Collection development policies for the web

[Ernest Perez]

"...why should another media make any difference?"  I;d note there's a
major difference to be addressed in deciding not to link to "anything on
the net that we wouldn't normally collect in any other media...."  

Seems to me that library collection policies have generally been
developed as a guide to selective acquisition of items, given limited
resource budgets. At present, many/most of the resources on the Web/Net
are available at no cost. Right there, that's a big difference in
evaluation and selection of information resources!

- ernest

Ernest Perez, Ph.D.//Oregon State Library//perez at opac.state.or.us
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Library:  Like a software house, except the software's free.
It's not vaporware.  And if it breaks, they help you fix it.
Quickly.  Without a toll call.


Leslie Burke writes...
> We haven't included specifics about www sites in our collection
> development policy specifically, but for what it's worth, here's my
> opinion -- the Internet is just another source, therefore we won't
> "collect"/link to anything on the net that we wouldn't normally collect in
> any other media. To me the issues are the same -- if it's
> appropriate/inappropriate in one media, why should another media make any
> difference?
> 
> Leslie Burke, Corporate Librarian or Sally Akehi, Asst. Librarian
> Amway Corporation
> 7575 Fulton St. E
> Ada, MI  49355-0001
> 616-787-6308; FAX 616-787-7142
> burkel at mlc.lib.mi.us