Collection Development Policy
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 Library Director, Associate Director, library faculty, and appointed teaching
faculty, known as bibliographers.
The Director, Associate Director, 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.
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 College of business which includes the Graduate School of Management,
the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts, and the 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.
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.
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.
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 are to communicate the implementation of new academic programs within
the university of the library 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.
Collection Evaluation:
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.
Definition of Collection Levels:
The library maintains different levels of collection development for various collections.
The Research Libraries Group has 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,
and Neuhoff School of Ministry Majors
|
| Art (Art History, Printmaking, Ceramics, Painting, Sculpture) |
Level 3 |
| Biology |
Level 3 |
| Business |
Level 3 |
| Chemistry |
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 |
| Humanities |
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 |
Weeding Policy
Weeding is done only with the help and advice of the faculty connected to the collection
being weeded. Weeding is done when the material is outdated and without historical
value. No item will be removed without the consent of departmental bibliographers
of the collection.
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 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.
Budgeting
The Library materials budget is a part of the total Library budget, and is the responsibility
of the Library Director. The Associate Director and the Acquisitions Supervisor assist
the Director 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.
- Periodical orders 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.
- Preservation The Library believes that reserving 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 Library Director or Associate Director 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.
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 Library Director and Associate Director 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 as similar 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.
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.
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 Director and/or
Associate Director 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 to be 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
- Refereed status
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 and research and to provide sources of local, national,
and international news and 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 will be maintained.
Periodicals that re 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 or microform.
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
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. Gifts contribute
to the collection only sporadically, and occasionally a 'special situation' allocation
is received from the Director of Libraries and University Research.
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 which 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.
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 world atlases
is maintained. A selection of 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 Major universal and national works are included, as are
current biographical works such as the "Who's Who" type of materials. 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.
- Business and Commercial Directories U.S. and international business, trade, and commercial
directories are collected extensively.
- 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 reference collection contains a current edition of the
Encyclopedia Americana. An electronic subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica and
Funk and Wagnalls are maintained.
- 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 Some basic titles are kept in the Reference Collection.
- Indexing and abstracting services (see also Electronic information retrieval services)
General, interdisciplinary, and specific subject indexes and abstracts are collected
extensively, with both current and retrospective volumes housed either in the reference
collection or online. Retrospective newspaper indexes are housed in the microform
area on the lower level of the Braniff building. Print indexes and abstracts are no
longer collected; the library maintains current electronic subscriptions to most indexes
and abstracts.
- Library catalogs links to area library catalogs are found on the library's website
under 'other library links'.
- Maps (See Atlases)Periodical and newspaper directories and union lists Bibliographies
of periodicals and newspapers are found in electronic database.
- 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.
- Statistical Yearbooks A wide range of national and international statistical yearbooks
is collected for reference purposes.
- 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.
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 and research. This policy is not exhaustive, and library faculty reserve
to the right to make necessary changes when needed.
Last updated September 2014
