HIT - student input on the collection

[Kathleen Gallagher <kmg@AHSL.ARIZONA.EDU>]

This hit comes from a request for information I made several weeks ago.
My apologies for the long delay, and many thanks to all those who responded.

My question, which was part of a research project for a course in
adolescent literature, was what techniques school librarians at all
levels use to get feedback from their students about the library's
collection and whether students take part in the selection process.  In
addition to responses on LM_NET, I interviewed librarians here in Tucson
and conducted a literature review.  I found that some librarians don't do
much to get feedback from their students.  Reasons given for this were
that there wasn't enough time, or that their budgets were shrinking each
year and they didn't even have sufficient funds to make
curriculum-related purchases.  Some librarians take student requests and
make purchases based on those requests, but don't have a formal mechanism
for collecting student input.  The following are suggestions I received
for specific practices that can be used to get feedback from students:

1.      Suggestion box at the circulation desk.

2.      At the end of librarian book talks, invite students to 'book
        talk' titles they've read and enjoyed recently.

3.      Survey the students.  There was a lot of variety in the way this
        was done.  Some librarians use formal, written surveys at the beginning
        and end of the year in which they ask students about reading interests,
        hobbies, and specific books/authors they'd like to see in the library.
        Others surveyed students by asking questions as part of the library
        orientation at the beginning of the year.  Several librarians ask their
        classes at the end of the year which lessons and research projects
        were difficult to complete because of a lack of materials in the library.

4.      Structure the  acquisitions budget so that a certain percentage of it
        is allotted for student requests.

5.      Form a student library advisory board.  Some librarians have
        these groups examine book reviews and make recommendations for purchase.
        A librarian at one middle school which has a music collection has the
        student group make all the music selections.

6.      Have the student body nominate magazine titles they'd like the
        library to have.  Compile a list of nominations, and have the school vote
        on the top five.

7.      Have students publish reviews on the library's homepage.

8.      Provide incentives for students to write book reviews which can
        be posted in the library.  One librarian does regular raffles for items
        such as T-shirts.  Students who write a book review get a raffle ticket.


Once again, thanks for the input!

Kathleen Gallagher
kmg@ahsl.arizona.edu