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51社区

Library

Collection Development Policy for the 51社区 Library

Revised June 2018

I. Introduction

The mission of The 51社区 Library is to provide comprehensive and current academic resources and services to support the educational initiatives of the 51社区 community. The focus of the library is on facilitating and improving the learning process for the student and on supporting the instructor in achieving the goals of the instructional program. This emphasis is achieved by addressing quality, subject content, formats, and appropriateness of instructional materials to implement and strengthen the curriculum and to stimulate independent study and freedom of thought.

A primary function of the library is to provide the faculty, staff and students of the university with those materials needed for current teaching and research programs. One valuable function is to provide for general informational needs as well as sufficient breadth and depth of materials to assist those many self-directed and independent studies which are not spelled out in the educational curriculum and formal research and degree programs. The library, further, must be informed of forthcoming research and degree programs since certain lead time is necessary to budget for and acquire materials which will be needed. For this reason, it is essential that professional librarians be actively involved in the planning of any curriculum which requires library resources. 

The collection development policy must also take into consideration the fact that the library is part of a national network of libraries through the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC) and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM). The Library also provides electronic resources, including full-text databases and ebooks. The total publishing output of the world has reached such proportions that it is beyond the reach of any library, including the largest national and research libraries, to obtain all materials needed. Consequently, the library utilizes interlibrary loan for borrowing infrequently used materials that are not available at The 51社区 Library.

Definition of Library Resources

Library resources are defined as print and nonprint instructional materials (e.g., books, ebooks, print and electronic periodicals, pamphlets, manuscripts, print and graphic microforms, maps, sound and visual recordings, streaming media, computer software, text, databases, etc.) organized and housed for retrieval and use by the members of the university community to fulfill the mission and functions of the university and its curriculum. It is the responsibility of The 51社区 Library to:

  • Provide comprehensive collections of instructional materials selected in compliance with basic selection principles listed below, and to provide maximum accessibility to these materials.
  • Provide materials which will support the curriculum, taking into consideration the individual needs and the varied interests, abilities, and backgrounds of the students served.
  • Provide materials for faculty and students which will encourage growth in knowledge and values and the adoption of patterns of lifelong learning, and develop literary, cultural, and aesthetic appreciation.
  • Provide materials which reflect the ideas and beliefs of religious, social, political, historical, and ethnic groups and their contributions to the American and world heritage and culture, thereby enabling students to develop an intellectual integrity in forming judgments.
  • Provide an approved written statement of the procedures for meeting the challenge of censorship of library materials. See “Challenged Materials” Section VI.

Criteria for Selection of Materials

The 51社区 Library selects general and instructional materials to:

  • Assist in the attainment of educational objectives.
  • Be accurate, authoritative, and responsible.
  • Be appropriate in format and content to the interests and experiences of students who use them.
  • Reflect creativity, imagination, vision, and style.
  • Present a balance of viewpoints, especially on controversial issues.
  • Include factual, unbiased materials concerning major religions.
  • Include sacred texts and historical matter.
  • Include factual information on ideologies, theories or philosophies which exert a strong influence in government, current events, politics, religion, or education.
  • Utilize authoritative professional collection development tools for the selection of materials as well as recommendations from the professional staff.
  • Include gift materials that meet the same criteria as materials purchased with university funds. See “Gifts and Donations” Section VII.
  • Hold as a first priority, resources that serve as support for courses or fulfill the general aims of a Christian liberal arts education.
  • Contain only those resources whose level of maturity is appropriate to the curriculum needs of the undergraduate and graduate student and the faculty.
  • Encompass research materials solely for library use; materials for individual faculty use or materials which will not be housed in the library will not be purchased.
  • Provide resources written in the English language except for basic works in any languages taught at the university. Exceptions to this will be foreign language dictionaries and other materials determined to be necessary by the Director for Library Services in consultation with academic departments.

II. Responsibility for Selection

Responsibility for the selection of library materials for the university lies with the entire university community. However, each academic department selects a Faculty Liaison who works with the professional librarians and the Collection Development Coordinator in requesting materials. Professional librarians and the Collection Development Coordinator may advise and collaborate with the Faculty Liaisons in the building of the collection for the departments assigned to them. The departmental Faculty Liaison is responsible for overseeing and coordinating requests for purchase to the library. Faculty members are largely responsible for recommending the acquisition of materials in their subject fields. Any member of the faculty may request that an item be added to the library by contacting the Collection Development Coordinator for books, ebooks, media, recordings, and scores; and the Electronic Resources Librarian for periodicals, newspapers, and databases. Departments are expected to recommend library purchases which will develop the entire field of their disciplines.

Such book and media purchases will be charged to those portions of the budget allocated to that department. There are no departmental allocations for periodicals or electronic resources, although every attempt will be made to provide materials fairly in all subject areas as budget funds allow. These materials are purchased on request as budget funds are available. Students, staff, and administrative officers may also submit recommendations for purchase to library staff.

Because the professional librarians are in the best position to observe the quality and balance of all subject areas and because the professional librarians are ultimately responsible for the overall quality and balance of the entire collection, they will select and purchase materials in all subject areas. Any difference in opinion regarding purchase of library resources ultimately will be resolved by the Director for Library Services and the Provost when necessary.

III. Selection Tools

In order to ensure rigorous discrimination in the selection of materials, reliance should be placed upon standard scholarly bibliographies and professional review sources that reflect the aim of the university and that support general fields of knowledge rather than specialized research requirements. The use of publishers’ announcements, commercial catalogs, and other nonselective sales-oriented lists may be used to supplement traditional review materials.

IV. Policies by Format of Materials

Current Materials v. Retrospective Materials

While both current and retrospective materials are essential to the needs of the academic community, current materials shall generally receive higher priority. Lesser-used retrospective materials shall be sought from existing external sources, such as other Jackson area libraries, national databases, and interlibrary loan (ILL) services. Current materials are defined as those most recently published; retrospective materials are defined as those which are out-of-print or available only in reprinted editions. 

Out-of-print materials are more readily available today via the Internet, and they will be purchased on a case-by-case basis. While the emphasis will be on current materials, out-of-print materials may be sought for a historical perspective or for their influence in the development of the subject or individuals.

Foreign Language Materials

With the exception of materials acquired primarily for use of students and faculty in the foreign language department, books or other materials in languages other than English will not be acquired. Exceptions to this policy will be foreign language dictionaries for reference use and other foreign language materials determined to be necessary by the Director for Library Services in consultation with faculty.

Juvenile Collection

The library provides a collection of children’s books to support the teacher education program. The Juvenile Collection seeks to be a representative collection of various types of children’s literature, both fiction and nonfiction. This collection is cataloged using the Dewey Decimal Classification system since this system is used by most school libraries. Newbery, Caldecott, as well as certain selected Michael Printz and Coretta Scott King, Medal winners will be acquired annually. Selection tools for choosing examples of various categories of children’s literature will be used to determine titles for acquisition.

51社区 Book Project

When possible, the library will attempt to purchase and house any titles authored by or any title in which a 51社区 faculty member has contributed to the content of the work. In cases when the purchase price is excessive, or the library holds the title in an ebook format, the title will not be purchased unless there is a reasonable basis for the purchase. When faculty leave the university, the decision about the books remaining in the special collection rests with the Collection Development Coordinator, library faculty and the Director for Library Services.

Textbooks

The library does not acquire copies of textbooks which students are expected to purchase for classroom use. Other college-level textbooks of a general survey nature may be purchased when no other suitable material is available.

Rare Books

Rare books will be purchased when they are required to fulfill the mission and goals of the university and its curriculum. Such purchases will not receive high priority when budgets are inadequate.

Popular Fiction and Nonfiction

While the library has a responsibility to encourage leisure reading, budget limitations will normally require that current, non-course-related popular fiction and nonfiction have a low priority for purchase. A small allocation for this type of literature will be maintained and used as funds are available.

Multiple Copies

Generally only one copy of an item will be purchased. However, multiple copies of materials may be purchased when the need for such copies can be demonstrated by use or extenuating circumstances.

Paperback v. Hardbound Editions

In cases where materials will have long-term value and receive heavy use, hardbound editions will be purchased. If materials are judged to be of transitory usefulness, if a hardbound edition is not available or is judged to be prohibitive in price, a paperback edition will be considered. For example, art books typically will be purchased in hardbound format because of the paper and color normally used or will be sent to the bindery if no hardbound copy is available. The library will opt for publisher library binding or hardbound copies for the Juvenile Collection when available. 

Music Scores

Library collection emphasis will be placed on study scores rather than performance scores, which should be purchased by individuals or departments. Whenever possible, scores as originally composed, rather than arrangements or reductions, are selected. The library’s policy is to complement a score with a recording to enable the patron to listen and follow the score at the same time.

Dissertations and Theses

Graduate and Honors theses and dissertations of 51社区 students will become part of the Reference collection. The library will not acquire dissertations for an individual's use. However, dissertations will be acquired for instructional purposes upon faculty recommendations. The library will accept as a gift one copy of a dissertation by a faculty member of Union. This copy will be cataloged and will become part of the Reference collection.

New Periodical Subscriptions

Current journals and other periodicals usually provide the most up-to-date information in a subject and are valuable resources for in-depth study and research. Because serials and subscriptions represent an ongoing expense for purchase and storage/shelving, extra scrutiny will be exercised before approving titles. The availability of the material through ILL or computerized databases will be a consideration. New serial subscriptions will not be started unless it is decided that it will receive substantial use. Back runs of qualifying serials or subscriptions will be purchased only as is deemed necessary and as budgets permit.

The library in general will attempt to acquire:

  • Serials indexed in the various subject indices to which the library subscribes.
  • Serials not available in full-text in databases to which the library subscribes unless there is a demonstrated reason for such duplication.
  • Serials containing serious literature and criticism or serials presenting substantial factual information concerning economic, political, and social events and scientific knowledge.
  • Complete files of serials published by 51社区, such as The Journal of the Faculty Forum.

Special policies will be observed for the following types of serials:

  • 51社区 catalogs in print format are housed in the University Archives.
  • Catalogs of other colleges and universities will not be acquired because of their availability via the Internet.
  • Various publications of the Southern Baptist Convention and state Baptist papers will be retained on a selective basis.

Recommendations for periodical subscriptions will be subject to the following considerations: 

  • Importance of the title to the curriculum of the University.
  • Number and cost of journals currently received in the academic area.
  • Availability of adequate access to the contents through databases to which the library has access.
  • Availability of the journal in other libraries in the greater Jackson area.
  • Availability of budget funds.
  • Space considerations.

Newspapers will be purchased to reflect local, state, and national coverage. The library subscribes to some current newspapers in hard copy format as a current awareness service for certain courses and as a public service.

Indexes, Databases, and Bibliographies

The library is committed to providing access to external resources and the efficient use of internal resources. To this end the library maintains current and retrospective collections of indexes, databases, and bibliographies to support the educational, informational, and research needs of the university community. The library will maintain a core collection of broad, general indexing and abstracting services and more specialized services in certain selected fields of study.

When appropriate these services will be made available in electronic format. In addition, the library will maintain subscriptions in a broad range of external information databases.

Recommendations for the subscription or purchase of these types of material will be subject to the following considerations:

  • Demonstrated or projected usage by the library’s primary clientele.
  • Importance of the material for the support of the university’s curriculum.
  • Availability of sources indexed by the service.
  • Availability of space for equipment for the use and storage of the material.
  • Availability of the material in other libraries in the greater Jackson area.
  • Availability of budget funds.

Multi-media Kits

When possible, the library will purchase material in formats other than multi-media or mixed media kits. However, these kits may be acquired when no other format is available, provided the library has the proper viewing and/or playback equipment and the materials are needed for specific course assignments.

Audio Materials

The library will purchase audio recordings in the following categories:

  • Recordings containing music selected by the music department faculty for use by students enrolled in music courses in CD format.
  • Recordings containing the spoken word needed in instruction and research programs.
  • Audio books on CD for the recreational reading area.

Media

As new technologies create new formats and make others obsolete, the library will purchase materials in a format for which we have the equipment for use. At present, the library will purchase only materials available in DVD and/or Blu-ray and CD format.

Software

The library will acquire, on a selective basis, both management and instructional software for computers. The library will only purchase software designated for computers it owns. It is the library’s desire to provide a range and quality of services which will support, enhance, and promote the academic program of the university. It also recognizes that the emergence of new information technologies is reshaping the way both classroom instruction and research take place. Therefore, in keeping with the library’s service commitment and the changing environment of learning it will seek to provide resources and services in the newer electronic formats where these are deemed to be most appropriate. Recommendations for materials or services in these formats will be subject to the following considerations:

  • Demonstrated or projected usage by the library’s primary clientele.
  • Importance of the material for the support of the university’s curriculum.
  • Availability of equipment and space for the use of the material.
  • Availability of the material in other libraries in the greater Jackson area.
  • Availability of budget funds.

Electronic Resources

The electronic collection is intended to expand the library's traditional holdings by collecting resources that will add value to the existing holdings and provide remote access to research materials. This category of library materials may include:

  • Fee-based online bibliographic and full text databases.
  • Electronic books (e-books).
  • Electronic journals (e-journals).
  • Internet websites with academic value, including e-journals available to the public at no cost.
  • Streaming media for educational purposes.

Fee-based electronic resources should be relevant and appropriate to a significant number of the library's users, support the current academic curriculum and research needs, and provide sufficient added value over other formats in either content or cost. Duplication of resources in print and electronic versions will only be considered under special-needs circumstances. In general, preference will be shown for an online format of materials that will allow either campus-wide or off-campus access by remote users.

Cost of the resource must be sustainable by the library's budget for the foreseeable future. Preference will be given to resources that might be obtained via consortium arrangements with Tenn-Share, ACL, WeTALC, Waldo or other appropriate organizations. Fee-based electronic resources are reviewed and reassessed before renewal.

Process and Criteria for the Deselection or Weeding of Library Materials

Weeding is performed on an ongoing basis by professional librarians and qualified library staff. Library materials of all types (which may include, but are not limited to, books, media items, journals, databases, etc.) may be withdrawn from the collection when:

  • The resource no longer supports the curriculum and/or research needs of the university.
  • The resource is no longer reliable or relevant due to outdated content.
  • The resource overlaps or duplicates material in another resource which provides more comprehensive coverage of a subject.
  • Usage statistics do not support the retention of the material.
  • Newer edition is available for purchase.
  • Resource is in poor physical condition.
  • The format is obsolete.
  • There are multiple copies of a title with low circulation numbers.
  • Access to the resource is no longer available or maintained.
  • Usage no longer justifies cost (electronic resources).
  • Budget reductions force cancellation of a product.
  • It is discovered that the material violates copyright guidelines.

Replacement of Library Materials

Replacement copies for lost, damaged, or worn items will be purchased following evaluation of continuing need and the availability of budget funds.

Preservation of Library Materials

The library will purchase hardback format, rather than paperback, if available and cost appropriate, to preserve the collection. Every effort is made to repair damaged or worn books internally; outside bindery services will be used sparingly following evaluation by a librarian. The choice of the most suitable preservation treatment for a given item is based on many factors including the item's long-term value to the collection, its physical condition, circulation record, and the availability of a replacement. When continued use is anticipated or long-term retention is appropriate, items may be sent to the bindery for rebinding.

In order to maintain the print serials in the collection, the Director for Library Services and the professional librarians reserve the right to decide which serials in the collection should be held for long-term retention, and determine whether items are worthy of lasting preservation and ongoing replacement. Serials deemed to have short-term value or expired value may only be held for limited periods of time (i.e. one year). The University’s mission and educational initiatives will be a significant determining factor in evaluating retention of library materials. Preservation methods may include binding or electronic archiving.

V. Library Resources for 51社区 campuses outside of Jackson, TN

The same collection development policies outlined above will be used to provide materials for the 51社区 campuses outside of Jackson, TN, taking into account the student population (primarily adult, commuter, and graduate) and the amount of physical space available. A greater emphasis will be placed on electronic products which are related to specific programs maintained on those campuses.

VI. Challenged Materials

The 51社区 Library is committed to responsible academic freedom as stated in the 51社区’s Faculty Handbook:

51社区 affirms its continuing policy of maintaining conditions of free inquiry, thought and discussion for every member of the faculty in professional activities of teaching, performance, research, publication, and public speaking. From the Bible we learn that “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 51社区 believes that there is no conflict between the Christian commitment to biblical truth and the proper exercise of academic freedom. Academic freedom encompasses faculty, students, and administration. It is a freedom that has privileges, responsibilities, and benefits. (Faculty Handbook, 2016-17 edition, p. B-6)

The 51社区 Library respects the opinion of any member of the university community toward any library materials and any comments, whether positive or negative, will be reviewed.

Request for Reconsideration of Library Material

  • Inquiries regarding library material will first be reviewed in an informal discussion. Those with collection concerns may be invited by the Director for Library Services to meet with the appropriate librarian(s) and the Director. 
  • If the material has been previously reviewed by a review committee and an opinion has been rendered by the committee and/or the University President within the last three years, those with collection concerns should be informed of this decision. Unless significant new information is brought, a further review will not be undertaken.
  • In the event informal discussion does not satisfactorily answer those with collection concerns or resolve differing points of view, the complainant will be asked by the Director for Library Services to complete a complaint form requesting information as to the specific nature of the complaint, including relevant portions of the item in question.
  • At the time a formal request is filed, the Director for Library Services will inform the Provost. The Provost will then establish a seven-member review committee, with the following membership: one department chairperson, one librarian, the Director for Library Services, the chair of the Library Resources Committee, one other faculty member, and two students.
  • If several requests are made on related material, the Provost will have the option of directing the requests to a single committee.
  • Those with collection concerns have the right to request to appear before the review committee to state their objection(s) in person. If the complainant is an organization or group, one person should be selected to be the spokesperson.
  • The review committee will summarize its conclusions in a written report to the President. The chairperson will send a copy of the report to the complainant.
  • If the review committee recommends that the material being examined should be removed, the President will present his decision to the library staff in writing.
  • Should the individual(s) with collection concerns find the review committee's report unsatisfactory, he/she or they may be invited to meet with the President to review all actions and recommendations. 
  • The decision of the President is final.

VII. Gifts and Donations

The 51社区 Library welcomes gifts of appropriate materials or funds for the purchase of materials, recognizing that gifts may provide valuable additions to the library collection. Donated materials are expected to meet the same standards of quality and relevance to the collection as new titles. They should support Union curriculum and the mission of the library as well as meet the collection development guidelines and policies, in regard to physical condition, format, language, etc. The following guidelines also apply to the acceptance of donations.

  • Based upon liability issues regarding insurance to cover personnel and lack of suitable vehicle accessibility, The 51社区 Library personnel will not travel to a potential donor’s place of residence, or other location, to retrieve gift items. Donations must be delivered or mailed to the library.
  • Periodical donations may be considered only if satisfying a specific need, such as missing or damaged back issues, and if the donation satisfies the policy as outlined in Section IV of the Collection Development Policy.
  • No obsolete formats of media will be accepted, such as audio cassette tapes.
  • No items copied from an original source will be accepted.

Donated works by faculty and/or alumni authors are also welcomed and will be added to the collection unless these works do not meet the criteria outlined in the Collection Development Policy or they are inappropriate for an academic library.

The donor permanently relinquishes ownership of the items. Final decisions on the retention and disposition of gifts are the responsibility of the Collection Development Coordinator and the Director for Library Services based on 51社区 Collection Development Policy guidelines regarding library material standards. The donor will be asked to fill out a Gift Agreement Form agreeing to this policy.

Gifts not retained by the library may be given to academic departments, other libraries, state agencies, sold at book sales, or discarded. 

The library does not appraise or attach monetary value to any gift title or collection based on the guidelines of the Association of College and Research Libraries. An appraisal, if desired by the donor, should be done prior to the presentation of this material to the library. However, all donors will receive an acknowledgment letter from the library with the number of titles and format donated. The information is forwarded to the 51社区 Office of Institutional Advancement for the registration of the gift to the University.