ABSTRACT
Collection development librarians both as administrators and as selectors are currently facing tremendous changes in the way they do their work. Information is now coming in a great variety of formats. Technology is a swiftly moving stream which they must be able to navigate successfully. In times of budgetary constraints, bibliographers must have the political wherewithal to present and defend their agenda in the larger university community. The professional literature is replete with discussions of future scenarios and the library’s place in them. The two issues which keep recurring in these discussions are: (1) the budgetary constraints which almost all institutions are now enduring; and (2) the impact of electronic technology on academic research. This article will explore the changing role of the collection development librarian in the present day context and attempt to define the characteristics, skills and knowledge which will be required on the job. Finally, the article will discuss different approaches to acquiring these skills.
