American University Library - Collection Management Team

Collection Management Team

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Collection Management Mission Statement:

The Collection Management Unit is responsible for the strategic development of collections. Unit members communicate regularly with teaching unit liaisons. They maintain knowledge of current and changing teaching unit curricula, research, and programs, adjusting their collection building activities accordingly. They also develop an awareness of the resources available in their subject areas.

The unit serves as an advisory body to the Collection Development Librarian on policy issues related to the development and management of the library’s collections. Unit members review and recommend policies to the Collection Development Librarian and the University Librarian on the purchase of materials, regardless of format.

The unit consists of the Collection Development Librarian and four collection managers, the Director of Research, Teaching, and Learning, the Acquisitions Librarian, the Serials and Electronic Resources Librarian, and the Collection Development Specialist.

Collection Managers

Collection Managers by Subject

Clement Ho
cho@american.edu, x3843
    History
    Jewish Studies
    School of International Service
    School of Public Affairs
    Sociology
    Women’s Studies

Michael Matos
matos@american.edu, x3245
    Economics
    Kogod School of Business

Gwendolyn Reece
greece@american.edu, x3281
    American Studies
    Anthropology
    Philosophy and Religion
    School of Education, Teaching and Health
    School of Communication

Martin Shapiro, Coordinator Collection Management Team
mshapir@american.edu, x3854
    Art History & Studio Art
    Language and Foreign Studies
    Literature
    Performing Arts

Rachel Borchardt
borchard@american.edu, x3657
    Audio Technology
    Biology
    Computer Science
    Chemistry
    Environmental Studies
    Mathematics and Statistics
    Physics
    Psychology

Subject Advisors

Subject advisors are library faculty members who possess subject expertise and/or have established working relationships with teaching units. They advise collection managers on matters related to resources, curriculum, and research.

Teaching Unit Liaisons

The American University Library relies on a network of liaisons from teaching units for communication and feedback on a range of collection development decisions. Each teaching unit may designate a faculty member to serve as a liaison to the library. Communication between liaisons and the library’s Collection Management Team enhances our support of the teaching unit’s curriculum and research.

The liaison’s role includes:

Informing the library of new courses, programmatic shifts, and other changes in specific subject areas, so that the library may adjust its collecting strategy accordingly.

Communicating recommendations for purchases of monographs and other materials to the collection manager. Although some teaching faculty now request purchases using the electronic forms available through ALADIN, many continue to send library requests through their liaisons.

Conveying information to the collection manager about important new resources or emerging areas of research in the liaison’s discipline.

Discussing major initiatives such as journal format changes, cancellations, and new database subscriptions with department colleagues.

Library Bill of Rights

In their selection activities, American University Library collection managers and subject advisors adhere to the principles of the Library Bill of Rights and do not exclude materials because of the origin, background, and views of the authors. All points of view based on solid scholarship on current and historical issues should be represented. Partisan or doctrinal disapproval should not result in the removal of library items.