Paper Title

COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN TELANGANA: A CASE STUDY OF MAHATMA GANDHI UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Collection development constitutes the cornerstone of academic librarianship, ensuring that university libraries acquire, organize, and maintain information resources that align with the teaching, learning, and research missions of their parent institutions. This article presents a comprehensive examination of collection development practices in university libraries across Telangana, with particular emphasis on Mahatma Gandhi University as a case study. The study investigates the current state of collection development, including budget allocation patterns, selection procedures, the role of library professionals, user participation, and challenges faced in managing both print and electronic resources. Drawing upon empirical research conducted across six major universities in Telangana—Osmania University, University of Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), and Maulana Azad National Urdu University—the study provides a detailed analysis of collection development practices in the region. The findings reveal significant variations in resource availability, budgetary allocations, and collection development policies across institutions. While university libraries possess substantial print collections, with Osmania University holding over 557,000 books, electronic resources have become increasingly dominant, though budget constraints and the absence of formal collection development policies remain persistent challenges. The study underscores the critical role of library professionals in navigating the transition from print-dominated collections to hybrid models, and emphasizes the importance of user participation in ensuring that library collections remain relevant and responsive to evolving academic needs.
KEYWORDS : Collection Development, University Libraries, Telangana, Mahatma Gandhi University, Print Resources, Electronic Resources, Library Budget, User Participation, Collection Development Policy, Academic Libraries