The Reference Collection

Philosophy and Purpose:

The library's reference collection should meet the basic information, verification, and research needs of the University community. Reference works should support academic disciplines in the University curriculum as well as other subject areas of current interest, but not directly included in the academic disciplines. Basic reference sources for general informational requests will also be included in the collection. The reference area also supports the verification and location tools needed by Interlibrary loan and Collection Management. Other materials may be placed in reference by request because of popularity or 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.

Types of materials included in the Reference Collection:

Almanacs

Reference collects current editions of general informational almanacs as well as current editions of subject specific almanacs.

Annual Reviews

Annual reviews are included in the reference collection at the discretion of the reference librarians in consultation with Collection Management.

Atlases, maps, gazetteers

Reference collection includes atlases, maps, gazetteers covering all areas of the world.

Bibliographies

Bibliographies that are narrow in scope such as single author bibliographies are usually kept in the circulating collection. More general bibliographies on broad topics are kept in the reference area. Exceptions are made for very popular topics or authors in great demand. The entire collection of trade bibliographies, such as the Cumulative Book Index and the American Book Publishing Record are kept in reference.

Biography

Reference collects national and international biography, both current and retrospective.

Concordances

Concordances for important authors and works are kept in the Reference collection. Other concordances are shelved in the circulating collection.

Dictionaries

References collects dictionaries in major languages and dictionaries in minor languages when there is a demand or need for such resources. Specialized dictionaries for slang, idiomatic expressions, etc. are also provided as well as specialized dictionaries for subject areas, where there is a need or demand for this material. Specialized dictionaries with very limited use

should be shelved in the circulating collection.

Directories

Reference maintains most current or latest editions of major directories for general information as well as for the academic disciplines. Retrospective editions are kept only when there is demonstrated use.

Encyclopedias

The reference collection includes the following English language general print encyclopedias--Encyclopedia Britannica, World Book, Collier's Encyclopedia, , Encyclopedia Americana, and Compton's Encyclopedia. These are purchased on a rotating basis. The purchase of these encyclopedias should be reviewed yearly, considering CD-ROM or online access to these reference materials when needed. Encyclopedias in languages which are studied at the university are also included in the reference collection. Encyclopedias for specific academic disciplines are also part of the reference collection. Only the most current sets of encyclopedias should be included in the collection, except for the eleventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, which will be kept in the reference collection for historical value. Previous editions of encyclopedias may be placed in the circulating collection.

Handbooks

The library collects current general handbooks and handbooks related to the academic disciplines. Previous editions of handbooks should be placed in the circulating collection.

Indexes and Abstracts

Indexes and Abstracts to serial and periodical publications are included in the reference collection regardless of currency or format. Print volumes that show wear should be repaired or replaced when necessary.

Legal materials

Legal citators, dictionaries, encyclopedias, digests are kept in reference.

Library catalogs

The reference collection may include library catalogs for important collections, not well indexed in other sources.

Plot summaries

A comprehensive collection of plot summaries is included in the reference collection.

Sacred books

Major, authoritative translations and commentaries of sacred works for the major religions are kept in the reference collection.

Standards

Only the most current standards for a field of study or discipline will be kept in the reference collection.

Statistics

Current statistics and statistical summaries for both general and subject specific will be included in the reference area.

Style manuals

Current editions of style manuals for academic disciplines will be included in the reference collection. The number of copies of current editions should be adequate for the demand.

Yearbooks

Reference collects current editions of major publications.

Acquisition of new Reference materials:

Requests are welcome from library staff, faculty and students for titles to be purchased for the reference collection. However the responsibility for a systematic development of the Reference collection is with the User Services librarians, who request the majority of titles for this collection. Decisions concerning major purchases or additions, may be made in consultation with Collection Management Librarians. All order requests are sent to the Collection Management area for purchase. 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.

Criteria for selection of new materials:

1. Considering the existing reference collection for this subject, is this item

a useful/necessary addition? Does it duplicate information already available in the collection?

2. Is this title an important contribution to the knowledge in its field? Is it at an appropriate level for the curriculum and academic programs at this university?

3. The title itself--

Favorable reviews?

Authoritative?

Reputable author or publisher?

Included in reference guides?

4. Publication date? Is the information the most current available?

5. Language? Except for foreign language dictionaries and encyclopedias, titles for the reference collection should be in English. Exceptions should be made carefully by a mutual decision of reference and collection management librarians.

6. Price? Does the information and expected demand for a title justify the price?

7. Format?* What is the best format for this title considering its frequency of use, demand, ease of use, price, and currency? An additional concern is whether the library expects to keep an archival record of the information--and in what format.

*Because of the added technical and equipment considerations of CD-ROM titles and online services, decisions concerning these titles are made by the Electronic Resources Commitee.

Weeding Policies

The Reference Collection should be weeded periodically to remove those materials that are outdated, superceded by later editions, or are no longer useful for reference purposes. In weeding the collection, some titles may be discarded, others may be placed in the stacks for historical interest.

General criteria to used in making decisions may include publication date, language, physical condition of the title, potential use, availability of similar resources, ease of use, uniqueness of subject matter, popularity (Style manuals).

The following checklist may be helpful in selection as well as weeding reference materials.

1. How important is this title? Is it included in a general guide to reference works?

2. How comprehensive is this publication? Are the scope and depth of coverage such that it belongs in the reference collection?

3. Does this academic discipline require a large group of reference works? Is this work really essential, or is it marginal. If so, should it be sent to the stacks or discarded?

4. If the language of the publication is not English, will the title have limited use?

5. Will this title be used frequently in the future?

6. Is there a later edition which supersedes this publication? If so, should the older editions be placed in the stacks or discarded.

7. How old is the publication? Does the age of the publication preclude its usefulness to the majority of patrons? Do the majority of patrons require current information for this subject matter?

8. Is this work a continuation or standing order? If so, should the previous editions be sent to the stacks?

9. Is the material in this work duplicated in other publications? If so, does heavy demand justify the duplication?

10. Are there multiple copies of this title in the reference collection? Does the demand justify more than one copy?

11. Is the book in poor physical condition? If so, should it be replaced? Can it be replaced?

Specific criteria for weeding the reference collection:

Annual and Serial publications

The decision for the disposition of titles on continuation or standing order that are serials such as annuals, directories, yearbooks, etc. should be decided when the subscription begins. Titles may be designated as "latest edition in reference " for those titles of lasting value, but whose current volume is the only one needed at Reference. Previous editions are placed in the stacks, but do not circulate. For those titles in which several editions are needed for Reference, they should be designated as "latest (five)years in Reference."

Almanacs

Latest five years in reference. Previous editions should be placed in the stacks for historical purposes.

Atlases, maps, gazetteers

Weed with caution, but maintain currency. Editions or titles that are weeded should be discarded, rather than placed in the stacks.

Bibliographies

Bibliographies of popular authors, persons, and subjects should be kept in reference. Others should be placed in the circulating collection.

Biography

Weed with caution.

Concordances

Keep only concordances to major authors or works in reference.

Dictionaries

Current general language dictionaries should be kept in reference. Previous editions may be place in the circulating collection. Subject specific dictionaries in science and technology should be placed in the stacks if they are over five years old. Older subject dictionaries in any field should be kept in reference only if there is a specific or current need for this material in reference area.

Encyclopedias

Only the most current encyclopedias will be kept in the Reference Area. One exception is the eleventh edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica which will be kept in reference for historical purposes. Previous editions of encyclopedias will be placed in the stacks where they can be circulated.

Encyclopedia Yearbooks

Yearbooks may be kept on the shelf for five years, unless the yearbooks predate the current encyclopedia. In other words, the encyclopedia and yearbooks should be kept until a new encyclopedia is purchased. Older yearbooks should be placed in the circulating collection.

Subject specific encyclopedias

Only the current encyclopedia should be kept in reference. Volumes of previous editions should be placed in the circulating collection. An encyclopedia of a specific subject which will be used rarely, can be placed in the circulating collection.

Handbooks

Keep only the most current and up-to-date in the reference collection.

Indexes and abstracts

Indexes should be weeded with caution, since material is sometimes excluded from newer editions, such as Granger's Index to Poetry, Short Story Index, etc. Indexes to periodical literature, including those in yearbook format, should be kept in reference and discarded only when necessary because of the condition of the material.

Legal materials

Do not weed, unless material is duplicated.

Library catalogs

Do not weed.

Plot summaries

Weed only when replacing.

Sacred books

Older editions may be placed in the circulating collection.

Standards

Out of date information may be discarded or placed in the circulating collection for historical purposes.

Statistics

Keep most current information. Previous titles should be placed in the stacks for historical purposes.

Style Manuals

Current editions only in reference. Earlier editions may circulate.

Yearbooks (other than encyclopedia yearbooks)

Only current statistical or encyclopedic yearbooks should remain in the Reference Collection.

Previous years should be placed in the stacks for historical purposes.