Hello,
Apologies for cross-posting.
At the University of Worcester, we have a diverse range of resources collectively called the 'Teaching Collection'. The collection contains storysacks, artefact kits, picturebooks, and textbooks of a 'practical' nature e.g. lesson planning, schemes and inspiration for teaching. We also have folders, big books and reading schemes.
Many of these resources are held in crates, or bags which hang on a long rail. Everything else is on shelves (books/folders/document boxes). It sits at a far end of the children's library. The stock is aimed at trainee teachers and those working in an educational setting or with children - as The Hive is a joint public and academic library, the resources are available to all, albeit with some differences in borrowing entitlements. More details are available at https://library.worc.ac.uk/resources/teaching-collection
Staff and students make very positive comments about the availability of such a wide-ranging collection. I've occasionally witnessed people using the collection in the library with children and young people which is great to see. However the reality is that statistics show low borrowing, and orders for new materials are few and far between, without a lot of promotion and a bit of considered spending on my part. Longer term we have to consider whether maintaining and investing in this collection is sustainable.
To come to the purpose of this message: we'd like to know what similar collections look like elsewhere. How do you promote usage and ordering? We suspect that the location and packaging of the resource, coupled and the time pressures on our students and staff to get to The Hive for collection and return, may be key factors in the low engagement with our Teaching Collection. Have you faced similar issues, and how have you overcome them (if at all)?
I would be more than happy to share findings, and welcome discussion about these tricky collections!
Many thanks,
Sarah Purcell
Academic Liaison Librarian: College of Arts, Humanities and Education
Library Services, University of Worcester
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