Instructional Resources

7. COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT: SELECTION POLICY

7.1 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to guide in the choice of materials and to state the purposes and standards for building the collections. Selections will be made consistent with the Library Bill of Rights as adopted with amendments by the American Library Association Council on January 23, 1980. (See Appendix D)

7.2 Responsibility for the Participation in Selection

  1. The Director of Instructional Resources has the final responsibility, as delegated by the University President, for the maintenance and development of library collections.
  2. Selection of library materials shall be a responsibility of the Director of Instructional Resources and the members of the library faculty.
  3. The faculties shall bear primary responsibility for recommending materials to support the courses they teach.
  4. Student and staff recommendations for the purchase of materials shall be welcomed.

7.3 Definition of Library Materials

Library materials are defined as print and non-print instructional materials (e.g., books, periodicals, pamphlets, manuscripts, print and graphic microforms, maps, audiovisual materials, CD ROMs, computer disks, and electronic formats) organized and housed for retrieval and use by the members of the university community to fulfill the aims and functions of the university and its curriculum.

7.4 Collection Categories

Materials in the following categories shall be considered for selection:

  1. Reference materials.
  2. Bibliographic indexes and catalogs.
  3. Materials useful in specific curricular fields.
  4. Interdisciplinary and broadly cultural materials not specific to one curricular field.
  5. In some instances, materials which relate to specific fields not currently included in the curriculum but which may reasonably be expected to be added in the near future.

7.5 Collection Priorities

General materials shall be selected for each field represented in the curriculum in priority as follows:

  1. The field as a whole.
  2. Divisions of the field in which courses are offered.
  3. Other divisions of the field in which courses are not currently offered but in which courses may reasonably be expected within the near future.
  4. Specialized or advanced aspects of the field of interest to faculty members but not yet represented by course offerings.

7.5.1 Current Materials vs. Retrospective Materials

Current materials shall generally receive higher priority for purchase than retrospective materials. Current materials are defined as those in-print in the original editions; retrospective materials are defined as those which are out-of- print or available only in reprint (either as full size, microcopy, or electronic formats).

7.5.2 Textbooks

Designation as a textbook shall not disqualify a publication for selection (see 7.5.8).

7.5.3 Rare Books

Rare books may be purchased as they are required to fulfill the aims and functions of the university and its curriculum. Such purchases shall not receive high priority when budgets are inadequate.

7.5.4 Popular Fiction

Budget limitations normally require that current, non-course related popular fiction shall have low priority for purchase.

7.5.5 Specialized Research Materials

The primary purpose of the library is to support the teaching program on the undergraduate and graduate level, and this function shall receive top priority. After provision has been made for this priority, specialized research materials may be purchased to support graduate offerings. Only in rare instances may the materials required for the personal research of individual faculty members be considered for purchase. In most instances, specialized research needs of students and faculty alike can best be served by the use of interlibrary loan.

7.5.6 Foreign Language Materials

Materials published in a foreign language may be purchased to support the curricular objectives of the university. Higher priority shall be given to materials in the English language unless that material is to be used as an aid in the teaching and learning of foreign languages. In such cases difficulty and appropriateness of the materials shall be a prime consideration.

7.5.7 Reviews

The use of critical reviews is recommended and urged in making purchase recommendations. Caution is urged in accepting publishers? statements at face value and in selecting titles on the basis of the author?s or of the publisher?s reputation. Requests accompanied by citations of favorable critical reviews shall be given priority.

7.5.8 Multiple Copies

Generally only one copy of an item shall be purchased; and the use of the library book budget to supply course textbooks is discouraged. However, multiple copies of materials may be purchased when the need for such copies can be demonstrated by use.

7.5.9 Microforms/Electronic Formats

Microforms/electronic formats possess advantages for the storage and use of some materials and may be the only practical form for some extensive collections (the ERIC collection and Poem Finder Index are examples). Microforms/electronic formats may be purchased in lieu of paper copy when appropriate.

7.5.10 Paperback vs. Hard Bound Editions

When materials will have long term value and receive heavy use, case bound editions shall be purchased. If materials are judged to be of transitory usefulness, or if the cost of rebinding added to the cost of the paperback is substantially less than the cost of the case bound edition, the paperback edition shall generally be purchased.

7.5.11 Lost Items

Library materials which have been lost shall be replaced if they are available through the current book trade and if they are still considered to be appropriate according to criteria stated above.

7.5.12 Out-of-Print Materials

Efforts to obtain materials on the out-of-print market shall be made if the material is of enough importance to justify those efforts. Judgment of importance shall include probable frequency of use and shall involve the consensus of at least two members of the library faculty.

7.5.13 CD-ROM

CD-ROM products have certain advantages for storage, retrieval, number of simultaneous users, and networking capabilities. This format may be purchased when the product meets selection criteria established for library materials and when the CD-ROM format is deemed to be advantageous to the average user.

7.5.14 World Wide Websites (WWW)

WWW sites meeting the selection criteria for library materials may be selected and cataloged.

7.6 Gift Policy

Gifts to the university library shall be accepted with the understanding that they shall be added to the collection only after they have met the same evaluative requirements as materials which are to be purchased. Materials shall be accepted only with the understanding that the disposition of materials not incorporated into the library collections is at the discretion of the Collection Management Librarian and in consultation with the library faculty if necessary.

7.7 Weeding Policy - General Collection

The library will implement weeding procedures to:

  1. Maintain usefulness and quality of the collection based upon a commitment to the liberal arts, curricular needs, and Tri-College/MnSCU responsibilities.
  2. Use available space effectively.

7.7.1 Principles

The Collection Management Librarian shall be responsible for initiating procedures for weeding that are approved by the library faculty and reviewed as needed. The procedures shall include but not be confined to the following principles:

  1. MSU is not a library of record.
  2. No set of rules/guidelines can substitute for the judgment of professionals.
  3. The evaluation of materials prior to discarding shall include consultation with the library faculty, opportunity for instructional faculty to make judgments, awareness of Tri-College collection development responsibilities and may include checking in appropriate bibliographies.
  4. Materials that may be considered for weeding shall include but are not limited to those that are obsolete, little used and in poor physical condition.
  5. Normally, works of local and regional authors and works of local or regional history are not weeded.
  6. Creative literary works in the general collection will not be weeded.

7.8 Relationship of MSU to Tri-College University and the MnSCU Libraries

While the primary responsibility of the university library shall be to serve the needs of its students and faculty, consideration shall be given to cooperative endeavors which shall serve the students and faculty of the other members of the Tri-College University and MnSCU. It shall be the policy of the MSU Library to cooperate with the Tri-College and MnSCU Libraries in the selection, purchase, and sharing of materials in print, microform, audiovisual, or electronic formats.

7.8.1 Tri-College Collection Development

A central part of the Tri-College relationship is the cooperative selection process utilizing Choice magazine. Choice magazine cards are distributed to participating library faculty members in selected disciplinary areas for their review and selection. The Collection Management Librarian coordinates the cooperative selection policy process with Concordia College Library and North Dakota State University Library.

7.8.2 Use of Supplementary Library Funds

Supplementary funds appropriated by the Legislature are regulated by "Guidelines for MnSCU Institutions Regarding FY00 Supplemental Library Funds," (see Appendix F), and "A Plan for Cooperative Collection Development for MnSCU Libraries," (see http://www.winona.msus.edu/library/coop2.htm).

7.9 Relationship of MSU Library to MINITEX and MnSCU Libraries

MSU Library shall use MINITEX and MnSCU Libraries as a supplement to local resources. It is not intended to take the place of the local collection of materials needed to serve students and faculty effectively.

7.10 Government Documents

Within the context of the library's overall selection policy, the Government Documents Librarian is assigned the primary responsibility for the selection of Government Documents. Federal depository series and non-depository items selected should meet the following criteria: supportive of the curriculum, of timely and continuing interest, of research value, of service to the Congressional district, as needed, and in compliance with Superintendent of Documents' guidelines. Coordination with NDSU of collection policies will be continued. All Minnesota documents come on a depository basis.