Library technical services

 

Library technical services is a term used to describe, in general, the processing and maintenance of a library's physical collection. According to the textbook Introduction to Technical Services (7th ed), by Evans, Intner, and Weihs, the traditional technical services are:

• Identification: locating potentially worthwhile items to add to the collection
• Selection: deciding which of the identified items to add to the collection
• Acquisitions: securing the items for the collection
• Organization: indexing and cataloging the items acquired in a manner that will aid the end-user in locating materials in the collection
• Preparation: labeling and otherwise making the items ready for storage in a manner that allows for easy retrieval

Technical services may also include: maintenance of online catalogs, creation and maintenance of MARC records in the catalog, labeling, covering, security processing, and/or distribution of materials, maintaining a library's technology resources, such as servers, OPACs, circulation, scanners, and other devices.