Policy Number: 55
LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Booth Library shall be responsible for serving the reading, reference and research needs of the University community. The Library shall build a collection containing those materials which best serve the objectives of its clientele. With the resources available in nearby libraries and with the possibility of various cooperative programs, the Library shall build a collection of the highest degree of excellence, both qualitative and quantitative, in all appropriate fields.
In developing its collections, the Library shall observe the following general guidelines:
Current publications of lasting and scholarly value shall be given priority over older and out-of-print materials.
Publications in the English language shall be given priority over non-English language publications, except for the acquisition of materials for the Department of Foreign Languages, or other materials of demonstrated need.
Materials shall be acquired in suitable copy (e.g., microforms), if originals are not available or are too expensive.
If the Library holds materials in microform, hard copy shall not be purchased unless sufficient cause is shown.
Duplicate copies shall be purchased only on justification of heavy and continued use.
The Library shall not purchase extensive in-depth materials for specific theses topics of graduate students or for research projects for faculty members beyond the level of the graduate program.
Faculty members and graduate students, who need in-depth materials in areas which have not been collected, shall be encouraged to utilize the Library's borrowing services or to make use of the resources available at other institutions in the area.
The Library shall make no effort to collect materials in non-western languages.
The strengths and weaknesses of other library collections in this geographic region shall be considered in the selection of areas for intensive collection development.
Acquiring resources for undergraduate and graduate students shall take priority over the purchase of research materials solely for individual faculty use.
Allocation of Funds
As fiscal agent for the Library, the Dean of Library Services shall be responsible for the management of all Library funds, including the funds utilized for the purchase of books, periodicals and audio-visual materials. In managing these funds, the Dean shall work, through the Subject Librarians, with the academic departments.
In determining the funds to be reserved for library materials for academic departments, the Dean shall consult with the Library staff and the University Library Advisory Committee. The following criteria shall be considered:
total funds available,
library materials essential for the instructional needs of each department,
number of faculty in each department,
number of undergraduate and graduate courses taught,
new courses offered,
deficiencies in the existing collection,
number of students enrolled, and
the average prices of books and other materials in the subject areas.
Funds reserved for use by the academic departments are not transferred from the library budget to the budgets of the academic department. They are reserved for the purchase of materials requested by the academic departments and remain, at all times, a part of the Library budget. All materials purchased shall be available for the use of the entire University community.
Library funds shall not be used to acquire materials for the exclusive use of any group or individual. Departmental or personal collections must be purchased with the funds of the department or person using such collections.
Selection Responsibility
Selection of library materials shall be the joint responsibility of the faculty and the library staff. Faculty members may participate in the book selection process in areas of their expertise; however, the primary responsibility for collection development lies with the Subject Librarians in the Library. The Subject Librarians shall work closely with faculty library coordinators from the academic departments and are responsible for specific areas. Their duties shall include: (1) screening books received through Approval Plans, (2) selecting retrospective titles and current titles not received automatically under standing order arrangements, and (3) offering bibliographic assistance (e.g., catalogs, lists and price quotations, etc.) to the faculty.
The Library faculty shall be responsible for achieving a balanced collection and for coordinating the resources development of the library as a whole. The ultimate responsibility for the collection development, including adequacy and quality of selection, shall be with the Library staff.
Approved:
President
March 15, 1989
Monitor: Vice President for Academic Affairs