Trends in collection development center around changes that have come about due to changing technology. These changes consist of integrating these new technologies into libraries, how these technologies have changed the information seeking behavior of clients and how libraries and librarians will have to adjust to both of these changes.
The integration of new technologies into libraries has largely affected the selection and acquisition processes of collection development. New digital forms of resources come in different formats and are distributed differently than print resources. Whereas in the past where physical resources were retained once they were acquired, with digital resources there is the option to sell access to the material in lieu of actually selling ownership. This has led to the rise of publishers selling subscription services simply for access to digital resources, which has in turn meant that libraries have had to adjust their budgets to accommodate these recurring fees.
One other consequence of the access instead of ownership model for digital resources is the preservation of these resources. The publishers holding the rights to these resources have no obligation to maintain these resources once they fail to turn a profit, and are within their right to dispose of them. This goes against one of the core values that libraries stand for, the preservation of knowledge. Sadly, this issue of digital preservation has yet to be resolved.
In terms of changed information seeking behavior, one technology that has influenced this the most is mobile smart devices. Mobile smart devices have allowed data to be delivered and accessed from almost anywhere, which has led people to expect the same type of convenient access from library resources. This has also allowed the advent of online instruction, which has been very useful during the current period of global pandemic. These shifts have led to changed expectations in access to library collections, in turn also affecting how these collections are developed.
The most pressing issue that libraries have to face in this new digital age is that of their continued relevance. The current trend indicates that a migration to a fully digital distribution scheme for resources is possible, in which case libraries as we know them may cease to exist. Or rather, the physical concept of libraries may go extinct in favor of online distribution platforms. Libraries must continue to make adjustments to emerging technologies in order to find ways to continue to make themselves necessary to their patrons.
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