COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
  Fall, 2002

Guidelines
Library Materials Budget
Collection Levels
Selection of Materials
Gifts
Serials
Reference
Government Documents
Curriculum Collection
Special Collections
Library Bill of Rights

 
 
 
The Collection Development Policy of the James E. Walker Library clarifies the general policies of the library with regard to principles upon which the library collection is built, both in general and with respect to specific types of resources. It should be carefully reviewed at least every three years.

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) is a major public institution of higher learning dedicated to serving the people of Tennessee, as well as out-of-state and foreign students who qualify for admission. The role of the Walker Library is to aid in fulfilling the purpose and objectives of MTSU. The library is charged specifically with the responsibility of serving the reading, reference, and research needs of the university, its faculty, and its students. In order to carry out this charge, the library provides a collection of materials and services that meet the needs of students for course work, assigned reading, term papers, and projects. The library provides materials and services that support student and faculty research and advanced study, as well as recreational reading materials and other information as needed. The library also seeks to cooperate with other academic libraries in the sharing of specialized information and materials. Therefore, the purpose of this collection development policy is to guide the building of a collection containing those materials that best serve the objectives of that clientele both now and in the future. With due regard to the availability of the resources of nearby libraries, it is the aim of the library to build, in all appropriate fields, a collection of the highest degree of excellence. 

Guidelines

Since it may not be possible, for financial reasons, to fully meet the above aim adequately, the library will observe the following general guidelines in developing its collection.
  • When lack of funds limit acquisitions, current publications of lasting and scholarly value will be given priority over older and out-of-print materials and recreational reading items.
  • Publications in the English language will be given priority over non-English language publications, except for the acquisition of materials for the Foreign Language Department or materials of demonstrated need.
  • Materials will be acquired in suitable format (e.g. print, electronic or microform) based on careful consideration of user needs.
  • If the library holds materials in one format, duplication should be avoided.  In some cases it may be advantageous to provide additional formats. In these cases, based on careful consideration of user needs balanced with cost considerations, duplication should be subject to review.
  • Duplicate print materials will be purchased to meet heavy and continued use.
  • The library will not purchase extensive in-depth materials for specific thesis topics of graduate students or for research projects for faculty members beyond the level of the graduate programs offered.
  • Faculty members and students who need in-depth materials in areas not covered by the collection will be encouraged to utilize the library's interlibrary loan services, or make use of the resources available at other institutions in the area.
  • The library will make no effort to collect textbooks and workbooks.
  • The purchase of research materials solely for individual faculty use will be subordinated to the adequate fulfillment of acquiring resources for the undergraduate and graduate students.
  • The Library Bill of Rights* applies without exception to all purchases of library materials. The sole test of a controversial item will be its contribution, direct and indirect, to the academic program of the college and to the needs of the students. If the nature of the material makes theft probable, accessibility can be safeguarded through placing the item on permanent reserve.
  • Major investments in materials primarily of sophisticated research value will be almost exclusively directed toward areas with substantive graduate programs. This policy is necessary because of the extreme relative cost of such resources and, in many fields, general priorities favoring investments in other areas.
  • In considering major requests, virtually exclusive emphasis will be on the purchase of materials that will make a substantive long-range contribution to resource development. Thus, requests for expensive blocks of materials, which may constitute fragments of a larger body of materials, will be evaluated in terms of the extent to which they are viable entities in themselves. Some criteria that will be used in evaluating requests for expensive research materials or a block of general material are the following.
    1. Will the requested body of material continue to be useful as an entity over a period of at least ten years?
    2. Will it continue to be useful, and used, after the faculty member initiating the request has left the university?
    3. Will it make a contribution to the objectives defined in this statement?

      4.  

Library Materials Budget

The university administration is responsible for the amount approved and allocated each year for the library budget. The Dean of the Library, as fiscal agent for the library, is responsible for the expenditure of all library funds, including the funds utilized for the purchase of books, periodicals, electronic resources, and other materials. Once the library budget is approved, the Dean of the Library will determine those portions of the materials budget reserved for use by academic departments.Consideration will be given to such criteria as total funds available, library materials essential for the instructional needs of each department, number of faculty in each department, number of courses taught (graduate and undergraduate), new courses offered, deficiencies in the existing collection, number of students enrolled, and the average prices of books and other materials in the subject areas.It should be remembered that the actual funds reserved for use by the academic departments are not transferred from the library budget to the budgets of the academic departments. They are merely reserved by the library for the purchase of materials requested by the academic departments and remain, at all times, a part of the library's budget. Funding that becomes available from the University’s Technology Access Fund will be used to purchase electronic resources.All materials purchased with funds allocated to the library become library property, available for the use of the entire campus community. It is inappropriate to use library funds to acquire materials for the exclusive use of any group or individual. Laboratory, departmental, or personal office collections should be bought with the funds of the department or person using such collections. Selection of library materials is the joint responsibility of the faculty and the library staff. It is the prerogative of every faculty member to participate in the selection process in areas of his/her expertise. The members of the library faculty are responsible for the development of a balanced library collection. The ultimate responsibility for all of the collection development directions and policy decisions rests with the Library.

Collection Levels

Requirements for library materials vary in different subject areas. The library attempts to follow current and projected degree programs in meeting the needs of the various academic departments. The university catalog will be utilized to document the intensity of collection development on five levels.

Graduate Levels 1 and 2

On these levels the collection will support fifth and sixth year graduate degree programs including materials containing research reports, new findings and scientific results. It should also include all important reference works, a wide selection of monographs, serials, and microforms.

Level 1

Includes those fields in which the Doctorate or Specialist degrees are granted. Collection development in these areas is intensive to provide for research in limited areas.

Level 2 

Includes fields in which a Master's degree is offered, as well as subject areas in which a minor is offered at the graduate level. However, if a graduate degree is not offered, collection of research materials is not intensive.

Undergraduate Level 3

The collection on this level is adequate to support instruction in undergraduate course work and/or independent study. It is a collection that is adequate to maintain knowledge of a subject required for limited or generalized purposes of less than research intensity. It includes a broad range of materials incorporating a complete collection of the works of important writers, a selection of representative journals, and reference tools.

Basic Level 4

On this level no degree is granted, but courses are taught. It includes a highly selective collection of important works, historical surveys, basic reference works, and a few major periodicals.

Minimal Level 5 

This level is for subject fields in which no courses are offered and the collection is limited to few selections beyond the basic reference tools.

 The following departments meet the required levels indicated below:

  • Accounting............................2
  • Aerospace.............................2
  • Agribusiness/Agriscience........2
  • Art.........................................2
  • Biology..................................2
  • Business Administration..........2
  • Business Education.................2
  • Office Management................2
  • Chemistry...............................1
  • Computer Information Systems.....................2
  • Computer Science...................2
  • Criminal Justice........................2
  • Economics/Finance..................1
  • Educational Leadership............1
  • Elementary Education...............1
  • Special Education.....................2
  • Engineering Technology & Industrial Studies....2
  • English.....................................1
  • Foreign Languages...................2
  • Geoscience..............................2
  • Physical Performance...............1
  • Health......................................2
  • Recreation................................2
  • Safety.......................................2
  • Athletic Coaching/training..........2
  • History......................................1
  • Human Sciences........................2
  • Child Development/Family Studies................2
  • Nutrition/Food Sciences............2
  • Mathematical Sciences..............2
  • Statistics...................................2
  • Military Science........................3
  • Music.......................................2
  • Nursing.....................................2
  • Political Science........................2
  • Philosophy................................3
  • Psychology...............................2
  • School Psychology....................1
  • Sociology..................................2
  • Anthropology.............................2
  • Social Work..............................2
  • Speech......................................2
  • Theatre......................................2
  • Vocational-Technical Education..2 

Selection of Materials

All library resources should be evaluated with regard to the integrity of the information provided including its accuracy, currency, authoritativeness, and scope of coverage. Additionally, selections should adhere to the chronological, geographical, and language guidelines as stated above.
Audio-Visual Materials

Thelibrary does not collect audio-visual materials such as films, filmstrips, audio and videocassettes, or sound recordings. Collection of this material falls within the purview of the Learning Resources Center, Center for Popular Music and the Music Library.

Electronic Resources

Electronic resources such as online databases, Internet web sites, e-books, e-journals, and CD-ROMs, are subject to the same selection criteria as other library resources. The library is dedicated to providing the best resources and the widest access to materials that our budget can possibly afford. In accomplishing this objective, we will give preference to electronic resources that demonstrate the following advantages:

  • The information is easy to find using a product with highly functional searching features. 
  • Simultaneous users may access the product.
  • The product is available at all hours and is accessible to the off-campus university community.
  • The information is current with regular updates.
Microtext

The same selection criteria apply to collecting microforms as to other library resources. However, many of the decisions relating to the purchase of microforms involve administrative problems such as coping with limited stack areas or the need to replace aging paper materials, rather than the usual collection criteria. Duplication in different formats should be avoided.

Pamphlets

Pamphlets and other free or inexpensive materials are not collected unless they are of sufficient importance or provide material not available in another format.In this case, the same selection criteria apply to collecting pamphlets as to other library resources. 

Replacement and Withdrawal of Materials

An inventory of the library collection is conducted on a regular basis, usually during the summer or between semesters. Each year an average of three or more classification schemes are checked for missing books. If appropriate, replacements are purchased. Duplicate copies are withdrawn from the collection except for titles in which there is a need for more than one copy. Other editions of titles are withdrawn when newer ones replace them. However, older editions may be retained for their historical value in some cases. Titles that are physically beyond repair are withdrawn and replacements are purchased if appropriate. Titles that are out-of-date or no longer relevant are also withdrawn.

 
Gifts
The Walker Library welcomes gifts of appropriate materials or funds for the purchase of materials, recognizing that gifts may provide valuable additions to the library collection. Donated materials are expected to meet the same standards of quality and relevance to the collection as new titles. They should support the curriculum and the mission of the library as well as meet the collection development guidelines and policies, in regard to physical condition, format, language, etc. Donated works by faculty and/or alumni authors are always welcome and will be added to the collection, unless these works are inappropriate for an academic library. Final decisions on the retention and disposition of gifts are the responsibility of librarians in Collection Management and the Dean of the Library. 
The library reserves the right to make decisions about the disposition or location of gifts of materials or funds. The library also reserves the right to dispose of any gift materials that do not meet the library's collection needs and policy guidelines. Materials made available to the library are not accepted as gifts unless they become part of the collection. Materials that are not added to the collection are not considered University property and therefore are not subject to University surplus policies. Gifts not retained by the library may be given to academic departments, other libraries, state agencies, or sold at book sales, or discarded.
The library does not appraise or attach monetary value to any gift title or collection based on the guidelines of the American Research Libraries' Statement on Appraisal of Gifts. An appraisal, if desired by the donor, should be done prior to the presentation of this material to the library. However, all donors will receive an acknowledgment letter from the library with the number of titles donated. If requested, a gift plate can be attached to the donated material. 
The MTSU Foundation handles monetary gifts for the library as well as funds for the purchase of memorial titles. This office also handles donations of rare or valuable materials. 
 

Serials/Periodicals

The primary purposes of the periodicals collection are to support the undergraduate and graduate curricula of the University, to provide general and advanced materials for student and faculty research in all fields, and to furnish materials for leisure/recreational reading. 
Recommendations for new journals are welcomed from faculty members with the understanding that a pre-existing subscription(s) of comparable cost must be cancelled.Preference will be given to well-indexed journals directly related to the curriculum.Gift subscriptions are welcomed particularly for leisure/recreational reading. Donations are also welcome particularly for backfiles, missing or incomplete volumes and/or for titles supporting the curriculum and research for which there is no previously existing subscription. Retention and disposition decisions are made at the discretion of Collection Management librarians. Regular departmental journal reviews are encouraged and should be coordinated by the faculty liaison with the cooperation of the Serials Librarian.The add/drop deadline for EBSCO, the Library’s periodical subscription vendor, is in mid-September.Therefore, journal reviews should ideally be conducted every 2-3 years. As the review process can take up to one year to complete, faculty liaisons should be notified annually by late September. 

Government Documents

Selection of depository materials is based on the “Core Collection” list available through the Federal Depository Library Program.Attention should be paid to the selection of items appropriate to the curriculum of the University, as well as the general usefulness to the University community and the needs of the local populace.Selection and de-selection of items is transacted according to an annual cycle ending in late July.Items selected by the July deadline will be sent beginning with the next calendar year.Non-depository items are individually selected based on faculty recommendations and highly requested items (duplicates may also be ordered). Purchased items selected will also be evaluated in terms of lasting value to the collection. The addition of government web sites and electronic versions of documents are subject to the same criteria as other electronic or internet resources and government documents.Appropriate sources for item selection include the Federal Depository Library Program and Government Printing Office newsletters and technical supplements, Choice, and PAIS International.

 

Reference Materials

The library's reference collection will meet the basicinformation, verification, and research needs of the University community. Reference works will support academic disciplines in the University curriculum, other subject areas of current interest, and general information reference sources. Materials may also be placed in reference because of popularity, or high frequency of use. 
The growth of the collection in size and scope is influenced by changes in enrollment, curriculum, and fiscal restraints. Changes in enrollment and curriculum serve as guidelines for the development and depth of coverage in the academic disciplines within the collection. A significant number of titles for reference are continuations or standing orders. A separate budget for the collection, above what is spent on continuations and standing orders, insures the equitable and appropriate growth of this collection. 
Requests are welcome from faculty, students, and staff for titles to be purchased for the reference collection. It is the prerogative of the User Services Librarians to participate in the selection process in areas of his/her expertise. The responsibility for overall development of the Reference collection is with the Acquisitions and Collection Development Librarian. Decisions concerning major purchases may be made in consultation with the Collection Development Committee. All order requests are sent to the Collection Management Department for review and purchase. 

Curriculum Materials

The Curriculum Library collects materials that primarily support teacher education courses. There are three main areas of emphasis within this collection: Library Service materials, textbooks for grades K-12, and curriculum materials such as activity guides, game,etc.
The Library Service collection provides a representative selection of fiction and nonfiction children’s literature materials that are found in elementary and school libraries. This collection serves as a tool in the training of school librarians, and also makes available literature that is useful to students in elementary and secondary education classes in completing their lesson plans, unit plans, and projects.The Library Service professor is responsible for the selection, weeding, processing and cataloging of this collection.
Since 1984, the Curriculum Collection has been designated a textbook depository by the State of Tennessee Department of Education.There are ten depositories in the state. Each year the Department updates textbooks in one of six areas. As part of the bidding process, publishers are required to send materials to the depositories.Then members of the Department’s committee evaluate them for adoption. After this process is completed, the textbooks become the property of the depository, the Curriculum Collection, and are added to the collection.The Curriculum Librarian is responsible for the processing and cataloging of the collection.
Another area of emphasis is the collection of curriculum materials. Curriculum guides published by the State of Tennessee Department of Education are on their website and are available to students via computers located in the area. Some curriculum guides in print format from various school districts are included in this collection.A large collection of activity guides and bulletin board idea books are also included.These materials assist the teacher education students in completing their class assignments and provide resources to facilitate a successful student teaching experience.Other materials such as posters, puzzles, big books, flip charts, puppets, games, etc. are also in this collection.The Curriculum Librarian is responsible for the selection, weeding, processing, and cataloging of the Curriculum Collection.
An inventory of the Curriculum Library is completed every five years, with approximately one-third of the collection inventoried each year.The Curriculum Librarian is responsible for this inventory. Items over twenty years old are sometimes withdrawn from the collection unless they cover a subject not covered by more recent materials.  

Special Collections

Special Collections chiefly consists of several collections of rare, unique, and historical books. These collections are as follows:
  • The Early Tennessee Imprints Collection consists of book and other print materials produced in Tennessee between the years 1791 and 1866 (that is, between the year the first printing press operated at Rogersville and the first year after the Civil War).
  • The Dimensional and Artist’s Book Collection is an eclecti collection that explores the nature and boundaries of the book. The collection encompasses examples of fine letterpress printing, as well as artists' books that alter, question, or play with the conventional experience of reading or otherwise using the book. Additionally, the collection includes miniature books as well as pop-up and movable books. We have especially strong holdings in works by Julian Wehr (1898-1970), the American master of animated children's books.
  • The Robert Allen Ragland Sr. Memorial Civil War Collection includes nineteenth and twentieth-century books and other materials that cover various aspects of the Civil War. The collection has numerous materials that focus on Tennessee and the Battle of Stones River.
  • The University Collection consists of MTSU theses,yearbooks, institutional publications, and similar items.
  • Special Collections also has a reference collection consisting chiefly of books and periodicals on printing, publishing, American imprints, and other bibliographic topics.

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*Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. 
  • Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. 
  • Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. 
  • Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. 
  • Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas. 
  • A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. 
  • Libraries, which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve, should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.  
    • Adopted June 18, 1948, Amended February 2, 1961, June 27, 1967, and January 23, 1980 by the American Library Association Council. 

     

    Comments to Collection Development Committee, Chair,

    Rachel Kirk, rakirk@mtsu.edu

     

     

    October 1, 2002