According to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), acquisition and collection development focuses on methodological and topical themes pertaining to acquisition of print and other analogue library materials (by purchase, exchange, gift, legal deposit), and the licensing and purchase of electronic information resources.
[3][5] It also involves the planning strategies for continuing acquisition, evaluation of new information materials and the existing collection in order to determine how well a particular library serves its users.
Secondly, planning aids in making decisions for future improvement in library infrastructure and proper distribution of funds for the institution.
[3] Thirdly, in the current environment of limited funding and competition between departments and agencies, a written collection policy aids in the library's public relations.
Lastly, in terms of the wider context, the document can aid in collaboration with other institutions in an effort to fulfill the needs of their patrons and community.
The American Library Association speaks of collections development as selecting materials that are desired by the community as well as fulfilling other educational and recreational criteria.
From the ALA website, they continue the argument by stating that, "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.
This method looks at frequently used citations from bibliographies, indexes, and references to see if the resources used are included in the learning institute's partner library.
Citation analysis is a good research method to use in academic libraries on the university and college level when performing a collections evaluation.