What is the primary purpose of writing collection development goals for a media center?

Writing collection development goals for a media center serves the essential purpose of defining the vision for the media center. These goals help establish a clear direction for the collection and guide decision-making regarding resource selection, acquisition, and management. By articulating a vision, the media center can align its resources with the needs and interests of its users, ensuring that the collection supports educational objectives and fosters an inclusive learning environment.

In addition to guiding the overall mission, collection development goals also provide a framework for evaluating the appropriateness and relevance of current materials and for enhancing the collection to better meet community needs. This ongoing alignment increases engagement and supports the diverse informational and recreational needs of users.

Creating a list of available resources, assessing inventory, or establishing rules for library usage, while important tasks in their own right, do not encapsulate the broader strategic vision that collection development goals aim to achieve.