Collection Development Policy
September 2007
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to define the guidelines and procedures followed in building and maintaining the collections of the Beryl Ivey Library (BIL).
The primary mission of the library is to provide excellent informational services, access to resources, and space for research and study to meet the educational needs of the Brescia University College community.
2. SCOPE
The scope of the library collection shall encompass all of the fields of knowledge which are of interest in the scholarly and academic environment of the University, with comprehensive coverage for those disciplines and subject fields which reflect the curricular and research activities of the Brescia community.
The primary subject areas of concentration include religious studies and philosophy, food and nutritional sciences, managerial and organizational studies, family studies, sociology, psychology, English literature, modern languages, political science and history.
3. OBJECTIVES OF COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
To procure and make available materials needed for all instructional programs of the University;
To procure and make available materials required by students and faculty in their research;
To procure and make available library materials of general information in subject areas not covered by instructional and research programs but which are supportive of an academic environment.
Collection development within specific subject areas is conducted in accordance with the document “Levels of Collection Density and Collecting Intensity”.
4. RESPONSIBILITY FOR COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Ultimate responsibility for the selection, acquisition, and disposition of library materials rests with the Library Director. All segments of the University community, however, are participants in the process.
University faculty and staff are primarily responsible for recommending the acquisition of materials in their subject fields. Departments are expected to recommend library purchases, which will develop the entire field of their discipline as well as provide materials essential for specific courses. Any member of the faculty or staff may request an item be added by completing the online Suggest an item for Purchase form located on the library’s home page or by providing the appropriate bibliographic information to the Library Director.
The Library Director reviews and approves all purchase requests, and clarifies justification of requests as needed with the requester or department Chair.
In addition Library staff and students can recommend materials for purchase in order to balance and strengthen the collection or in response to patron needs.
5. SELECTION METHODS
Faculty and staff select materials based on a wide variety of sources, including reviews in subject area journals, colleague recommendations and references in subject area books, papers, bibliographies and database searches.
Material selection can be based on reviews in online pre-pub alerts, Choice, other professional journals, catalogs, and ads from scientific and academic publishers. Subject searches of print and online bibliographic sources may be performed to enhance coverage of specific subject areas. In addition, interlibrary loan requests from faculty and students often indicate specific titles that should be purchased for the library or subject areas in need of development.
6. GENERAL GUIDELINES AND LIMITATIONS
When lack of funds limit acquisitions, current publications and scholarly value will be given priority over older out-of-print materials, and materials directly supporting University courses will be given priority over research and general information materials.
Publications in English language will be given higher priority. Foreign language materials not supporting the curriculum of the Modern languages program will be procured, however, when adequate justification is provided.
When available, paperback editions of books will be procured in preference to hardcover editions, unless cost or format considerations justify acquisition of the hardcover edition.
The American Libraries Association Library Bill of Rights, as adopted by the Canadian Library Association, applies without exception to all purchases of library materials. The sole test of a controversial item will be its contribution to the academic program of the University and to the needs of the students and faculty.
7. GUIDELINES AND LIMITATIONS FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Electronic Formats -
Selection of electronic information products for the collection, as with other formats, must support the teaching and research needs of the University community. Care and planning must play a significant role in the selection and deployment of appropriate electronic information resources tools.
Electronic formats include, but are not limited to:
1. Commercial periodical indices delivered over computer networks, which authenticate either by username and password or via IP address recognition, and
2. Electronic Journal subscriptions delivered over computer networks, which authenticate either by username and password or via IP address recognition and
3. Commercial electronic monographic resources delivered over computer networks, which authenticate either by username and password or via IP address recognition.
Electronic resources will be acquired in the format determined most suitable for each particular product. Criteria for selection include an evaluation of costs, accessibility, usability and data stability. There should be demonstrated demand for the resource, preferably in the form of the support of a Brescia academic department.. All electronic resources acquired by the Library shall be accessible in the Library, on campus and remotely when such access is available and cost-effective.
Package combinations of print and electronic journal formats may be procured in some cases, when funding allows, to provide the additional access and usability features offered by electronic format along with the stability of print. Electronic subscriptions may be procured in preference to print when evaluation of costs, usage level, accessibility, usability and data stability indicate superiority of the electronic format. Final decisions on electronic purchases are made by the library director after consultations with faculty.
Applications software is generally not procured by BIL. The Library will not acquire and support general applications software because of the high cost, frequent updating, licensing issues, and the necessary investment of staff time and expertise required to monitor and support the use of such software.
Office Collections — The purchase of materials for office collections is not supported except in unique cases.
Non-print Formats — Audio cassettes, CD-ROMs, DVDs and videos may be procured when needed to support the curriculum or research of faculty and students. When additional funds are available videos, DVDs and cassettes may also be purchased to enhance the general collection.
Serial Subscriptions — New serial subscription requests require approval of the appropriate deparmental Chair. Departments may be asked to specify a current subscription(s) which can be cancelled to provide the funds and physical space to accommodate the new subscription.
Reserve Material — Books from the Brescia collection may be placed on reserve when requested by faculty to support course material or by a department when required reading is necessary for its members. An instructor may also place his/her personal copy on reserve. Additional copies of a title may be procured for reserves but only in minimal numbers.
Textbooks — Textbooks being used for courses are not procured by the library unless specifically requested by a faculty member for inclusion in a course reserve.
Theses - The library receives printed copies of all Brescia theses. The printed editions are sent to a bindery and are cataloged and shelved in the appropriate Library of Congress classification range.
8. GIFTS
Unsolicited donations of materials to the library maybe accepted but without commitments as to the final disposition and with the understanding that they are not necessarily to be added to the collection. Gifts are subject to the same selection criteria applied to purchased materials.
9. COOPERATION WITH OTHER LIBRARIES
In 2001, Brescia joined with the University of Western Ontario and Huron University College in launching a shared online public access catalogue. Each library retained separate staff, services, funding and collection development practices. While the physical location of books, periodicals, reports, non-print materials and microforms is determined by the acquiring library, materials are transported (with certain conditions) between the participating universities at the request of patrons. Licenses for onlind electronic resources are extended to include all the participating universities where possible and affordable.
Items for each library are purchased separately. However, libraries confer on the purchase of items to avoid duplication of purchases unless the item is heavily used by patrons, is required for course reserves or is not eligible to be transport between the universities. Availability of materials at nearby libraries will be a consideration in the acquisition of expensive or little-used items.
10. COLLECTION CULLING
Obsolete and unused materials are eliminated from the library collection on a continuous basis under the direction of the Library Director. Faculty play a vital role in identifying materials to be discarded.
CRITERIA:
Obsolescence. If a newer edition of an item is acquired, the previous edition may be discarded unless unique information, historical perspective, or patron demand justify retention of the previous edition.
Outdated Information. If an item contains information, which is outdated, it may be discarded unless it has unique information or historical perspective, which makes it worthy of retention. Such material could be misleading and even harmful if left in the collection.
Insufficient Use. If an item has not been circulated in the past ten years, it may be discarded. However, the intrinsic value of the item must also be considered and might indicate retention.
Worn or damaged materials. If such materials are still valuable parts of the collection, replacements should be obtained, and the worn copies discarded. If funds are inadequate to replace the worn item, and the material is still valuable, the worn copy should be kept and repaired for continued use. Materials in poor condition, which meet the other criteria for culling, should be discarded.
Duplicate Copies. For materials, which are found to be obsolete or little used, it may be desirable to retain one copy for the collection and discard any duplicates.
DISPOSITION:
Materials slated for disposition are to donated to any organization willing to receive them. Should materials be unsuitable for donation then they are to be recycled.