Collection Development Policy
I. General Policy Statements
Introduction:
This collection development policy is a statement of the principles and guidelines
used by the Cowan - Blakley Memorial Library in the selection, acquisition, evaluation,
and maintenance of library materials. It will be used both in providing consistency
among those responsible for developing the collection and in communicating the library's
policies to faculty, students, staff, and other interested persons. It is understood
that as the programs and other information needs of the University change, so too
the collection development policy will change to meet such needs.
The Library Collection Development Council, referred to from here on as the Council,
reviewed and approved the Collection Development Policy for the Cowan - Blakley Memorial
Library at the University of Dallas, referred to from here on as the library. The
Collection Development Policy is made up of several policies regarding all collections
held within the library, and is referred to from here on as the policy. To meet the
changing requirements of the curricula, instructional methods, and information technology,
the policy will be subject to continuing review and revision accordingly.
Mission Statement:
The purpose of the Cowan - Blakley Memorial Library is to contribute to the fulfillment
of the University's mission by pursuing the following objectives:
- To select, acquire, organize, maintain and make accessible a collection of printed
and non-printed, primary and secondary materials which will support the educational,
research, and public service programs of the undergraduate and graduate schools of
the University.
- To respond to the varying needs of the academic community by involving faculty, students,
and administration in the development and periodic assessment of library services
and resources.
- To provide an orientation program to teach new users how to obtain individual assistance,
access bibliographic information, and locate materials.
- To provide library users with point-of-use instruction, personal assistance in conducting
library research and other reference services.
- To provide an environment conducive to the optimum use of library materials and an
appropriate schedule of hours of service and professional assistance.
- To participate in any overall University-wide computing resources plan, and to provide
for full library utilization of automation technology and for physical facilities
and equipment adequate to process, catalog, and store the materials.
- To implement a policy for the recruitment, retention, and development of qualified
service-oriented librarians, and of support staff.
- To enhance the library's resources and services through cooperative relationships
with other libraries and agencies.
Purpose of the Policy:
- To provide guidelines for the selection of materials to be added to the collections
whether by purchase, gifts, or approval plans.
- To ensure the systematic growth of the collection based on a plan reflecting the purposes
and nature of the University and of the evolving curriculum.
- To clarify the Library Collection development policies for faculty, students, and
administration. To inform and advise in budgetary decisions.
- To allow comparison between the University of Dallas policy and those of other libraries
to assist cooperative collection development.
- To provide a basis for the evaluation of the collection. To anticipate future needs
and problem areas in the library's collection.
Responsible Entities for Collection Development:
Responsibility for administering the collection development program, including planning,
development, maintenance, preservation, budgeting and evaluating the collection, rests
with the Dean of the library, library faculty, and appointed teaching faculty, known
as bibliographers.
The Dean and library faculty provide mechanisms for insuring equity, continuity, and
flexibility in the collection program. Their responsibilities include:
- Recommendations of appropriate library resources in support of the mission of the
University of Dallas.
- Reviewing and approving collection development policies, including overall strategic
objectives for collection development at the Library.
- Identification of areas of collection strengths and weaknesses to guide the setting
of priorities in collection development and preservation.
- Granting approval or denying requests for major purchasing decisions including handling
of long-term acquisitions commitments (e.g., standing orders, online databases, e-books
and e-journals, continuations, and serials), acquisitions of special collections,
special purchase requests, collection improvement proposals, etc.
- Establishing procedures for the approval of new subscriptions and the review of existing
subscriptions.
- Identification of current issues in collection development for discussion within the
Library and for articulation, as appropriate, to the University of Dallas community.
- Participation in cooperative collection development projects involving other institutions
as the committee sees appropriate.
- Identifying and prioritizing library needs for conversion into targets for fundraising
initiatives.
- Participation in collection development projects as assigned by the Director and/or
Associate Director of the Library and Library Faculty.
Service Parameters:
The goal of the Library is to provide services and access for all of its patrons.
Primary patrons include the students, faculty, and staff of the University. Other
patrons of the Library include all clerics (visiting or resident), alumni, members
of the TexShare program, visiting faculty and scholars, Friends of the Cowan - Blakley
Memorial Library, and the local community.
II. Selection of Materials
Parameters of Selection:
The subject selection areas for the library include all courses of study in undergraduate
and graduate programs offered by the University of Dallas.
Types of materials purchased for the collection include monographs, periodicals, online
databases, serials, electronic subscriptions, and other necessary multi-media products
as the Council and Bibliographers see fit.
Selection Priorities:
The priorities for selection are organized to support the curricula within the University
and the needs of the primary users listed under the Service Parameters heading of
this document. The research requirements of faculty are to be taken into consideration,
especially if they are closely related to the curricula. The following is a hierarchical
list of acquisition priorities:
- Materials to support accreditation requirements and academic recognition of departments
as well as materials required to support the core programs in Constantin College of
Liberal Arts, the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business, the Braniff Graduate
School of Liberal Arts, and the Ann & and Joe o. Neuhoff School of Ministry.
- Materials required supporting undergraduate majors and graduate programs.
- Materials required for other courses and programs offered by the University.
- Materials required for faculty research not directly related to the above.
- Materials responding to other needs of the library and the academic institution.
It is to be understood that these priorities are dependent also upon the collection
level that has been established for each area, as well as how the other collections
rate within their levels. These priorities do not determine how much is to be spent
on each collection, but are to make sure that those collections that have problems
meeting the first priority are remedied as soon as possible.
Selection Criteria:
Quality of content and fulfillment of academic curricular needs are the first criteria
for selection of items to be included in the library's collection. Specific considerations
in choosing individual items include some or all of the following:
- Lasting value of the content;
- Appropriateness of level of treatment;
- Strengths of present holdings in same or similar subject areas;
- Availability of material in other formats (such as online);
- Authoritativeness of the author or reputation of the publisher;
- Use of review sources;
- Cost.
Other guidelines also utilized:
- Textbooks are not normally purchased (exceptions are those which have earned reputations
as "classics" in their fields, or when a textbook is the only or best source of information
on a particular topic.);
- Duplicate or multiple copies are purchased only under unusual circumstances determined
by circulation, reference, reserve or other related statistics;
- Lost, stolen, or damaged materials will be replaced if it meets current selection
criteria. All core related materials will be replaced immediately. Identical or similar
materials may replace lost or stolen materials if the original is no longer available;
- Projects of cooperative acquisition with other libraries or through consortia are
encouraged and supported.
Responsibility for Selection:
Selection of materials for the collections is carried out cooperatively by teaching
and research faculty, departmental bibliographers, and library faculty.
Departmental Faculty bibliographers are responsible for submitting requests for purchases
and cancellations of subscriptions for their departments and for providing bibliographical
expertise and information about departmental needs to the library. Teaching faculty
members submit their book requests to their departmental bibliographers.
It is the Library's responsibility to collect lists of materials to be ordered from
department bibliographers. Those orders are given top priority providing they fall
within the selection criteria.
The library's Collection Development Policy guidelines will be followed in material
selection and elimination, preservation, replacement, or removal of deteriorating
and outdated or irrelevant materials in the collection. All requests for materials
are reviewed and compared to selection guidelines. Student and staff requests are
welcomed and will be reviewed by the same standard, as are requests from other sources.
Teaching Faculty will notify and communicate the implementation of new academic programs
within the University so that needed resources may be provided. If available, additional
funds for the new programs will be added on top of the existing budget through the
new department's budget.
The selection process is designed to be a joint cooperative effort between the bibliographers
and the library faculty. However, if the bibliographers fail to request items for
their assigned departments, the responsibilities of evaluation and selection will
default to the library faculty.
III. Collection Evaluation
Introduction
Collection evaluation is a measurement of the library's physical holdings and any
quality online resources to which the library has access.
The Library will use subject-specific and standard bibliographies and reviewing sources
in evaluating the collection; the library will follow the standards of collection
evaluation recommended by the Association of College and Research Libraries; and will
use faculty expertise as a resources for both selection and evaluation of the collection.
Evaluation of the collection should be conducted on a regular basis.
Collection Depth Indicators:
The library maintains different levels of collection development for various collections.
Collection depth indicators are numeric values that describe the Library's collecting
levels and goals. The Research Libraries Group developed the following levels of
coverage:
- Basic Information Level - a collection of up-to-date general materials that serve to introduce and define
a subject and to indicate the varieties of information available elsewhere, such as
dictionaries, bibliographies, and selected editions of important works. A basic information
collection is not sufficiently intensive to support any courses or independent study
in the subject area involved.
- Instructional Support Level - a collection that is adequate to support undergraduate and most graduate instruction,
or includes a wide range of basic monographs, complete collections of major authors,
some secondary writers, journals, and reference tools, including online databases.
- Research Level - a collection that includes the major published source materials required for dissertations
and independent research, such as all important reference works and abstract services,
a wide selection of specialized monographs, extensive journal holdings, and sufficient
online resources. Older material is retained for historical research.
- Comprehensive Level - a collection in which the library endeavors, so far as is reasonably possible, to
include all significant works of recorded knowledge (publications, manuscripts, other
forms), in all applicable languages, for a necessarily defined and limited field.
This level of collecting intensity is one that maintains a "special collection"; the
aim, if not the achievement, is exhaustiveness. This collection should attract
scholars worldwide. Older material is retained for historical research.
- Collection of Record - a collection that is maintained because of its importance nationally or worldwide.
It is maintained regardless of its relevance to the library's other holdings or to
the programs of the institution. One is "on record" as maintaining the strength of
such a collection.
The levels to which the Library is striving to gain and maintain its collections are
listed as follows:
Collection Levels of the Constantin College, Braniff Graduate School, Gupta College of Business, and Neuhoff School of Ministry Majors
|
Art (Art History, Printmaking, Ceramics, Painting, Sculpture) |
Level 3 |
Biology |
Level 3 |
Business |
Level 3 |
Chemistry |
Level 3 |
Classical Philology |
Level 3 |
Classics |
Level 3 |
Comparative Literary Traditions |
Level 3 |
Computer Science |
Level 3 |
Drama |
Level 3 |
Education |
Level 3 |
English / Literature |
Level 4 |
Economics |
Level 3 |
History |
Level 3 |
History and Philosophy of Science |
Level 3 |
Human and Social Sciences |
Level 3 |
Mathematics |
Level 3 |
Modern Languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian) |
Level 3 |
Pastoral Ministry |
Level 3 |
Philosophy |
Level 4 |
Physics |
Level 3 |
Politics |
Level 4 |
Psychology |
Level 4 |
Theology |
Level 4 |
Collection Levels of the Constantin College Concentrations:
|
|
American Politics |
Level 3 |
Applied Math |
Level 3 |
Applied Physics |
Level 3 |
Area Studies |
Level 3 |
Art History |
Level 3 |
Biblical Greek |
Level 3 |
Biopsychology |
Level 3 |
Business |
Level 3 |
Christian Contemplative Tradition |
Level 3 |
Comparative Literary Traditions |
Level 4 |
Computer Science |
Level 3 |
Drama |
Level 3 |
Environmental Science |
Level 3 |
Ethics |
Level 3 |
French |
Level 3 |
German |
Level 3 |
Greek |
Level 3 |
History and Philosophy of Science |
Level 3 |
Human and Social Sciences |
Level 3 |
Industrial/Organizational Psychology |
Level 3 |
International Studies |
Level 3 |
Italian |
Level 3 |
Jewish Studies |
Level 3 |
Journalism |
Level 3 |
Latin |
Level 3 |
Latin-American Studies |
Level 3 |
Legal Studies |
Level 3 |
Medieval and Renaissance Studies |
Level 4 |
Molecular Biology |
Level 3 |
Music |
Level 3 |
Philosophy |
Level 4 |
Political Philosophy |
Level 4 |
Pure Math |
Level 3 |
Spanish |
Level 3 |
Collection Levels of the Graduate School of Ministry (Master's Level):
|
|
Catholic School Leadership |
Level 3 |
Catholic School Teaching |
Level 3 |
Pastoral Ministry |
Level 4 |
Religious Education |
Level 4 |
Theological Studies |
Level 4 |
Collection Levels of the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business Graduate Majors Concentrations:
|
|
Accounting |
Level 3 |
Advanced Accounting |
Level 3 |
Business Administration |
Level 3 |
Business Ethics |
Level 3 |
Corporate Finance |
Level 3 |
Cybersecurity |
Level 3 |
Finance |
Level 3 |
Financial Accounting |
Level 3 |
Financial Services |
Level 3 |
Global Business |
Level 3 |
Information and Technology Management |
Level 3 |
Investments |
Level 3 |
Leadership |
Level 3 |
Managerial Finance |
Level 3 |
Marketing |
Level 3 |
Organizational Development |
Level 3 |
Project Management |
Level 3 |
Services Management |
Level 3 |
Strategic Leadership |
Level 3 |
Supply Chain Management |
Level 3 |
IV. Collection Policies
Books and Monographs
The Library collects primary and secondary publications to support the educational
and research needs of the students and faculty in all academic fields relevant to
University programs. Books/monographs are collected in hardbound or softbound editions
at the discretion of the departmental bibliographers.
As outlined in the general policy, under Selection Criteria, the following categories are relevant:
- Textbooks (item #1)
- Multiple copies (item #2)
- Replacement of lost, stolen, or damaged items (item #3)
Monographic series may be acquired as individual titles, or by establishing a continuation
order. The need to purchase all volumes in a series or a work issued in parts is the
primary requirement for establishing a continuation order. Further justification in
the form of cost savings may be required. See further information regarding standing
order acquisitions under Budgeting, section C item #3.
Theses and dissertations completed at the University of Dallas are added to the collection,
as are dissertations ordered or received as gifts that serve curricular interest and
meet the criteria of the Policy.
Other considerations include:
- Languages - For undergraduate classes other than Foreign Languages and literatures, the Library
purchases English language materials. For graduate classes, the Library purchases
materials in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Latin, and other languages to
support curricula.
- Translations - Translations of works originally written in English will not be purchased unless
the foreign works contain important material not contained in the original. English
translations of core materials originally written in a foreign language will be collected
along with the originals.
- Faculty Publications - The Library collects all University of Dallas faculty publications.
- Local Materials - Materials with an emphasis on local topics will not be acquired unless it is relevant
to the curriculum or to the University of Dallas.
- Multiple Copies - The Library ordinarily purchases only one copy of each title, except when heavy
usage demands purchase of multiple copies. Requests for more than one copy of any
item will be scrutinized carefully. Duplicate books received as gifts will be added
to the collection if warranted by heavy use of the books already in the library.
- Recreational Materials - No attempt is made to provide recreational reading for Library users. The Library
cannot support the recreational information needs of its patrons if different from,
and therefore not supported by, the materials required to support the University's
educational mission and objectives. This includes popular fiction and non-fiction,
as well as materials on temporary popular subjects, self-help, or how-to books. These
needs will be referred to a public library or bookstore.
- Government Publications - The Library is not a government depository and therefore collects state and federal
government documents only selectively.
Periodicals
The objective of a periodical policy is to develop and maintain a periodical collection
that is closely related to the University's curricula and is responsive to student,
faculty, and administrative needs.
Periodicals include journals, magazines, and serials that are issued more frequently
than once a year and are not classed as continuations. Because the purchase of a periodical
subscription represents an on-going commitment, the funding and selection of periodicals
differs from the funding and selection of monographs. Acquisition of a periodical
requires and receives substantially more consideration than acquisition of a single
monograph.
The Serials Librarian normally orders periodical subscriptions on an annual basis.
All subscriptions selected for inclusion in the Library must be evaluated and recommended
by faculty bibliographers and professional librarian staff. The Library Dean provides
final approval for all purchases.
In most cases, the Library will provide journal subscriptions in one format only and
preference will be given to electronic formats. Retrospectively, as a print subscription
journal becomes available in an electronic format, print cancellation and conversion
to an electronic subscription will be favored unless doing so compromises student/faculty
use or is not cost effective.
There are several considerations for periodical collection development. These include
- The addition of new titles to the collection
- The continuation of existing subscriptions
- The preservation and maintenance of back files
- The de-selection of titles through subscription cancellations and total or partial
elimination of back files.
General criteria used in evaluating periodicals for acquisition, on-going subscription,
cancellation, and maintenance of back files include:
- Intellectual content as judged by consultation with teaching and library faculty who
have knowledge of the field
- Relevance to the present academic curriculum
- Centrality to the discipline
- Collection balance
- Frequency of current use or projected future use
- Language
- Reputation and indexing of the periodical as judged by an examination of authoritative
reviews and citations in standard bibliographies
- Cost and availability of funds (see further information on periodical subscriptions
under Budgeting)
- Refereed status
- A number of recent Interlibrary Loan requests for a periodical title not owned
Additional criteria for electronic journals include:
- Availability of journal articles in a format that provides acceptable quality of non-text
images.
- Availability of electronic back files
- Licensing and access requirements
- Availability of the journal in full-text format in aggregator databases or free access
Periodical titles of general interest
The Library acquires a limited number of periodicals of general interest. The Library
will not subscribe to periodicals for recreational reading or hobbyists. Criteria
to be considered for these periodicals include:
- Intellectual content
- Inclusion in indexing services
- Usage
- Cost
Newspapers
The Library will subscribe to a representative but limited number of newspapers in
order to support teaching, research, and to provide sources of local, national, and
international news, as well as, general intellectual and cultural awareness for faculty
and students. Foreign language newspapers are selected only if they serve curricular
interests of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Indexes
It is desirable to have indexes to periodicals in all subject areas relevant to the
curricula but because of budget constraints, the Library primarily subscribes to indexes
of those periodicals received. The Library will subscribe to print indexes only if
an electronic format is not available.
Microforms
Microforms will only be considered if no other back file format is available, due
to user convenience, changing hardware requirements and the likelihood of equipment
obsolescence or repair needs. Paper copies of such materials are discarded when the
microform is received. Binding print periodicals is preferred to microform for better
access and greater convenience.
Binding
The goal of library binding is to preserve and make materials accessible in their
original format for as long as needed at the lowest possible cost. Print titles that
are not permanently retained or those that are archived in a stable location that
will be accessible on a long-term basis will not be bound. The Library will consider
curricular relevance, electronic availability, and usage data in selecting titles
to be bound.
Memberships
The Library may procure some periodical titles through membership in an association
or society when those publications are the primary benefit of such membership. The
Library cannot justify expending funds on memberships that are not of direct benefit
to the Library.
Back Files
A back file is not automatically maintained for every title to which the library subscribes.
Distinctions are made between publications whose primary purpose is current awareness
(e.g. newspapers, newsletters, weekly news magazines) and those with a more enduring
content.
Indexing is an important factor in determining whether a back file is maintained.
Periodicals that are not indexed at all, that are cited in indexes not owned by the
library, or that are not accompanied by their own index are not good candidates for
back files. Whenever possible, the library may prefer electronic back files rather
than preservation through binding.
Criteria for selection of titles for back file maintenance include:
- Electronic availability in a stable database or other location
- Relevance to curriculum needs
- Availability of indexing
Electronic Resources
Electronic resources refer to those materials or services that require a computer
or mobile device for access, including, but not limited to, electronic journals, electronic
books, bibliographic or full-text databases, and internet resources. The goal of
the Library is to purchase or maintain subscriptions to electronic resources that
are necessary and vital in support of the curriculum and that supplement other library
resources.
General Selection Criteria
1. All electronic resources should fall within current collecting guidelines as described
in the Cowan-Blakley collection development policy.
2. All electronic resources should be relevant and appropriate to the Library’s user
community and reflect current academic needs and the University’s mission. Consideration
should be given to electronic resources that provide coverage of underrepresented
or high-priority subject areas.
3. If the electronic resource duplicates another resource already available in the
Library, the proposed electronic resource should offer some value-added enhancement.
Library staff should reevaluate and make a selection/retention decision.
4. In addition to the cost of the product, if any, the following hidden costs need
to be considered: licensing fees, hardware, software, staff training and continuing
education, duplicating support materials, updates, maintenance, cost of additional
simultaneous users, and any other costs.
5. The product should be “user-friendly,” that is, provide ease of use and guidance
for the user via appropriate menus, help screens, or tutorials.
6. The product must be easily accessible. Remote access is essential, and unlimited
concurrent users and IP recognition are preferred. User limits will be considered
if the number of concurrent users is sufficient for the program supported by the resource.
7. The product should equal or improve the quality of library resources.
8. The Library’s cooperative/consortia arrangements may influence the outcome of the
criteria.
9. The Library will negotiate and comply with vendor licensing agreements.
10. Due to the volatile environment of electronic resources and ongoing financial
commitment, each electronic resource will be reviewed annually by library staff.
Reference
The Reference Librarians develop the reference collection with input from the Bibliographers
when appropriate. Bibliographers can select reference materials from their respective
subject allocations, in consultation with the reference librarian.
The reference collection consists of materials which, by their arrangement, treatment,
or content, can be consulted for bibliographic or factual information. The collection
contains selected multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary materials which cross subject
boundaries.
Currently published material has priority over retrospective material, although in
selected instances, retrospective collections are maintained for full historical coverage.
The aim, however, is to acquire and retain works that are currently the most authoritative
in their fields. Superseded editions are withdrawn and/or transferred to the circulating
collection.
Selections of materials are not geographically, but topically based, in that all areas
relevant to the University's learning and research process are considered for inclusion
in the collection.
Scholarly and authoritatively informational works, appropriate for use at undergraduate,
graduate, and research levels, are selected. Popular treatment is generally avoided,
unless it enhances an area not otherwise covered. Juvenile treatment is not acquired.
Reference Collecting Levels:
- Almanacs, annuals and yearbooks - The latest editions of pertinent materials for the curriculum are purchased. The
geographic and subject coverage of these materials reflect and support the teaching
and research trends of the University.
- Anthologies - A few anthologies reflective of and pertinent to the curriculum are maintained
in the Reference Collection.
- Atlases - A representative up-to-date collection of the major, comprehensive regional and
thematic (e.g., historical, economic, and linguistic) atlases is also included.
- Bibles - An extensive collection of Bibles, concordances, and commentaries is maintained.
- Bibliographies - General bibliographies on broad topics may be included in the Reference Collection.
Those with a narrow scope, such as single author or subject bibliographies, are ordinarily
not put into the Reference Collection. Exceptions are only occasionally made for major
authors or for topics in great demand or of current interest.
- Biographical dictionaries - Biographical dictionaries having a very narrow, regional, chronological, or subject
coverage are considered on their individual merits and on their potential usefulness
in the Reference Collection.
- Career guides - The University Library recognizes the strength of the Career and Placement Services
Office collection in the areas of career choice materials and resume guides. Occasionally,
when the cost of a title is substantial, its applicability multifaceted and its usefulness
optimized by reference department accessibility, it is purchased for inclusion in
the reference collection.
- Companions and Specialized Encyclopedias - The reference department maintains a collection of companions and specialized encyclopedias
that reflect the programs of the University.
- Concordances - The reference collection contains concordances only for major works such as the
Bible and Shakespeare.
- Current awareness services - Current awareness services are collected on a very limited basis, and usually retained
only temporarily.
- Dictionaries, language - The objective is to acquire the most scholarly and authoritative dictionaries available.
Juvenile, concise, and pocket dictionaries are generally excluded.
- English language dictionaries - The library acquires an extensive collection of general, etymological, and specialized
dictionaries of dialects, slang, synonyms, acronyms, abbreviations, and subject related
dictionaries. The library also maintains a subscription to the Oxford English Dictionary
Online.
- Foreign language dictionaries - For those languages taught at the University or in which there is significant scholarly
research, an extensive collection of general and etymological dictionaries is maintained.
For other languages, the reference collection holds translation dictionaries plus
the major dictionary of the language.
- Dictionaries, specialized - Specialized subject dictionaries are collected if they reflect the programs of
the University.
- Digests of novels, plays, etc. - Materials of this nature may be collected to reflect the curriculum.
- Electronic information retrieval services - The reference department maintains online access to a wide variety of electronic
information sources. These can be bibliographic, numeric, or full-text in nature.
Print equivalents are discouraged due to limited funds and space.
- Encyclopedias (general) - The Library maintains an electronic subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Encyclopedias (specialized) - Encyclopedias on specialized subjects are collected if the subject area is pertinent
to the University curricula. The New Catholic Encyclopedia, the Encyclopedia Judaica,
and others are available in electronic format for scholarly research.
- Genealogy - Not collected.
- Guides to undergraduate and graduate study - Some guides to undergraduate and graduate study are collected, as are several standard
rating sources. In the area of standard soft-cover guides, Peterson's has been collected
preferentially over Barron's. Information about both national and international educational
institutions is collected.
- Handbooks - Handbooks are collected only if organized so as to lend themselves to reference
use.
- Heraldry - Not collected.
- Indexing and abstracting services - (see also Electronic information retrieval services) General, interdisciplinary,
and specific subject print indexes and abstracts are no longer collected; the library
maintains current electronic subscriptions to most indexes and abstracts.
- Maps - (See Atlases)
- Periodicals and newspapers - Bibliographies of periodicals, newspapers, and union lists are found on the Library's
databases, including LexisNexis, Academic Universe, and Newspaper Source.
- Quotations and proverb books - All current editions of major English language dictionaries of quotations, proverbs,
etc. are selected for the reference collection.
- Resume Guides - (see Career guides)
- Scholarship, Fellowship, and grant materials - A basic collection of scholarship, fellowship, and grant materials is maintained.
- Style manuals - A good selection of current style manuals which serve as standards for their respective
fields and are suited to the needs of writers in the business, sciences, humanities,
and social sciences is maintained.
- Trade bibliographies - A current subscription to WorldCat is maintained, therefore negating any need for
trade bibliographies.
Weeding Policy
Weeding is an important part of collection development and management of collections.
Weeding, or deselection, is the careful elimination from the collection of unwanted
or unnecessary materials that accumulate over time. This is done not only to conserve
valuable space, but more importantly to increase the value or usefulness of the collection.
The process of weeding should also be used to assess materials in need of repair or
replacing.
Like collection development, weeding, or deselection of materials is a collaborative
endeavor involving library faculty, departmental bibliographers or faculty members,
and other parties as appropriate. Weeding is done only with the help and advice of
faculty connected to the subject area of the collection being weeded. Notification
of subject areas selected for weeding or titles chosen for review is sent to the designated
faculty bibliographer and department chair for a three-week review period. Faculty
may request a title list for review or visually assess the selections. If at the end
of the three-week period a response is not received, the deselection of titles commences
at the library's discretion.
The process of weeding should also be used to assess materials in need of repair or
replacing. Options for preservation of such materials include:
- Replacement of item;
- Scanning of the item into electronic media (if allowed by Federal copyright laws);
- Remote storage or closed stacks.
Criteria for Deselection
Items contained within the collection may be removed according to the following criteria:
- Relevance - the items contained within the collection must be relevant to the goals of the
Collection Development Policy. Collections should be reviewed if any substantive additions
or changes to University curricula are made.
- Poor Content / Inaccurate Information - Works that are of poor content and found to contain inaccurate or false information
are to be considered for deselection.
- Reference sources - All reference sources should be kept up to date within a five year period. Reference
sources older than five years, are added to the circulating collection.
- Unwanted Gifts - Any irrelevant or unwanted donations to the collection may be removed, if there
are no stipulations to the contrary. (Refer to the Gift Policy)
- Damaged Works - If a work has been damaged by intensive use and replacement would be less expensive
than repairs, the work is to be disposed of and replaced.
- Books Sold in Lots - It is always possible that the collection may acquire, within a purchased lot of
books, certain titles that are of no interest to the collection. These titles may
be discarded.
Remote Storage/Closed Stacks
The library maintains a remote storage/closed stacks area. Materials housed in the
remote storage/closed stacks are accessible, and may be retrieved at the user’s request.
The selection criteria for transferring materials to the remote storage/closed stacks
vary, but, typical factors include age circulation history, and whether additional
copies or later editions are available.
V. Budgeting
The Library materials budget is a part of the total Library budget, and is the responsibility
of the Dean of the Library. The Acquisitions Librarian will assist in the initial
preparation of the budget.
The budget is set according to the needs of supporting University programs. The Library
attempts to distribute its funds in such a way as to insure a solid foundation for
a collection serving a variety of users in a variety of disciplines, while allowing
some freedom of choice among disciplines in meeting immediate and sometimes unanticipated
needs.
The general categories of the Library Materials Budget include:
- Department Allocations - Monograph orders are submitted to the Acquisitions Department by department bibliographers
and department faculty. Student requests and those received from the library's "Suggest
a Book" form will also be considered. Allocation is not derived from a formula. Instead,
program needs, content quality, and collection quantity drive the appropriations.
- Serials - Due to budgetary constraints, all new periodical subscription requests must be
approved by the Dean of the Library and appropriate staff. A special form for requesting
such purchases must be submitted to the Serials Librarian. In light of recent serials
price escalation and technological advances that are making alternatives to ownership
of some serials more viable, the Library is committed to exploring such alternatives
and financing those which are reasonable, economical, and that support the needs of
the library users. Periodical orders are submitted to the Serials Librarian for purchase.
Departments are allocated a special budget amount strictly for periodicals, serials,
and newspapers. This budget amount is based on departmental needs, cost of periodicals
for that subject area, availability of periodicals in electronic databases, and curricular
needs. Serial subscriptions are collected in print or electronic format, but with
a growing preference for electronic. If the title is available full-text in
a stable online database (one that is a permanent part of the library's electronic
collection), it will not be purchased either in print, or as a direct electronic subscription.
- Standing Orders / Continuations - Standing Orders / Continuations are materials that the library purchases on an
ongoing basis when new titles are published. New standing orders or continuations
must be approved by the Acquisitions supervisor. The budgets for standing orders and/or
continuations are integrated into the regular departmental acquisitions budgets. If
available, standing orders / continuations will be purchased in an electronic format,
as part of a stable online database, or as a direct subscription.
- Electronic Orders - Because of space constraints, the Library makes every effort to acquire materials
in an electronic format, when available. Because of their often substantial cost and
interdisciplinary nature, the library will purchase electronic materials after careful
consideration and evaluation in terms of the collection goals of the library. Requests
for new electronic orders should be submitted to the Acquisitions Librarian.
- Preservation - The Library believes that preserving the collection for continued use by the University
community, and, in some areas, by the scholarly community at large, is a natural extension
of our collection development responsibility, and requires the allocation of sums
for regular repair and rebinding, for binding some serials, as well as other preservation
methods when indicated.
- Special Purchase Requests - The Library recognizes that some items needed to strengthen our collections are
too expensive to be covered by funds available to the requestor. A request can be
made to the Dean of the Library for a special purchase of materials.
Departments that fail to make use of all or part of their allotment before March 1st
will have their remaining funds expended by the Library on other needed material.
IV. Gift Policy
The resources of the University of Dallas Library have been developed over the years
through purchase of materials and acceptance of many valuable and useful gifts. Donations
have played a significant role in developing the size, depth, and diversity of our
resources. In order to build a quality collection, it is the policy of the University
that gifts of materials be accepted with the understanding that, upon receipt, they
are owned by the University and become part of the Library. Therefore, the Library
reserves the right to determine their retention, location, cataloging treatment, and
other considerations related to their use, disposition, or sale.
The library assumes no responsibility for appraisal of gifts, nor will the library
accept gifts to the collection under restricted conditions. Special Collections has
its own policy regarding gifts, restrictions, and collection development.
The Library's records reflect only the number and type of gifts donated, not the titles.
If a donor wishes to claim a charitable deduction for income tax purposes, the donor
is responsible for providing a detailed inventory of the gifts. If a donor wishes
to make a tax claim, the donor or a third party member provided by the donor must
determine the fair market value of the gift.
The Dean of the Library and Acquisitions Librarian will be notified of all gifts that
require formal acknowledgement to the donor. As a general rule, gifts will be added
to the collection following the selection criteria similar to purchased materials.
A bookplate bearing the donor's name will be placed in each book added to the library's
collection if requested.
- Acknowledgement - Each gift to the University Library is acknowledged, unless the donor requests
otherwise. Acknowledgements typically include the date of receipt, number and type
of gift donated.
- Donor Recognition - The Library will place a bookplate inscribed with the donor's name in each gift
donated, if requested. Some donors prefer not to be publicly recognized. Please advise
the Library of your preference when making gifts.
- Tax Information and Appraisals - Usually a gift of books or other material will qualify as a deduction for income
tax purposes. The donor is responsible for establishing the fair market value of an
item given to the library. IRS regulations prohibit the library from providing appraisals
of gifts. However, the library may provide reference assistance to donors in using
standard sources related to evaluation of library materials, or suggest names of appraisers
for donors to contact.
- Memorial and Honorarium Gifts - A gift of a minimum of $50.00 may be made in memory or in honor of a friend or
relative. The volume purchased with the gift will have a bookplate indicating honoree
and donor. A letter of acknowledgement will be sent to the family or friend of the
person in whose name the gift was given. Please furnish your name and address, full
name of the person to be honored or memorialized, the general subject area of the
book to be purchased, and the name and address of the family member(s) or friend(s)
you wish to have notified of the donation.
VII. Censorship
The Library has an obligation to protect library collections from removal of materials
based on personal bias or prejudice, and to select and support the access to materials
on all subjects that meet, as closely as possible, the needs, interests, and abilities of
all persons in the University of Dallas community. This includes materials that reflect
all political, economic, religious, and social viewpoints.
This collection development policy serves as a tool to help the Library build a strong
local collection in the areas that are central to the University of Dallas' programs
of teaching, scholarship. and research. This policy is not exhaustive, and library
faculty reserve to the right to make necessary changes when needed.
Last updated October 2018