Written by librarians working and teaching on the front lines, this guide uses a functional, hands-on approach to lay out the basics of technical services, from acquiring new materials to making them available to library users. Perfect for those just moving into the profession, as well as library staff in need of a brush up, Fundamentals of Technical Services concisely examines What precisely Technical Services are, with a brief history of the field Collection development and acquisitions, including budgeting, ordering, and receiving Metadata and cataloging, from MARC to RDA Dealing with different kinds of materials, including books/monographs, serials, video, audio, and electronic/e-resources The basics of physical processing Systems such as ILS, ERM, and EDI Collection maintenance issues such as book repair/preservation and weeding Authority control and database maintenance Vendors, contracts, workflow, and other administrative functions Forward-looking analysis of important trends and developments such as pricing, consortia/co-ops, languages of materials, and outsourcing