Designed to help library students gain an understanding of building library collections for specific communities of users, this text presents the process of collection development. Emphasizing collection development in general, rather than the process in any particular institutional setting, the book provides a discussion of needs assessment, policies, and selection. The process is streamlined by minimizing the variables involved in selection. This book reflects the impact of technology on all phases of collection development and one chapter focuses solely on electronic materials. After reviewing the steps in the collection development process, it considers the role of publishers, explores specific types of publications, such as serials, government information, and audiovisual and electronic materials. Discussion is included on such related subjects as acquisitions, distributors and vendors, fiscal management, deselection, evaluation, and cooperative arrangements and resource sharing. Protecting the collection, legal issues, and censorship and intellectual freedom are also examined. In a final chapter, the future of collection development is explored. This book serves as a resource for collection development, general reference, and library management. As an overview of collection development, it serves as a survey of current developments in the field. (MAS)