Which term defines standards for evaluating potential library acquisitions?

• A. Selection Criteria
• B. Funding Advocacy
• C. Information Access Policies
• D. Professional Literature

Answer: (A)

Selection criteria are the standards librarians use to judge whether a potential resource should be added to the library’s collection. They guide how acquisitions are evaluated by weighing factors like relevance to user needs, authority and accuracy of the content, currency, usefulness, format, accessibility, licensing terms, and ongoing cost. By applying these criteria, librarians make consistent, defensible decisions that help build a strong, balanced collection within budget.

Funding advocacy focuses on securing financial support, information access policies govern how users access resources, and professional literature refers to sources librarians read to stay informed. None of these define the standards for evaluating items to acquire, making selection criteria the right concept for this question.