This fourth edition of the standard work on library centers addresses the challenges of electronic publishing, and puts issues of collection development into perspective. It provides students and practitioners with a broad understanding of the collection development process. Each chapter has been expanded and updated. The chapters are: (1) Information Age--Information Society; (2) Information Needs Assessment; (3) Collection Development Policies; (4) Selection Process in Practice; (5) Producers of Information Materials; (6) Print-Based Serials; (7) Electronic Serials; (8) Other Electronic Materials; (9) Government Information; (10) Audiovisual Materials; (11) Acquisitions; (12) Distributors and Vendors; (13) Fiscal Management; (14) Deselection; (15) Evaluation; (16) Cooperative Collection Development and Resource Sharing; (17) Protecting the Collection; (18) Legal Issues; and (19) Censorship, Intellectual Freedom, and Collection Development. An epilogue considers the future of collection development. Each chapter includes lists of further reading. Includes an index. (MES)