Which activity best describes Collection Assessment?

• A. Creating new shelves
• B. Evaluating resources for effectiveness and relevance
• C. Cataloging materials
• D. Selling old books

Answer: (B)

Collection assessment is about evaluating the library’s holdings to see how well they meet user needs and the library’s goals. It involves looking at how resources are used, whether they’re current and accurate, and how relevant they are to what patrons need, as well as where there are gaps. This kind of evaluation guides decisions about keeping, updating, or removing items and where to focus future acquisitions. Evaluating resources for effectiveness and relevance captures exactly that process, making it the best description. Other activities serve different purposes: creating new shelves deals with organizing space, cataloging materials handles metadata and discoverability, and selling old books is a disposition action after assessment.