowledge is of delegated to the librarian. Ideally, all other two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we things being equal, the librarian should control know where we can find information upon it. the selection process but, at the same time, When we enquire into any subject, the first maintain an open channel for the recommenda- thing we have to do is to know what books tions and advice of library patrons. have treated of it,"1 placing the burden for Incumbent with the freedom of book selec- finding the knowledge upon those desiring it. tion is the responsibility for choosing titles The premium factor in the search for truth is wisely, in light of total library needs. Exercising the acquisition and preparation of information this choice can result in questioning of the for discovery, so that when it is sought, it can librarian's judgment in book purchasing. Un- be ferreted out successfully by the seekers. Thus fortunately, the matter of freedom in selection emerges the librarian's role in the quest for of library materials, especially in nonlegal li- knowledge. braries, on occasions, has become such a power- The book selection process, one of the most ful issue that the librarian's position itself may important library functions, can set the whole be placed in jeopardy upon the exercise of dis- tenor of a library, and through this process cretion in acquisitions. the reading and research of library users can Budgetary limitations, superimposed upon li- be manipulated. Directly related to the quality brary administration, challenge the librarian's of the seeker's product is the quality of the utmost professional skill. This is true in the library's content and organization; thereby em- situations where only a few titles can be pur- phasizing the requirement for responsible book chased or at times when large sums of money selection. are allocated to be exhausted over a designated In the usual setting, the librarian administers period of time. Numerous factors must be the library, including the book selection func- weighed before an order receives a final stamp tion; however, the divergence of the selection of approval. In order to make an intelligent process is exemplified in the different types of selection, the librarian should be familiar with libraries and even within a particular type of similar books in the collection, other editions library, depending upon the size of the collec- owned, instructional or research potential of tion, the number and demands of patrons, the proposed title, upkeep costs, discounts avail- specialized programs, and its administration. In able, etc. (Consult accompanying bibliography some libraries, acquisition of materials requires for articles on this topic; i.e., Jeffrey's "Book little or no selection process, but merely the Selection: Evaluation Standards and Proce- exhaustion of adequate funding, while in other dures," 45 Law Library J. 401 (1952).) libraries, the selection process becomes critical In the final analysis, selections are not made within budgetary limitations and as to patrons in a vacuum, and the purpose of this paper is as well. to present information, along with an anno- Many of us take the book selection respon- tated bibliography, to assist in the selection sibility and duty for granted; others must and acquisitions process. Herein the materials jealously guard the right to select library ma- deal not only with current acquisitions but terials; and still others are denied the selection also with evaluative selections, enhancing the privilege, which is assumed by an outside body, quality of an existing collection. with only the technical acquisitions function CURRENT BooK SELECTION AiDs * Law Librarian, University of Florida. * President, William W. Gaunt & Sons, Holmes One of the most valuable sources of in- Beach, Florida. formation about new books arriving on the I Samuel Johnson on April 15, 1775, as quoted scene is provided by the publishers and dealers in Hill, George B., ed. Boswell's Life of Johnson. themselves via blurbs and catalogs. All libraries Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1934. Vol. 2, Pp. 365. should be on the mailing lists to receive ad- LAW LIBRARY JOURNAL Vol. 63 vertisements describing current title content ments distributed in 1966, 1967, 1968, and and price. These usually are posted earlier than 1969. Commencing in 1969, a quarterly interim other bibliographic sources, frequently prior to supplement, Law Books Published (during the publication, thus being the primary link to the quarter covered), appeared. For the first time, current market. Before negotiating purchase selected foreign law books were introduced. orders, careful examination of blurbs and other The fourth quarterly issue will cumulate the publication sources is necessary to determine data for the year, becoming the annual supple- edition and publication date, in order to avoid ment. Plans to update the 1964 bound volumes duplication. One survey polling law librarians are in progress. about sources used for book aids indicated Nearly every law review carries a book review that "publishers' announcements are used more section that can be scrutinized for book selec- 2 regularly and extensively than any other aid." tion purposes. While, generally speaking, book Additionally, publishers and dealers offer reviews are not considered the best source for listings or catalogs of titles available for pur- book selection because they are not critical chase. These will include not only the new and they are late, still they offer some guidance arrivals but also older titles that are in stock. as to subject matter treated, its up-to-dateness The catalogs should be collected and retained and its relation to other materials in the field, for consultation from time to time and may as well as full bibliographic citations. To fill a be discarded when a new catalog is issued. void in this area, the Law Library Journal Many catalogs are now providing librarians carries a special book reviewing feature espe- with detailed technical information about cially designed for law librarians in book selec- books, and close examination of brochures may tion (see "Book Appraisals" in each issue). yield an LG card number and/or an LC classi- Apart from the current treatises and serials, fication number; some even appear in the LC is a multitude of material that should be placed card format to assist in the cataloging and in a law library. Sources of data about peri- classification of books. This data should ac- odicals, continuations, documents, and foreign company the internal order information to materials are included in the attached bibliog- facilitate the processing procedures after the raphy in the primary section. book arrives. Salesmen can provide a virtual wealth of BOOK COLLEMCTON EXPANSION information about publications, both their own In addition to and competitors'. Most of them have regular being alert to current ma- terials, librarians wish to be cognizant of pub- visitation schedules and are anxious to assist lications to improve and expand the book librarians in the selection of materials and to collection. Undoubtedly most librarians explain the content and use of their tools. com- pile want lists of priority Often they possess information about used or items, based upon suggestions of patrons and upon out-of-print titles that are being searched for recommended lists, to be purchased as purchase, and can direct an individual to an funds are allocated. Aside available title. from these items, are books that should be purchased as the library Beyond the data from the publishers them- grows in size. As- certaining which books selves, there is the very useful title, Law Books to purchase next, to in Print. As implicit in the name, this indis- improve the quality of the collection, becomes less tangible. pensable tool lists the books that are still avail- Again, various factors will in- able from publishers and/or dealers. Originally fluence the direction of library growth; i.e., specialized published in 1957, it was the first attempt to needs of the clientele, resources list publications in print in the law book field. available in the vicinity, and, for law school A later edition, in 1959, was published in a 2- libraries, the curriculum, instructional versus volume format, with increased scope of cover- research programs, writing activities of the age. The latest edition, bound in two volumes, faculty, etc. was published in 1964, with annual supple- Bibliographies of materials provide an excel- lent source of information for selecting titles to 2 Brown, George Berdine. "The Practices of Law build library collections and to improve the Publishers As They Affect Law Libraries," 34 LLJ quality of the collection. A newcomer to law 46, at 47 (1941). library resource material, but now of great BOOK SELECTION AND ACQUISITIONS prominence, is the project sponsored by the These standards are specific enough to aid any Association of American Law Schools, entitled librarian of a small law library in determining Law Books Recommended for Libraries.