RLUK

University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 3 - 4 April 2000

Increasing emphasis is now being placed on collection development and exploitation, an emphasis made all the more necessary by the continuing complexity of holdings, the rapid growth of electronic information sources (primary and secondary) and greater demands from universities, funding councils and government for accountability and value for money.

At the same time, users are becoming more sophisticated; they look for improved delivery mechanisms and for even more efficient services. The information professional needs to develop new skills in selection, exploitation and relegation of "stock", whether actual or virtual, whether held or accessed from a remote site.

There needs to be greater awareness of the thinking behind strategic decision-making on collecting policies. The involvement of subject librarians in the selection and management of all information sources is an essential part of the process. This is particularly true as academics and researchers increasingly discover that the riches in our libraries offer excellent opportunities for research projects and bids.