Policies

Collection Development

The library recognizes the importance of maintaining a collection of current, appropriate, and useful materials. Therefore, a periodic evaluation of the collection will be performed in order to remove or replace materials that are no longer useful. The following guidelines for deselection of materials guide this process.

Appearance

• Worn-out, dirty, brittle, yellow pages, missing pages, etc.; multimedia materials missing parts or that skip, are scratched or otherwise do not play
• Badly bound, soft, pulpy paper and/or poor bindings
• Badly printed/produced
• Unappealing in appearance

Superfluous or Duplicate Volumes

• Unneeded duplicates of titles
• Older or outdated editions
• Materials that no longer relate to the curriculum (if specialized)

Content

• Information is outdated or inaccurate
• Material is poorly written or produced

Usage

• Nonfiction: Material has not been checked out within last 10 years, unless it contributes to the excellence of the collection
• Fiction: Material has not been checked out within last three years, excluding classics
• Digital Formats: Material is no longer usable because of lack of equipment

Faculty will be consulted when additional assistance in making a replacement or deselection decisions is required. Withdrawn material is given away, donated, or discarded, at the librarians’ discretion.

Gifts and Special Funds

Gift books and materials are accepted with the understanding that they must meet the same selection criteria as those items the library would have purchased with school funds.  Donations not meeting these criteria may be given away to students or faculty, donated or discarded.

The library oversees certain specially endowed funds that support the library collection and its development. Efforts are made to ensure that the collection fully utilizes these funds.

Challenged Materials

Criticism must be made in writing, using the American Library Association’s Reconsideration of Materials form.  A committee of school personnel will be appointed to re-evaluate the material(s) question and make appropriate recommendations.  During the request for removal process, the item in question will remain in circulation.