Library Services
Collection Development Policy

RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELECTION

Anyone, including students, may recommend materials for purchase.  The primary responsibility for selection, however, rests with the teaching faculty and the librarians of USF.  Further, faculty has a responsibility to recommend those materials needed to support the courses they teach and which supplement the general library collections appropriate to their disciplines and specialties.    The library will attempt to acquire through interlibrary loan those materials needed for research by students, faculty or staff which cannot be secured through purchase or which fall outside collection guidelines.

SELECTION PROCESS

Recommendations will be accepted at any time during the year; however, current year purchase requests that meet established deadlines and unfilled requests from the previous year have priority.  Faculty requests are honored before all others, subject to the constraints of the budget and ongoing commitments to purchase basic reference materials and to maintain a reasonable level of currency and balance in the collections.

ACCREDITATION

In order for the library collections to best fulfill the needs of the USF community, Library notification must be included in any plans to add, drop or change programs, majors or courses.   Likewise, departments and programs planning for accreditation reviews should inform the Library well in advance in order to ensure that appropriate subject areas of the collection can be assessed and strengthened as needed.

LEVELS OF COLLECTION INTENSITY

The selection of Library materials should be based upon the following levels of collection intensity or depth:

Research Level provides major source materials required for thesis research and graduate level papers.  Types of materials would include research reports, major reference works, specialized monographs, serials, indexes and abstracts.  Collection for the following areas (which offer graduate degrees) should be pursued to the research level:

Art

Education

Business Administration

Mental Health

Nursing

Physician’s Assistant

Psychology

Science

Study Level provides materials adequate to support study on the undergraduate level.  The collection at this level should contain basic monographs, representative journals, and key reference tools.  In most instances, these materials should provide definitions and fundamental concepts.  Materials such as bibliographies and subject dictionaries and encyclopedias should be acquired.  Collection for the following areas (which offer undergraduate degrees or emphases) should be pursued at the study level:

Accounting

Advertising Design

Allied Health

Animation

Anthropology

Biology

Business Administration

Chemistry

Communication

Economics

Education

English

Environmental Science

Geology

Health

History

Journalism

Liberal Studies

Mathematics

Medical Technology

Ministry

Music

Nursing

Philosophy

Photography

Physical Education

Physics

Plant and Soil Science

Political Science

Social Work

Sociology

Special Education

Sports Management

Theology

 

Basic Level provides materials which serve to introduce and define a subject and in which few selections are made beyond basic reference books, monographs and representative journals.  This level will offer some support for those areas in which USF offers no major, but does offer coursework, or for which there should be a representative collection to support a broad liberal education.

Other Considerations   In addition to subject-specific materials, the Library should actively collect appropriate materials of an interdisciplinary nature.  English-language materials should predominate, though an adequate selection of foreign-language dictionaries and materials sufficient to support the University’s foreign-language course offerings.  Major emphasis will be placed on materials covering the United States and Western Europe.  Other geographical areas will be covered at the basic level.

 SELECTION CRITERIA

Adapted from Chart, p.129, “The Selection Decision:  Defining Criteria and Establishing Priorities,” by John Rutledge and Luke Swindler.  College and Research Libraries, 48(2):  123-131 (March, 1987)

 

Consideration	1st Priority	2nd Priority	3rd Priority
Subject/Level	Direct support of graduate level programs Major field of scholarship RESEARCH LEVEL	Direct support of undergraduate programs STUDY LEVEL	Minor field of inquiry   BASIC LEVEL
Intellectual Content	Key work/author in field Major critical study Major new contribution to learning Major reference work	General essay Representative material Basic monograph Basic serial	Marginal or polemical work
Potential Use/ Users	Known researcher Program interest Patron request based on need / probable need / known interest	General interest Recommended by patron without specific need	Infrequent use
Relation to Collections	Central to existing holdings Closely related Specialized information about an existing strength Necessary to intellectual integrity	Develops existing collection strength Historic collection strength Completes series or set	Specialized material
Bibliographic Concerns	Important publisher Significant publishing body Specialized publisher of high quality Major trade publisher	Specialized publisher Popular publisher	Research reports Working papers Pamphlets Ephemera
Other Factors	Geography:  U.S., Western Europe In English	Asia, Middle East, Africa In French, Spanish, German, Latin	Other language

 

 FORMATS

All formats of information should be considered for selection, providing the content falls within the guidelines given in this document.  Consideration should, however, be given to the condition and durability of the materials.  Materials which require special handling or which are delicate may not be appropriate for our collection. 

Non-print materials will be added to the collections according to the same criteria as materials in print formats.  Enduring formats such as microforms and established media such as audiocassettes and videocassettes continue to dominate the non-print collection.  However, digital formats and other developing technologies may be added if they meet the guidelines of this policy.  The following should also be given consideration in the selection of non-print materials:

§         Availability and expense of hardware required to use the item

§         Cost

§         Timeliness

§         Technical quality

§         Aesthetic appeal

§         Ease of use

 

DUPLICATE COPIES

 It is the policy of the USF library to acquire duplicates only in rare instances when need is clearly demonstrated.  

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Additions to the Reference Collection are selected according to the same criteria as materials for the circulating collection.  Items are selected to support the curriculum and to meet the informational needs of the USF community.  The library must place high priority on monitoring and replacing dated materials in the reference collection.  The professional library staff shares the responsibility of maintaining and selecting materials for this collection.  

SERIALS

New subscription requests are reviewed by the Serials Librarian and the Director and recommendations are made to the professional staff.  Serial selections are based on the same criteria as outlined for other materials in this policy statement.  In addition to those guidelines, the following must be taken into account:

1. Indexing and the availability of the index in the USF library
2. Cost and serials budget
3. Accessibility through consortial agreements
4. Frequency of interlibrary loan requests for title
5. Requestor or department requesting or number of faculty requesting
6. Subject emphasis (see collection intensity levels); interdisciplinary usefulness of the publication; size of enrollments in requesting program; potential usage
7. Availability:  subscription service vs. publisher
8. Foreign language/publisher
9. Frequency of publication

The decision to purchase a new serial implies a commitment on the part of the institution to retain this title on an ongoing basis.  Other decisions such as whether to bind or to purchase in microform should also be made at this time.  Serials cannot and will not be selected and dropped on a yearly basis.

 

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE

Children’s books are purchased to support the children’s literature courses included in the Education Department’s curriculum.  Caldecott and Newberry Award winners and Honor Books are given greatest weight in purchase decisions.  Other recommended titles, including appropriate reference books, will be added each year.

 

TEXTBOOKS

 

The Library does not routinely purchase textbooks that are used in the classes taught at the University of Saint Francis.  Students are expected to purchase their own textbooks as required in their courses.  Library resources are used instead to purchase materials which complement and supplement the textbooks and lectures and to further coursework and research.  In some instances, textbooks may be accepted as gifts, if they meet the selection criteria of this policy.  Textbooks not used in classes may be purchased in those subject areas that fall within the basic level of the collection, or in those disciplines for which textbooks provide the best overview.

 

STUDY GUIDES

 

Study guides such as Monarch Notes or Cliffs Notes will not be purchased and are not considered suitable for inclusion in the collection, even as gifts. 

Test tutors for such standardized tests as the NTE, the RN, and others will be purchased on a limited basis.  It is assumed, however, that most students will prefer to prepare for these exams using their own copies of study guides and test tutors.

GIFT POLICY

The Library welcomes gifts of various kinds, including books and other library materials, equipment, monetary donations, and endowment funds.  Such gifts enable the Library to provide materials and services that might not otherwise be possible.

The Library accepts gifts of library materials only with the understanding that it reserves the right to use those gifts according to its needs.  Those items not needed will be offered to other libraries or institutions, or sold, if possible.  In some cases, materials may be discarded.

Donors will fill out a Gift-in-Kind form for gifts and donations, whether seeking a tax benefit or not.  These forms will be forwarded to the Development Office and a letter of acknowledgement will be sent to the donor on behalf of the University. 

Gifts of books or cash may be made in memory or in honor of an individual.  The Library will send an appropriate card announcing the gift as directed by the donor.

Gifts of cash or endowment funds are normally used for the purchase of materials or equipment, at the discretion of the Library, unless the funds are designated for a specific use.

According to tax code, the Library cannot make an estimate of the value of any gift, since the Library is a party to the gift.

UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

The USF Archives collection is stored in the Library but under the direction of the Alumni Relations Department.  This collection is not yet organized or cataloged.  All materials related to the history of Saint Francis College and the University of Saint Francis will continue to be gathered and stored in the Library until such a time as resources are available to provide the attention and expertise needed to evaluate, restore, catalog and properly house this collection.

RARE BOOK COLLECTION

There are a small number of books in the Library collection that have been set aside and designated as “Rare”.  A book is considered rare and may be added to this select group if it meets any of the following criteria:

1. Published before 1895
2. Purchased from an out-of-print dealer at a cost of $100 or more
3. Tipped-in art plates, loose plates, portfolios
4. Direct connection with an archival collection
5. First or special edition
6. Autographed, inscribed or annotated by the author or an individual connected with an archival collection
7. Recommended by librarian, faculty or student for extra protection, even though it may not meet any other of the above criteria

HEALTH SCIENCES COLLECTION

 

A core collection of nursing and allied health materials is maintained building using a variety of selection tools for these specific areas.  The library’s participation in vendor programs for the automatic shipment of new editions of select titles as they are released ensures the collection’s currency and quality.  Additional titles are selected based on faculty recommendations and standard lists such as the American Journal of Nursing “Books of the Year.”

 

COLLECTION EVALUATION

 

“The library collection should be continually evaluated against standard bibliographies and evolving institutional requirements for purposes both of adding new titles and identifying for withdrawal those titles which have outlived their usefulness.  No title should be retained for which a clear purpose is not evident in terms of academic programs or extra-curricular enrichment.”  (Standards for College Libraries, 1986:  approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries Board of Directors, 1986.)

Consistent with the standards adopted by the ACRL and the USF Collection Development Policy, the Library will maintain an ongoing evaluation of the collection that will provide for the removal of outdated and worn-out materials, ensuring the currency and quality of the holdings.

The library staff will be responsible for the overall evaluation and weeding program of the library collection.  When materials need to be recataloged for any reason, they will be evaluated for retention by those on the library staff with the most expertise in that subject area.  In some cases, knowledgeable faculty members may be asked for help.  Materials that have been returned in poor condition after circulating will be similarly evaluated for retention, rebinding or withdrawal. 

Materials to be withdrawn will be marked and placed in a designated area.  In instances when there is a question about whether to withdraw an item, appropriate faculty may be asked to review the material before a final decision is made.

Monographs

In addition to the collection development criteria previously outlined, some of the factors to be considered when evaluating materials for retention/removal include the following:

1.      Is the item unnecessarily duplicated?

2.      Is the item in poor condition?

3.      Does the Library have a later edition of the item?

4.      Does the item contain technical material that is out of date, perhaps dangerously so?

5.      Has the item circulated in the past five years?

6.      Is the item part of an incomplete set (which cannot or probably will not be completed)?

7.      If the item is to be withdrawn, should a replacement be purchased?  Is a replacement available?

When appropriate, titles marked for withdrawal should be checked against relevant lists of recommended books.  Whether a book is still in print and whether it appears on a list of recommended titles should be considered in the weeding process.  If for some reason a needed title cannot be replaced (out of print, too expensive, etc.), the library staff person with the most expertise in the subject area or a knowledgeable faculty member may be asked to make the decision. 

Some materials, though old, may be of special interest to the collection.  Archival materials, fiction and works by classic theorists should be retained, if at all possible. 

Serials

In evaluating serials, other considerations in addition to the basic collection development criteria should be taken into account.  These include:

1.      Is the serial covered in an index to which the library subscribes?

2.      Does the serial have its own indexing?

3.      Does the serial contain artwork or color pictures of a unique or valuable nature?

4.      How complete and what is the length of the run of the serial?

5.      Can missing issues or volumes be filled in?

6.      Can the serial be replaced in microform?

7.      If the library no longer receives the serial, how long has it been since it ceased or was cancelled?

8.      Is the serial readily available from other sources?

Microforms and items in other non-print media should be evaluated according to criteria similar to those described for books and serials.

USF Library Services is indebted to Northwestern State University’s Collection Development Policy, Revised, 9 February 1993, Natchitoches, Louisiana, EDRS ED 284 575, which is the model upon which much of this document is based. 8/12/03