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Sullivan Family Library | Collection Development Policy

Collection Development Policy

Sullivan Family Library
Chaminade University of Honolulu
Rev. January 2009

Mission | Purpose | Scope | Guidelines | Gifts | Weeding | Review | Intellectual Freedom | Archives

This Collection Development Policy is a guide for the present and future acquisition of information resources provided by Sullivan Family Library. It is designed to be a dynamic document that can be modified to keep up with the changing needs of our academic community.

The policy is to be used as a benchmark in analyzing and prioritizing specific needs for the library and aiding the librarians in setting a direction for collection development. The library maintains a core collection of library resources for undergraduate and graduate study.

I. Mission

In support of the mission of Chaminade University of Honolulu, Sullivan Family Library is committed to fulfilling the information needs of the Chaminade community by supporting the curriculum within a collaborative learning environment. Guided by our Catholic, Marianist and liberal arts educational principles, the library fosters a commitment to service, justice, and peace.

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set forth the guiding principles for the development of Sullivan Family Library’s collections. These policies, procedures, and evaluative statements will guide those responsible for collection development in the selection of resources of contemporary significance and of permanent value. These selection policies not only serve as guidelines for adding to the present book, periodical, microform, electronic resources, audio-visual and other formats in the collection but also help determine which gifts to select, which lost or worn-out resources to replace, which resources to bind, and which resources to weed out of the collection.

III. Scope

The subject scope of the library will primarily support the teaching curriculum and student and faculty research. The library will provide materials of historical or research value, overviews of a subject, easily understood explanations of a field, introductory resources and selected recreational resources.

The library's primary responsibility is to satisfy the diverse information and research needs of Chaminade University students, faculty and staff, through the acquisition, organization, and preservation of library materials, as well as providing access to materials in other libraries. In addition, the library provides guidance and instruction in the use of these materials whether in print, electronic or other format. The library is directed in this process by the following objectives:

  1. To supply sources of information in specialized fields of knowledge to support research in the undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs.
  2. To encourage and develop research skills.
  3. To support the faculty in fulfilling their academic mission to teach and do research by either purchasing materials requested or by utilizing interlibrary loan (ILL) to secure those resources.
  4. To supply the intellectual needs of the entire campus community through the purchase of cultural and general information resources.
  5. To select electronic formats of research and study materials whenever practical and whenever it provides enhanced access for the library’s users.
  6. To provide the widest array of resources in the most appropriate format for use by students, faculty and staff, e.g., books, internet access, microform, commercial databases, periodicals, reports, serials, and audiovisual.
  7. To nourish intellectual, aesthetic, and creative growth within our community.

IV. General Selection Guidelines

Sullivan Family Library is guided by the criteria for adequacy as determined by the ACRL Association of College and Research Libraries of the American Library Association.

The systematic growth of all existing subject collections and the planned expansion of Sullivan Family Library utilizing bibliographic research tools, collection criteria as outlined below and input from faculty will establish the library as a fully functional information center for the community. The collection size will grow to, and be maintained at, approximately 100,000 volumes.

All librarians share in selecting resources for the collection in assigned areas. The ultimate responsibility rests with the Director of the Library.

Librarians examine specific journals, book review publications, book vendor customized profiles and advertisements to select resources for the collection. Librarians also solicit assistance from faculty in their specific subject areas.

Faculty may request resources intended for direct instructional use in a course, except for required materials.

General recommendations of resources may be submitted to the subject selector for final approval. The library welcomes recommendations from faculty and staff with special expertise. Materials will not be purchased because they are required in the course syllabus. Selection standards will be applied to all acquisitions.

Interlibrary loan (ILL) requests are also used as a guide to selection. If the librarians note a heavily requested resource, consideration will be given to acquiring that source.

Criteria for Selection:

  1. Reputation and/or significance of the author.
  2. Publisher’s reputation.
  3. Relation to the collection and to other resources on the subject.
  4. Significance to the collection.
  5. Relevance to users’ needs.
  6. Currency.
  7. Inclusion of bibliography, index, illustrations, maps, charts, appendices, etc.
  8. Format availability.
  9. Cost.
  10. Monographs by faculty members.

Books

  1. Textbooks: Single copies of textbooks will be purchased only when that title represents the best source of information in that field. Donated current textbooks may be added.
  2. With a limited collection size, preference is given to purchasing new materials rather than multiple copies.
  3. Choice of hard or paper copy is based upon anticipated use, long term value and price.
  4. Acquisitions are primarily in the English language. Materials in foreign languages taught at the university may be included in the collection. However, materials for non-language courses that are published in languages other than English, with the exception of dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference tools, shall be acquired only when there is evidence of their usefulness to students and faculty.
  5. Except for enduring works, focus is on current resources. Retrospective purchasing is done particularly in areas of major emphasis; when reprints of unacquired classics become available; when a geographic area or subject becomes more significant or when a subject field is added to the curriculum.

Ephemera: These are normally not purchased unless it strengthens the collection and are normally integrated into the regular collection.

Manuscripts: In general, the library does not collect manuscript materials. These may be defined as either work written by hand or the handwritten or typewritten copy of an author’s work before it is printed. Such works are to be added when: (1) the original work makes a significant contribution to the subjects and areas of knowledge collected by the library; (2) in the best judgment of the selectors the material is not likely to be published as a paper in a commercially available book or conference proceedings or an issue of a journal or periodical; or (3) the work is pertinent to the mission and meets the good or superior level of collecting areas designated by the Collection Development Policy.

Periodicals/Serials

The periodical collection within the library serves several purposes. Periodicals are a valuable source of scholarly material, which is available prior to being published in book form. They provide information not available in books; and also provide research materials for the advanced students and faculty. They are also a benefit to the library staff as selection aids and provide a source of professional literature.

Purchase of new periodical subscriptions will be for a one to three year period, with renewal of subscriptions contingent upon an evaluation of its relevance to course support, research and recreational use, and availability of indexing.

The subscription list is reviewed annually. Faculty are notified of possible deletions.

Faculty recommendations for new subscriptions may be made at any time.

Print Periodical Selection Criteria:

  1. Value to the collection.
  2. Index availability.
  3. Availability of other titles on the subject.
  4. Content life.
  5. Availability of other formats (electronic, microform).
  6. Cost.

Print Periodical Continuance Criteria:

  1. Value to the collection.
  2. Content life.
  3. Usage.
  4. Non-availability of other format (microform, electronic).
  5. Cost.

The library keeps periodicals of long term value to its mission indefinitely. These titles include newspapers of significant reference value, major news magazines, and the leading journals in the fields that support the university curriculum and research.

Periodical Backfiles:

  1. Print periodical issues are retained pending weeding by library staff using the Periodical Continuance criteria.
  2. If the title is available online, it is preferred.
  3. If available in microform, it will be acquired if practical.

Newspaper backfiles: The library maintains and acquires microform backfiles to the Honolulu Advertiser and the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The paper issues are retained until the microform copies are available, usually in two months.

Serials (annuals, yearbooks, almanacs, etc.) make up a large portion of the existing reference collection. They provide a compilation of readily accessible information on statistical, financial and biographical data that is used on a day-to-day basis in providing reference service.

Nonprint Materials

Formats acquired will be dependent upon available hardware.

Audiovisual Materials
Preference in acquisition of new audiovisual materials is given to materials which support the academic curriculum of the university. Recreational titles (drama, comedy, action/adventure) should be limited to Academy Award best picture titles, Hawaii or Pacific area titles, and recently released titles which contain intellectual, cultural, literary or historic value.

Microforms
The selection of microforms should, in general, be limited to out-of-print books, titles too costly to purchase in their original form and back files of periodicals. Microforms will be acquired if (1) materials are not available in any other form; (2) it is financially advantageous; (3) it is advisable for reasons of preservation of space.

Theses
Masters' programs are responsible for having two bound copies sent to the library for the Theses Collection. These are cataloged; the first copy is library use only and the second copy may be circulated.

Electronic Resources
Electronic information resources may be obtained through lease, purchase, subscription, or as free internet resources.

In choosing an electronic resource over a print one, the electronic resource should have equivalent information and also provide other advantages (i.e., greater access, searching capabilities, full text/full image capability).

V. Gifts

Gifts are accepted when they add strength to the collection and when the donor places no significant limitations on housing, handling, or disposition of duplicate, damaged, or unwanted items. The same selection criteria used for purchasing resources applies to gifts. In acknowledgement of gifts, donors may request recognition for tax purposes. Monetary appraisal and item lists are the responsibility of the donor.

VI. Weeding, Repair and Replacement

These ongoing activities are done using the same criteria for acquisitions. Weeding and withdrawal are integral parts of maintaining a viable, working collection. This policy does not intend to sanction removal of library material based solely on controversy.

Materials are withdrawn from the library to maintain a current, active and useful collection reflecting the goals of the library. In adherence to national standards, the library will attempt to withdraw annually 3-5% of the book collection until the collection reaches 100,000 volumes, then weeding will be done to maintain the collection size.

Criteria for Removal (Weeding):

A subject selector is responsible for weeding. Input may be requested from subject faculty. Similar to selection, the final decision in withdrawing material lies with the Director of the Library in any disputed case.

  1. Lack of value to the collection.
  2. Availability of more in-depth, accurate and valuable resources.
  3. Superseded editions.
  4. Physical condition.
  5. Lack of demand.
  6. Multiple copies.
  7. Lack of relevance to curriculum and mission of the University.

Replacement Criteria:

The decision to replace an item or not will be based on the following considerations:

  1. Demand for the title.
  2. Number of copies.
  3. Existing coverage of the subject.
  4. Availability of newer and better materials.
  5. Cost and availability of the specific title.
  6. Availability of funds.

VII. Collection Development Policy Review

The Collection Development Policy will be reviewed annually and revised as needed as changes occur in the mission of Chaminade University and in the changing role of the library's instructional and research environment.

VIII. Intellectual Freedom

Sullivan Family Library complies with the American Library Association’s statements, Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, Code of Ethics, and Resolution on Challenged Materials. The library will not exclude resources because of the race, nationality, sex, political or religious views of the author. The sole test of a controversial item will be its contribution, direct and indirect, to the academic curriculum of the University and to the needs of the community.

Section 4.1.5.12, Academic Freedom for Librarians, of Volume IV, Faculty Personnel Policies of the Policy Manual of Chaminade University states:

"Academic freedom, as defined in subsection 4.9.10, is accorded to all librarians because they are often present at the point of the student contact with ideas. Librarians are free from fear of dismissal or reprisal for a good faith effort to implement library policy in areas such as:

• In consultation with faculty, selecting publications and resources;

• In consultation with faculty and administration in accord with established library policies and practices, determining what to discard from an existing collection and what to accept or refuse from donors;

• Determining restrictions on circulation or on access with regard to library materials;

• Determining the degree of prominence in the shelving of selected library materials;

• Issuing bibliographies that might include controversial publications; and

• Advising of students as to what to read or study."

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