Collection Development Policy Purpose and Objectives

This policy is designed to guide the systematic development and management of the Lane Community College Library collections of print, audiovisual, and electronic materials. It is intended to define a collection development and information access program that meets the following objectives:

• To assist librarians in providing current, diverse, balanced collections of materials to support the instructional, institutional and individual needs of students, faculty and staff
• To provide access to materials in appropriate formats including print, paid online services, and free web sites, consistent with the college's fiscal resources
• To encourage all members of the College community to participate in collection development
• To serve distance learning students and faculty by providing access to materials in the most appropriate and cost-effective manner
• To assist with short-range and long-range fiscal planning

The primary goal of the Library’s Collection Development Policy is to provide guidance for the selection and maintenance of collections that support and enhance the curriculum and instructional programs of Lane Community College, as well as the general information needs of students, faculty, and staff who comprise the College’s community of lifelong learners. This community possesses a broad range of interests and prior educational experiences. Therefore, the Library’s collection should also include a variety of general information resources in subject areas not covered by classroom instruction, but generally supportive of a learning environment. Within the constraints of available funds, facilities, and staffing, the Library will acquire and make available materials and media in a wide variety of formats.

For those members of the college community whose scholarly or research needs are beyond the scope of this policy, librarians will help to identify, locate, and borrow such materials through interlibrary loan.

College Mission

Lane's current mission is to be a learning-centered community college that provides affordable, quality, lifelong educational opportunities that include: professional technical and lower division college transfer programs; employee skill upgrading, business development and career enhancement; foundational academic, language and life skills development; lifelong personal development and enrichment; and cultural and community services.

Library Mission

The primary goal of the Library is to further the College’s mission by providing library services and resources that support the curriculum and fulfill the information needs of students, faculty, staff, administration, and community.

Responsibility for Collection Development

Each full- and part-time reference librarian, as well as the Library Director, has collection development responsibilities. Specific responsibilities are to:

• Stay current on the information needs of the Lane community
• Develop/revise collection development policies/procedures, and budget allocations
• Develop collection in assigned subject areas
• Select in areas not otherwise assigned, but which contribute to a diverse collection
• As liaison to faculty, administrators, and staff in their designated subject areas, solicit recommendations for adding materials to the library collection
• Participate in assessment and weeding activities and projects
• Market the Library’s collection to the College community

Although the Library Director and faculty librarians are ultimately responsible for the library’s collection, the entire College community is encouraged to suggest additions at any time. In recognition of their individual areas of expertise, and their experience of students’ information needs and interests, all library staff are encouraged to participate in an annual purchasing trip to local bookstores

Intellectual Freedom

Implementation of the concept of academic freedom in the Library involves selecting some materials which may be considered controversial by some individuals or groups. Reasons often cited for materials considered offensive may include profanity, divergent viewpoints, controversial authors, sexual explicitness, use of nonstandard English and dialects, and violence and criminal acts. The acquisition of such materials does not imply approval or endorsement of their contents. These materials are acquired to support the curriculum and to represent all sides of controversial issues. The selection criteria used by Lane Community College must remain broad and flexible in order to provide a collection which supports the wide range of academic and technical programs and diverse backgrounds of its clientele. The Library endorses the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights, which is attached as an appendix, and the principles of that document are an integral part of this policy statement.

Patrons with a concern about an item in the collection should submit their concerns in writing to the Library Director. A committee of librarians and faculty members will review the complaint and make a recommendation to retain or withdraw the item in question. The complainant will receive a written response. Procedures for handling complaints include allowing individual(s) to complete a Statement of Concern form requesting that the material be reconsidered.

In order to provide an orderly procedure for the review of questionable materials, the following outline has been developed:

a. concern shall be in writing on the approved form, which must be filled out before consideration can be given. This form shall be submitted to the Library Review Committee.

b. the Library Review Committee shall be composed of the librarian in whose subject or selection area the title falls, the Library Director, and a member of the Library staff. This Committee shall consult with faculty from the affected discipline(s).

c. statements of concern are given serious and objective review. The best interests of the students, the community and the College shall be paramount considerations. The Review Committee shall report its action to the complainant as soon as possible.

d. the Committee may recommend that the questioned materials be:

• retained.
• not retained.

Budget Allocations Including New Programs

Each area of the curriculum has its own materials budget allocation. Allocations are made by the Librarians Council, which consists of all faculty librarians and the Library Director, and are based on curricular relevance, program size and research needs, publishing costs within specific disciplines, balance of collection, and general overall collection needs.   Faculty and staff planning new courses and new programs are encouraged to contact the Liaison Librarian for their discipline.   The amount of the Library capital budget reserved for book allocations may fluctuate depending on periodicals and continuations costs.

General Selection Guidelines

The following guidelines are presented to assist library staff, faculty, and administrators in selecting quality materials for inclusion in the collection. It is recognized that some of the criteria included in the guidelines are more important than others and that the quality of content should be a primary consideration. General factors to be taken into account are:

1. Relevance to instructional needs of the faculty.
2. Probable need based on existing programs and collections.
3. Intellectual content and scholarly worth.
4. Degree to which resources directly support subject areas and vocational emphases currently represented by credit courses offered at Lane Community College.

Limitations and Basic Standards

• Items may be purchased in either hardback or paperback edition. Mass market editions will be avoided due to poor physical quality.
• The library will select current and retrospective books, serials, and other instructional materials to secure an adequate basic collection to support all areas of the curriculum.
• The library will not develop any in-depth collection of materials not related to the curriculum, especially in those areas already covered by another local library.
• Personal research interests will be supported to the extent that they are reflected in the curriculum and do not undermine the balance of the collection.
• The purchase of material written in languages other than English will be limited to those languages in which instruction is offered at the college.
• In instances where the cost of an item is high and the demand is relatively low, the holdings of the University of Oregon and other nearby libraries are considered in determining whether or not an item should be ordered.
• Current in-print publications will generally be given priority over out-of-print publications. The library recognizes the need for some out-of print purchases, primarily for replacement of heavily used items which are lost or withdrawn due to poor physical condition. However, in view of the difficulty and expense in obtaining rare, out-of-print, and reprinted material, it is most important to spend funds for current publications of long-term worth.
• Popular fiction having short-term interest among readers is not purchased.
• Textbooks are not selected unless recommended by faculty as exceptional resources. Exceptions are those that have earned a reputation as "classics" in their fields, or which are the only or best sources of information on a particular topic, or for a particular user group.
• Faculty research in pursuit of advance degrees is not supported by the book collection. Interlibrary loan is regularly provided in a timely manner to meet faculty and administrative research requirements for books.
• Items costing more than $150 are purchased only after consulting with Librarians Council
• Government documents are not acquired
• Duplicate copies of a title will be purchased only when high demand is anticipated.
• The library will attempt to balance print, electronic and online resources without unnecessary duplication. Print, audiovisual, or electronic resources may be duplicated with fee-based online resources when:
  • The resource has significant historical value
  • One format is unstable
  • A cost benefit for purchasing multiple formats exists
  • Multiple formats meet the different needs of user groups
  • Usage justifies additional copies

Specific Criteria for Selection of Materials

• Timeliness and lasting value of material
• Reputation of the author, issuing body, and/or publisher
• Presentation: style, clarity, reading level
• Aesthetic considerations: literary, artistic, or social value; appeal to the imagination, senses, or intellect
• Special features: detailed, logical, accurate index; bibliography; footnotes; appropriate illustrations
• Physical and technical quality: paper, typography, and design; physical size; binding; durability
• Ease of access or user-friendliness
• Suitability of content to form
• Depth of current holdings in the same or similar subject
• Demand, frequency of interlibrary loan requests placed for material on the same or similar subject
• Cost of material relative to the budget and other available material
• Availability in alternate physical or online formats

Types and Formats of Materials Collected

Reference Materials

Reference materials support the research needs of Lane Community College students, faculty, and staff. The reference collection contains, but is not limited to, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, directories, indexes, bibliographies, statistical compilations, and handbooks. Though items selected for this collection primarily support the academic programs offered at Lane, core academic reference works published in other subject areas are also selected when they provide fundamental bibliographic access to, or an introductory overview of, an academic discipline. Items in the reference collection normally do not circulate. The reference collection is reviewed by the librarians annually to insure currency and accuracy. Reference materials are collected in print, electronic, and online formats.

Books

Books that should be frequently updated (nursing/medical texts, computer manuals, test preparation materials) are purchased in paper formats when available.

Established literary works and new works receiving critical acclaim in the literary field are considered, especially those works that support literature course offerings. Literary prizewinners are purchased when funds permit.

Serials

Serials/periodicals/journals/newspapers are publications issued in successive parts bearing numeric or chronological designations and intended to be continued indefinitely. Serials are issued in print, microform, and electronic formats. All formats will be considered in the libraries' purchase and/or access decisions. Serials are acquired via subscription. Individual issues or reprints will rarely be purchased.

The selection of serials requires a continuing commitment to the cost of the title, including maintenance, viewing and reproduction equipment, and storage space. The escalating cost of serials subscriptions demands that requests for serials subscriptions be carefully reviewed before they are purchased for the collection and that an ongoing evaluation of current subscriptions be conducted.

Since it is often more cost-efficient to purchase electronic access or document delivery services for serials instead of acquisition through print subscription, this delivery method will be chosen when fiscally prudent. Cooperative acquisition (regional and statewide) of electronic serials databases is actively pursued. Electronic serials subscriptions licensing contracts may limit access to currently enrolled students, faculty and staff. The professional library staff reviews local serials collections and accessibility of online titles annually.

The serials collection supports the Lane Community College curriculum as well as providing a core collection of general interest periodicals. Factors to be considered in the acquisition of serials are:

• Support of academic programs
• Suitability for intended audience
• Uniqueness of subject coverage
• Cost, including rate of price increases, cost of storage, and/or access costs
• Professional reputation
• Usage or projected usage
• Indexing and abstracting in sources accessible to library users
• Demand for title in interlibrary loan or document delivery requests
• Accessibility within resource sharing groups, consortia, and/or through document delivery or courier services
• Full-text availability via electronic access

Electronic Books

Electronic books are considered when they provide the most current and/or cost-effective format, or to support distance education courses and programs. Cooperative lease/purchase of electronic books is pursued as a cost-effective method of providing access to book collections. Duplication is considered for electronic books provided by such cooperative lease/purchase. In addition to general selection criteria and online resources/Internet-based materials selection criteria, consideration is given to the availability of an archival copy of electronic texts purchased in perpetuity.

Non-Print (Audiovisual Media)

Non-print media may be relatively expensive. Because of the size of the Library’s materials budget, inclusion of these materials in the Library’s collection should meet the following guidelines in addition to general selection criteria:

• Item has demonstrated applicability in more than one course or discipline
• Treatment and presentation of subject content are on an appropriate academic level
• Technical quality of color, sound, continuity, etc. is high
• Format is cost effective, durable and accessible

The Library will contribute $150 towards the purchase of media titles requested by faculty if all of the above criteria are met, and at least three of the following four criteria are met:

• Instructor has previewed, or attempted to acquire for preview, the recommended title. Rental, temporary on-line subscription or free Internet access may be a cost effective alternative to actual purchase. To inquire about Lane Community College Library Film Booking Service, contact Carrol Barton at Ext. 5318.
• Requesting department absorbs the remaining cost of the item. However, the item will be considered library property, subject to the same replacement and withdrawal criteria as described elsewhere in this document.
• Instructor provides positive reviews from professional sources.
• Purchase has departmental support; i. e. emails from other faculty, staff minutes, etc.

The Library will not purchase a video over $150 if it is available through

• Summit Borrowing
• Lane Community College Library Film Booking Service (contact Carrol Barton at Ext. 5318)
• Video rental

Maps

Maps are a very small part of the collection. Additional maps will be purchased as needed to provide direct support for classroom instruction and only at the request of the instructor. Atlases are included in the reference collection.

Subscription Databases

Subscription to commercial online databases will be considered when they provide the most current and/or cost-effective resources. The following online resources will be actively selected:

• Licensed commercial, fee-based resources and databases will be selected when they provide cost-effective means of providing resources for the Library. These resources may include electronic books; citation, abstracting and full-text databases covering journals, magazines, newspapers or reference materials; and databases providing information portals for specific subject areas.
• In additional to general selection criteria, the following criteria will be used:
  • The product has broad appeal to a large number of Lane Library users or will serve the special needs of a user group
  • The product compares favorably with similar products
  • Unlimited or multiple user access is preferred
  • The interface is user-friendly
  • Appropriate online help is available
  • Good technical support is available
  • Usage statistics are available
  • The vendor allows a trial of the actual product
  • The libraries are not required to subscribe to both print and electronic versions of the product, unless this is desired
  • The license agreement allows normal rights and privileges accorded libraries under copyright law
  • The license agreement gives the libraries indemnification against third party copyright infringement

Internet Resources

Lane Library supports the instructional programs of the College by collecting or providing access to materials in multiple formats. One important resource, the Internet, is readily available to any library user.  However, while the Internet is easily accessible, careful selection of Internet resources and availability of these through the Library's Web site and catalog will accomplish several objectives:

• increase awareness and maximize use of significant sites
• provide value-added  access to Internet resources often absent when using various search engines  to locate resources
• enhance and expand the Library's collection of traditional formats.

Sites in this collection are selected based on the relevancy, quality, and currency of the contents, and the navigability and ease of use of the site's design. Sites included should have an identifiable content authority and be reliably accessible. A search engine or other form of index to the site's contents is desirable.

In addition to general selection criteria, the following criteria will be used for selecting general and subject specific Internet resources

ACCESS

• Site accessible with a text-based browser
• Site uses standard HTML
• Site loads easily and in a reasonable amount of time
• Site is not often overloaded or unavailable, and is consistently available
• Site has an unchanged URL
• Site is open to all without fees
• If there are links to other sites, do they work? Are they appropriate?

DESIGN

• Site pages are concise and fit standard size screen
• Site instructions are clear and placed before links
• Site links work properly
• Site works intuitively
• Site layout ensures user always know where they are.
• Site is both exciting and friendly; makes appropriate use of technology
• Site encourages appropriate and safe user interaction
• Site is organized and easy to find your way around
• Site does not require additional software or hardware

CONTENT

• Site clearly states scope, authority, and intended audience
• Site titles and headings are clear, descriptive, and appropriate for intended audience
• Site content is of adequate scope and is organized to meet needs of intended audience
• Site provides appropriate links to additional sources of information
• Site is up-to-date with links maintained
• Site changes and grows to encourage future visits
• Site content is documented and accurate
• Site makes appropriate use of multimedia elements
• If the resource is fee-based or selling a product, is there substantial content offered for free?
• Information on the site is accurate, factual and not biased
• Site contributes something unique to the subject
• Site content well-written (easy to read, correct spelling and grammar)

SCOPE

• Is the purpose of the resource clearly stated?
• Is the site appropriate for the intended audience?
• Is the site for a subject expert, a layperson, a school student?
• How does the site compare with other sites on the same subject?

AUTHORITY

• What are the author's reputation and qualifications in the subject covered?
• Are sources of information stated?
• Can the author be contacted for clarification or to be informed of new information?

Deselection Guidelines

Weeding, the removal of materials to be discarded, is an important part of the total collection development process. Building a viable collection of materials to serve the college community is a dynamic process that includes assessment and the removal of materials that are obsolete, damaged beyond repair, or no longer relevant to the curriculum.

Librarians are primarily responsible for weeding the collection. Instructional faculty are strongly encouraged to review their subject areas to identify items which should be withdrawn and bring such materials to the attention of their library liaison.

The following categories of materials will be considered for weeding from the collection.

• Outdated materials.
• Superseded editions.
• Excessively worn or damaged materials. Items in poor condition, but still valuable in terms of intellectual content will be considered for repair or replacement.
• Multiple copies of monographs which are no longer needed to support the curriculum.
• Textbooks and instructional materials or previous editions of more recent texts.

DESELECTION OF PRINT AND AUDIOVISUAL RESOURCES

• Superseded editions are routinely deselected from the collection.
• Materials that cannot be repaired or rebound or for which the cost of preservation exceeds the usefulness of the information contained are deselected.
• Because currency of information is extremely important in some fields such as health sciences, technology, and business, older materials must be regularly deselected so that outdated or inaccurate information is eliminated.
• Materials that do not support the current curriculum may be deselected.
• Material that has not been used based on circulation and browsing statistics, may be deselected after five to ten years of inactivity. However, some library materials such as items considered classic works in their field have long-term value and should be kept in the collection despite lack of use.
• The title may be retained if it is included in a standard list or bibliography such as Books for College Libraries or if the author has a reputation for being an authority on the topic.

DESELECTION OF SERIALS

• Incomplete and short runs of a title may be withdrawn, particularly when the title is not received currently
• Titles that do not contain substantial amounts of information supporting the current curriculum
• Items where information currency is of the essence such as newsletters and trade magazines have predetermined holding limits such as "Library retains one year only"
• Annuals, biennials, and regularly updated editions of guidebooks, handbooks, almanacs, and directories. Often one or two older editions are retained in the reference and/or circulating collections
• Space

DESELECTION OF ONLINE RESOURCES

Ongoing deselection of Internet resources is a necessity because of the dynamic nature of such resources. The following guidelines are used:

• An Internet resource is no longer available or maintained
• The resource is no longer sufficiently current or reliable
• Another Internet site or resource offers better coverage of the same topic
• A comparable fee-based or free resource provides more affordable access

Replacement of Materials

Decisions are made regarding the replacement of lost, damaged, missing, or worn-out items, are based on the following criteria:

• Does the item being considered meet the general library collection policy?
• Does the frequency of use justify replacement?
• Is the item used for class reserve reading or is it on a faculty recommended reading list?
• Is the same item available in another format that would better meet the needs of users or is the content better covered by another title?
• Is an electronic version available that would provide remote access for users?

Gifts

The Library welcomes gifts of materials that are consistent with the collection development policy provided there are no restrictions attached as to their disposition. Because all items added to the collection generate processing and storage costs, materials received as gifts will be evaluated by the same criteria as materials purchased. Gifts are accepted with the understanding that materials may not be added to the collection and may be put on the sale shelves or offered to another library, College department or outreach center, or other non-profit agency.

Subject Area Profiles

Liaison librarians are responsible for providing collection profiles for each program or discipline offered by the College. These profiles will include, but are not limited to, the following elements:

SUBJECT, including Library of Congress classification(s)

PURPOSE - The academic programs served, topics included, history of collection growth. 

OTHER PROGRAMS SERVED - Interdisciplinary ties to other programs, including what other programs use the collection in this subject, and what other areas of the collection will be used by faculty and students in this area.

COLLECTION GUIDELINES

• Language
• Chronological Guidelines - which chronological periods, if any, are emphasized, included, and restricted/excluded for the subject.
• Geographical Guidelines – Which geographic regions, if any, covered by the subject, as well as those areas that are excluded
• Presentation of Subject - How the subject is treated on an intellectual content level.  Consider popular works, textbooks, biographies, juvenilia, technical manuals, amateur's handbooks, etc.
• Type of Material - Emphasis or balance of monographs, serials, special formats such as microforms, non-print or online. 
• Date of Publication - Currency of the collection (i.e., is the majority published before 1965, after 1980, etc.?). Information on collection maintenance, including retention and withdrawal guidelines.
• Strengths and Weaknesses - Areas which need to be built up, and which need to be de-emphasized. 
• Related Subject Policy Statements - Which other policy statements should be considered as relating to this subject.
• Resource Sharing - What related materials are available in departmental libraries on campus or through reciprocal borrowing agreements with larger libraries.
• Location of Materials
• Selection Tools - The various selection tools a selector in this area may use frequently.  Include Web sites, publishers’ catalogs, etc.

Reserves

The Library will not  buy books solely to be placed on reserve, nor will it buy copies of  textbooks just because they are used in a class.  The Library will buy a title and place it on reserve for a specific class if the book is one otherwise suitable to the Lane Library collection.