1. Managing Approval Plan for the Chinese Collection The Library of Congress Experience Ming Sun Poon Asian Division The Library of Congress

2. LC Chinese Materials – Modes of Acquisitions Approval Plan Desiderata Catalogs Acquisition Trips Exchange Gifts

3. Approval Plan – LC Definition An approval plan is an arrangement by which a publisher or wholesaler assumes the responsibilities for selecting and supplying, subject to return privileges, all publications, as issued, fitting a librarys collection profile specified in terms of subjects, levels, formats, prices, languages, etc.

4. Approval Plan – Expected benefits Make use of vendors connections Streamline selection process Reduce acquisitions paperwork

5. How Approval Plan (for materials from Mainland China) Works (in the Library of Congress) Set up collection profile Set up agreement with vendor Vendor sends catalogs electronically ROs examine catalogs & make decisions Decisions sent to Acquisition Specialists ASs send decisions to vendor Vendor ships materials based on decisions

6. Types of Decisions by Recommending Officers Accept selections De-select from selections Accept recommendations Not accept recommendations Add selections

7. 2007 136,226 112,057 248,283

8. LC Chinese Collection – Priorities Foreign policy & international relations American studies & Sino-American relations CCP & domestic politics Military affairs & national security Economic development (Above priorities recommended by Shambaugh Report) Continue areas of strength

9. Approval Plan Service – How to Improve Elaborate collection profile Maintain hot-line with vendor Fully inform vendor on collection policies Promptly Inform vendor of changes

10. Strategic Handling of Approval Plan by Recommending Officers Act fast De-select freely Add selections liberally Be discreet in accepting vendors recommendations Supplement with Desiderata Catalogs, etc

11. Thank you Send comments to mpoo@loc.govmpoo@loc.gov