Development guidelines for circulating technology collections

Abstract

Belk Library and Information Commons at Appalachian State University began circulating technology in the early 2000s with a small set of laptops and MacBooks. This collection was augmented with the addition of approximately two dozen video and still cameras in 2006 and by 2019, the technology collection for circulation had grown to 550 devices composed of 33 types, including laptops, tablets, audio and video recorders, DSLR cameras, and headphones. Over this time, the team developed a set of guidelines to govern the development of the collection. The team developed some policies that follow traditional collection development guidelines, but many are unique to the challenges required to maintaining a useful and functioning circulation collection of technology equipment.

Keywords:

• Technology lending
• public services
• collection development
• technology collections
• technology policies