The acquisition and maintenance of the library's materials collection is a primary function of the Library's mission. Collection development refers to the process of building and maintaining the library's entire materials collection, in both print and non-print formats. The collection development process includes the formulation of policy and procedures, budget allocation, needs assessment, selection, collection maintenance and evaluation, and resource sharing.
The primary goal of collection development at Virginia State University's Library is to fulfill the University's mission by purchasing materials that will support the curricular needs of the undergraduate and graduate programs. The library also recognizes its responsibility to the research needs of the faculty and provides access services, including database searching and citation services. Knowing that no library can supply materials for all of its users' needs, the library encourages cooperative collection development agreements with area libraries.