The Use of Library Material

Branin contends that librarians should all stop acquiring the same low-use or no-use books and journals. Under current practice they are too expensive to collect and maintain. Drive these publications to new models for sharing their highly specialized scholarship; for example, move this kind of scholarship to digital publication through enlightened university presses, disciplinary or institutional repository programs that are low cost, open access, and still maintain a rigorous peer-review process. Librarians must also develop shared print storage and service programs among libraries. There is no need for massive duplication of very low use material. Only through a coordinated collection management approach will librarians really protect the record of knowledge and at the same time end unnecessary massive duplication.