Sudden Position Guide to Acquisitions

Book excerpt: "Depending on the structure of a library, acquisitions may involve or work with collection management, subject librarians, electronic resources, preservation, cataloging, and library administration due to the management and use of collection materials budgets. Acquisitions staff will also be involved in working with material library vendors. Taking on acquisitions responsibilities requires learning how to order materials in a variety of formats; learning basic accounting and budgeting practices; a knowledge of institutional fiscal and procurement policies and practices; along with strong communication skills as acquisitions librarians truly interact with staff in all library departments, as well as outside vendors. Some aspects of the work, such as managing collection budgets, allocations, expenditures, and encumbrances can at times be daunting, especially when end-of-year deadlines are looming. However, the variety of responsibilities that come with acquisitions make this one of the most rewarding service points in a library. If you have just taken on acquisitions responsibilities, you will want to understand the basic concepts and philosophy behind acquisitions work and develop an understanding for the day-to-day workflow"--