Collection Development Policy
December 2004
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FAU
Libraries Collection Development Policy December 2004 |
The Collection Development Policy states the principles
and guidelines that the Florida Atlantic University Libraries follow in the
selection and acquisition of library materials. The purpose of the policy is
to provide consistency among the persons responsible for collection
development and communicating library policy to faculty, staff, students,
and the community.
The Libraries select materials based upon their
responsibility to the University as stated in the Library Mission Statement:
“The Libraries at Florida Atlantic University support the University’s
instructional, research, and service activities through provision of access
to information and materials, assistance and instruction in their use, and
preservation of collections for use by future generations of students and
scholars. Our secondary mission is to support scholarly endeavors and
information needs in the local, regional, national, and international
communities.”
The Florida Atlantic University Libraries serve
a diverse community of users. Primary clientele are the students, faculty,
and staff of Florida Atlantic University. Florida Atlantic University is a
comprehensive, doctoral-granting institution serving the urban population of
seven counties in southeast Florida. Although geographically dispersed, it
is academically, organizationally, and technologically integrated. Degree programs
are offered at campuses in Boca Raton, Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale,
Jupiter, and Port St. Lucie. The University offers certificate,
baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral programs. Additional clientele includes the students, faculty, and staff of Palm
Beach Community College South Campus, which contracts Florida Atlantic
University to provide library services; local and visiting university and
college faculty, staff and students, and other researchers not affiliated
with Florida Atlantic University; students of the FAU High School and other
local high schools; clinical and research affiliates associated with the
University of Miami Medical School at FAU, the Scripps Research Institute,
and the FAU Research & Development Park; and members of the general public.
The Libraries of Florida Atlantic University
support the American Library Association’s
Bill Of Rights,
Freedom
To Read Statement, and the
American Film and Video
Association’s Freedom to View Statement. The Libraries follow the
“Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries.” For this policy,
the Libraries have adopted sections of the Library Bill of Rights applicable
to collection development as approved by the ACRL Board of Directors. The
general principles set forth in the Library Bill of Rights form an
indispensable framework for building collections, services, and policies
that serve the entire academic community. A strong intellectual freedom perspective is critical to the development
of academic library collections and services that dispassionately meet the
education and research needs of a college or university community. The
purpose of this statement is to outline how and where intellectual freedom
principles fit into an academic library setting, thereby raising
consciousness of the intellectual freedom context within which academic
librarians work. The following principles should be reflected in all
relevant library policy documents. The development of library collections in support of an institution’s
instruction and research programs should transcend the personal values of
the selector. In the interests of research and learning, it is essential
that collections contain materials representing a variety of perspectives on
subjects that may be considered controversial. Preservation and replacement
efforts should ensure that balance in library materials is maintained and
that controversial materials are not removed from the collections through
theft, loss, mutilation, or normal wear and tear. There should be alertness
to efforts by special interest groups to bias a collection through
systematic theft or mutilation. Any individual or group questioning the appropriateness of materials
within the collection will be referred to the Director of Libraries. A
service philosophy should be promoted that affords equal access to
information for all in the academic community with no discrimination on the
basis of race, values, gender, sexual orientation, cultural or ethnic
background, physical or learning disability, economic status, religious
beliefs, or views. The Libraries acquire materials that represent differing
opinions and without censorship in regard to controversial issues. The Libraries do not support filtering of computers because it is a
needless form of censorship and an abridgement of information without a
researcher’s knowledge. It is inappropriate in a research library
environment.
Return to Table of Contents
The primary subject areas
collected are those that serve to support the instructional, research, and
public service activities of the University community. The majority of
materials are organized by the Library of Congress Classification System.
The main language of the collection is English. Foreign
language materials are collected based on their relevance to University
programs with a foreign language component. Additional criteria considered
for acquisition of foreign language materials are their usefulness to the
University community and the reputation of the work.
Ultimate responsibility for the
development and maintenance of the Libraries’ collection rests with the
Director of the Florida Atlantic University Libraries. The Director’s
authority for routine decisions is normally delegated to the Associate
Director, under whose direction materials in specific subject areas are
selected by designated librarians. For libraries at campuses where FAU is
not the lead institution, selection policies will differ. The Collection Development Unit chooses materials in accordance with the
curricular, research, and community needs of the University. Faculty are
encouraged to suggest appropriate material for purchase and academic
departments are urged to designate a faculty member to serve as library
representative. These representatives facilitate communication between the
academic departments and the Collection Development Unit. Suggestions for the purchase of specific titles may be submitted using
the electronic
Library Materials Suggestion Forms available on the Libraries’ web
site. Requests for materials submitted by students, staff and non-affiliated
users are reviewed by the Collection Development Unit. The timetable for
ordering of library materials is as follows: The Collection Development
Review Committee serves as an advisory panel on the selection of materials
for the Florida Atlantic University Libraries. The Committee works within
the constraints of the Libraries’ budget and follows the guidelines
established in the Collection Development Policy. The Collection Development Unit serves as the operational arm of the
collection development program.
Donations to the Libraries are accepted through the Florida Atlantic
University Foundation. Acquisition of gift material is subject to the
same criteria for addition to the collection as purchased materials. The
Florida Atlantic University Libraries reserve the right to accept or
reject gifts, with or without restricting conditions, and the right to
dispose of unwanted gift material.
The Special Collections Department has several areas of concentration
within its collections,
http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/collist.htm. The Special
Collections Department does not actively seek collections. However,
collecting is done with respect to the academic needs of the FAU
community, aspects of FAU other than covered by the University Archives,
and to enhance existing collections. Special Collections does not collect realia, memorabilia, or
ephemera. Collections may include these materials as a part of a books
or papers collection.
The Director of Libraries is
designated as the custodian of the University Archives as stated in the
Florida Administrative Code. The University Archives is held by the
Special Collections and Archives Department. The University Archives
collects documents that are of value to the development of the
University or have future historical significance. These items include
University publications, special reports, and minutes from meetings.
The University Archives concentrate on collecting University
Presidential papers, and materials related to athletics, aspects of
student life, and academics.
The
Children’s Literature and Curriculum Collections include elementary and
secondary textbooks, curriculum guides, juvenile and young adult
monographs, selected juvenile serials, and appropriate non-print media.
The purpose of these collections is to support the programs of the
College of Education. The Collection Development Unit is responsible for
developing these collections in consultation with the College of
Education. Current state-adopted textbooks and award-winning children’s
books have highest priority for purchase. The collection includes
curriculum materials (most recent five years).
Reference collection development is the
responsibility of the reference librarians and is coordinated by the
Head of the Reference Department. The collection is designed to
meet the basic research, curricular, and information needs of the
University community in all subject fields. Reference resources of
all types and formats, in all appropriate languages are selected in
accordance with the criteria established for the selection of library
materials. The
Reference Collection Development Policy should be consulted for more
detailed guidelines.
The Florida Atlantic University Boca
Raton Campus Library is a selective depository for Federal documents.
The library is also a depository for State of Florida documents. In
addition to curriculum and research needs, the information needs
of citizens residing in the 19th Congressional District and
the Florida Atlantic University service area are considered in selection
of materials being surveyed for deposit and retention. The Government Documents Collection Development Policy
should be consulted for more detailed guidelines.
The Reserve Collection consists of a
temporary collection of materials that are purchased, copied, or
gathered from existing holdings, to provide limited loan periods and
maximum access to clientele to support the direct needs of course
instruction. The collection includes documents in print and electronic
formats. The Reserve Collection is also the permanent location for some
Reference and Government Documents which require monitoring due to heavy
use or threat of vandalism. The number of photocopies of articles, pages
from books, and other material provided by the Libraries for the Reserve
Collection shall not exceed the fair use limits as specified by the
library reserve policy and current copyright law. Permission to copy in
excess of fair use must be obtained by the library as cited in the Copyright Law of the United States,
17 USC 108.
Electronic Resources are collected to
support the basic instructional, research and information needs of the
University. These include, but are not limited to, electronic serials or
collections of serials; online bibliographic or numeric databases;
electronic reference materials; electronic monographs or collections of
monographs. Traditional selection criteria apply to electronic
resources. However, due to the unique nature of electronic resources,
special criteria need also be applied. See
Electronic Resources
Collection Policy.
Return to Table of Contents
The materials budget supports the purchase of all formats designated in the collection development policy. The budget supports expenditures for the following:
The budget is administered by the Assistant Director for Technical Services in
consultation with the Director of Libraries.
The materials budget is allocated according to available funds and established
institutional priorities. Expenditures are tracked by the assignment of fund
codes and class codes within established expenditure categories. The extent of
tracking is dependent upon the limitations of the library management system of
the State University Libraries (SUL) and staffing levels within Technical
Services. The Acquisitions staff is responsible for placing all orders for
library materials, recording the receipt of materials, processing invoices and
credit memos, and claiming materials not received.
The Acquisitions
staff handles orders, payments and receipt of library materials funded by
outside funding, such as Foundation or grant funds, and provides the tracking of
expenditures dependent upon system constraints, staffing limitations, and
cooperation from any outside agency involved. Unsolicited materials that are
received with invoices will not be accepted and will be disposed of or returned,
if the vendor will provide return postage. Materials received without invoices
will be routed to Assistant Director for Technical Services.
Out-of-print materials are acquired as necessary.
See Procedures
for Purchasing Library Materials.
Return to Table of Contents
Monographs are acquired with first priority given to supporting the
curriculum. The most readily available format for monographs is
acquired. Sets are acquired by the libraries in support of the
curriculum and based on availability of funds.
The libraries are committed to acquiring complete holdings for serial
titles to which the library subscribes when affordable. Electronic
access is the preferred format for serials when available.
Current print newspapers are acquired on a highly selective basis.
Emphasis is placed on local newspapers. Access to major and regional
U.S. and select international newspapers is provided electronically.
Priority is given to newspapers which are indexed.
The Libraries acquire selected Florida elementary and secondary school
textbooks for the Curriculum Collection. Current course textbooks are
not acquired routinely. Other textbooks are not acquired unless they are
considered as definitive sources in the subject area. Exceptions are
considered at the request of an instructor.
Reprints are acquired only on a highly selective basis.
The
Libraries acquire copies of dissertations and theses completed at the
University. Dissertations and theses completed outside of the University
may be acquired on demand and may be provided in non-print formats.
Foreign dissertations and theses are available through the Libraries’
membership in the Center for Research Libraries. The Libraries also
provide electronic access to many recent digital dissertations and
theses.
The Libraries subscribe to looseleaf services in select areas that
support the curriculum. In the selection and continuation of looseleaf
services, maintenance and availability in other formats are primary
considerations. Looseleaf materials are collected only if alternative
formats are unavailable.
Monographs in microform are acquired selectively. Specialized microform
collections are purchased in support of the curriculum or as an
enhancement to the existing collection. Serial microforms are acquired
with regard to the existing collection and with regard to space,
availability of alternative formats, price, and use.
Maps,
atlases, globes and charts are purchased selectively. The Government
Documents Collection regularly receives maps on a selective basis from
the U.S. Government Printing Office and from the State Library of
Florida as part of the respective depository programs.
Selection
criteria include support of the curriculum and the depository community,
space, usage, and staffing.
Pamphlets and broadsides are acquired on a selective basis in support of
the curriculum and upon specific request of an instructor.
Musical scores are acquired selectively as needed in support of the
curriculum.
Audio-visual materials are acquired with priority given to curriculum
and research support. Considerations of suitability of format, and
quality of production, availability of equipment and facilities assists
in the selection.
Computer software is acquired selectively. Considerations in selection
include availability on the university campus network, individual needs
of faculty, curriculum, quality of production, availability of
equipment, facilities and technical support.
Electronic formats are acquired with priority given to curriculum and
research support. Electronic products include but are not limited to the
following: Internet resources, floppy and hard disks, compact disks, and
DVDs.
The Libraries do not collect toys and games.
The Libraries do not collect realia, memorabilia (e.g., rocks, fossils,
coins, stamps, shells, pennants, pins, etc.) or ephemera (e.g.,
bookmarks, calendars, etc.).
The Libraries acquire children’s books on a selective basis in support
of the curriculum. First priority is given to acquiring award-winning
children’s books.
The Libraries do not acquire company annual reports, college catalogs,
or telephone books because these materials are available without charge
on the Internet.
The
Libraries do not actively acquire rare books and manuscripts. Those
acquired would be in support of the instructional and research programs
of the university. Those received as gifts are evaluated for retention
in the collection with consideration given to special housing, care,
access, security, and environment.
The Libraries do not acquire spiral bound publications. Exceptions are
made based on subject material and at the request of an instructor with
consideration given to expected use, lasting value, and content.
Commercial rebinding of acquired spiral bound materials will be
considered on an individual basis.
Return to Table of Contents
Weeding or deselection, replacement, multiple copies, preservation, and
conservation are all important aspects of collection maintenance and evaluation.
Responsibility and authority for the preceding activities are shared by the
Associate Director and the Assistant Director for Technical Services.
Deselection or weeding is an essential, continuing library practice in
which materials are removed permanently from the Libraries’ collections.
Whenever possible, both faculty and library staff participate in the
weeding process to ensure that publications of historical or research
significance are not discarded.
Preservation is the activity to prevent, eliminate, or retard
deterioration of library materials, as well as to improve their
condition or to change their format as necessary in order to preserve
the intellectual content. The Libraries endeavor to protect the physical
integrity of materials in the collection through conservation measures,
such as temperature, humidity and dust control. Where preservation of
content is more important than the retention of the physical format,
items are preserved by binding, microreproduction, or the acquisition of
microforms.
Normally only one copy of an edition of a title is acquired. Exceptions
may be made for heavily used items.
Materials that are missing, lost or withdrawn are not automatically
replaced. Potential replacements are evaluated using the same criteria
for selection as regularly purchased items. Heavily used materials,
determined to be necessary for teaching and research, will be replaced
as quickly as possible, if available.
Return to Table of Contents
The Libraries participate in several resource sharing programs. As a member of
OCLC and the Southeast Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN),
the Libraries share their resources with other member libraries through
interlibrary loan and reciprocal borrowing arrangements. The Florida Atlantic
University Libraries maintain an associate membership in the
Center for Research Libraries (CRL). The
center provides access to a large collection of rarely held research materials
which can be obtained through interlibrary loan and document delivery
technology.
The Libraries will cooperate in the purchase or leasing of library materials
such as electronic products, machine readable datafiles, government documents,
etc., with SEFLIN member libraries, State University Libraries, and other
library cooperative arrangements when possible. The Libraries share in the
development of digital library cooperative programs such as the SUL Publication
of Archival Library & Museum Initiatives (PALMM), including the Florida Heritage Collection.
In an age of developing information technologies, resource sharing activities
will need to be reviewed on a continuing basis.
Return to Table of Contents
Academic programs. (2002, April 26). Retrieved November 15, 2004, from
Florida Atlantic University Web site:
http://www.fau.edu/ug-cat/acad_pro.htm
Collection development policy: The reference collection. (2002, November,
21). Retrieved November 15 2004, from Florida Atlantic University Web site:
http://www.library.fau.edu/policies/pubpol/refpol.htm
Collection development policy, appendix M: Federal documents. (2002,
November 21). Retrieved November 15, 2004, from Florida Atlantic University Web
site:
http://www.library.fau.edu/policies/cd_fed.htm
Copyright law of the United States. 17 USC (2004). Retrieved November 15,
2004, from Florida Department of State Division of Election Web Site:
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/title17>
Florida administrative code ann. 6CS-7.002 (2004). Retrieved November 15,
2004, from Florida Department of State Division of Elections Web site:
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/fac/index.shtml
Gifts and donations policy. (2004, October 6). Retrieved November 15,
2004, from Florida Atlantic University Web site:
http://www.library.fau.edu/policies/pubpol/giftspol.htm
Intellectual freedom principles for academic libraries. (2000, July 12).
Retrieved November 15, 2004, from
http://www.ala.org/template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=76535
Library bill of
rights.
(1996, January 23). Retrieved November 15, 2004, from
http://www.ala.org/work/freedom/lbr.html
Policy statement on individuals with disabilities. (2003, October 16).
Retrieved November 15, 2004 from Florida Atlantic Universities Web site:
http://www.library.fau.edu/geninfo/adaserv.htm
The freedom to read statement. (2004, June 30). Retrieved November 15,
2004, from
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/ftrstatement/freedomreadstatement.htm
The freedom to view statement. (1990, January 10). Retrieved November 15,
2004 from
http://www.ala.org/ala/vrt/pubguidelines/freedomviewstatement.htm
Special collections and archives. (2003, October 23). Retrieved November
15, 2004, from Florida Atlantic University Web site:
http://www.library.fau.edu/depts/spc/special.htm
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