LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY, Last Updated 10/2006
Procedures and Criteria For The Selection  Of Instructional Materials
To Be Purchased By The Library

1. Objectives of the Library collection development policy are:

	a. to provide assigned and recommended reading
	b. to provide books, periodicals, pamphlets, and non-print materials for research papers on the junior college level
	c. to support and enrich the curriculum with supplementary materials
	d. to assist faculty in preparation for teaching
	e. to serve as a focal point for the cultural life of the campus, as well as a resource for personal enrichment, intellectual inquiry, and the stimulation of independent learning.

2. Who may order books and non-print materials?

Any student or member of the faculty or staff may suggest books to be ordered.  Non-print materials, such as audiotapes, compact discs, videotapes, computer software, and mixed media are also considered library materials.

3. When may books, and non-print materials be ordered?

Orders are processed continually, so there is no restriction as to time or ordering.  However, if a book is needed as resource material for a course, at least 3 months advance notice should be given.  Because of budget limitations, order requests submitted early in the fiscal year (beginning Sept. 1) have a better chance for immediate action.

4. What kind of books should be chosen?  Considerations:

	a. the academic level of the intended readership
	b. the value of the book as established by past use and/or informed critiques
	c. the indicated need
		1. assigned reserve
		2. assigned reading list
		3. teaching preparation
		4. significant point of view
		5. recent scholarship
		6. classic
		7. reference use

5. What books should be not chosen?

	a. books which offer only entertainment with no literary or academic benefit
	b. books which satisfy specialized interests not associated with the curriculum
	c. books which represent a level of scholarship meaningful only to a small group of specialists on the campus
	d. rare books with market price unrelated to their academic value
	e. books which will be used very briefly and which will probably never be used again
	f. textbooks currently assigned for purchase
	g. books available only in large, expensive sets in which only a small amount of information is applicable to the needs of the college

6. How shall materials be chosen?

	a. Faculty requests are directed to the Collection Development Librarian whose discretionary power and responsibility is limited by the criteria outlined above.  The Collection Development Librarian may wish to consult with a Department Chair concerning materials which may seem to be doubtful or to present special problems.
	b. Students and members of the staff may direct their requests to members of the faculty or directly to the Collection Development Librarian.
	c. Faculty members teaching new courses, or making significant changes in the specific content of a course, should inform the Collection Development Librarian about the new areas of interest so that supporting materials may be added to the Library collection.
	d. The Collection Development Librarian may send reviews or other descriptive material about particular titles to Department Chairs or individual faculty members, asking for advisory opinions about the usefulness of particular titles in their subject areas.
	e. The Librarians read reviews in professional book-selection journals (for example, Choice, Library Journal, Booklist, Science Books & Films) and recommend titles for purchase.  Each Librarian is responsible for selected subject areas.
	f. The Collection Development Librarian is responsible for gaining a general knowledge of the total Library collection, with particular responsibility for maintaining balance within the collection in relation to the academic and public service programs of the College, and bearing in mind the needs identified by the Faculty and the Librarians.
	g. Funds are allocated and particular titles are identified for ordering by the Collection Development Librarian within specific Library budget lines, according to the goal of balanced collection development and identified needs as described above.  Final selection decisions are made by the Library Director.
	h. To be considered for purchase, a book must be reviewed by a minimum of (2) professional journals.  Any personal review appearing  in an electronic resource will not be accepted. (i.e. Amazon)

7. Periodicals are chosen based on the following considerations:

	a. the academic level and intended readership
	b. the indicated need
	c. significant point of view
	d. periodicals which are indexed are considered most strongly
	e. periodicals already available on Library licensed full-text databases will not be ordered
	f. although we would rather not view price as a determining factor, an extremely costly title will rarely be ordered