Collection Development Policy
Wallerstedt Library
Bethany College
This Collection Development Policy is intended to serve as a statement of guidelines used to acquire and maintain materials for the library collection. Collection development is a shared responsibility with faculty, students, and staff involvement in the process. The professional Library staff oversees the development of the library’s collection. Therefore, they will observe the quality and balance of all subject areas and purchase materials in all subject areas to ensure overall balance. Final decisions regarding all acquisitions are made by the librarian/s after consulting with members of the faculty and library staff.
Policies for Selection
The library collection is formed largely from recommendations from faculty members in their subject fields. In selecting materials for the collection, the library’s top priority is to support the educational needs of students and reflect the educational objectives and mission of the College. This policy is a guide in the selection of those items. The library has the responsibility to provide materials, which represent all subjects of interest including materials on all aspects of controversial question. No materials will be excluded and shall reflect diversity of cultural, philosophical, ethical, and religious perspectives.
*Departments are expected to recommend materials, which are appropriate for undergraduates.
*Materials that are purchased are not to be aids to teach in class with, rather materials that students would use to aid in their research/assignments to the professor.
*Materials should reflect the College’s curriculum and help build the discipline.
*Department members decide upon the method in which they will collect their requests to be purchased; requests then are sent to the Director of the Library to be ordered.
*The library allocates a portion of the budget to each department or individual faculty member.
The professional library staff oversees the development of the library’s collection. Therefore, they will observe the quality and balance of all subject areas and purchase materials in all subject areas to ensure overall balance. Final decisions regarding all acquisitions are made by the librarian/s after consulting with member of the faculty and library staff.
Policies by format
*Books will be purchased in paperback format generally
*The Library will not purchase duplicate copies
*Textbooks will be purchased only if it is the best source of information in the field.
*Media materials may be purchased from each department/individual faculty member
*Faculty may recommend databases. The Director with consultation of faculty decides on subscriptions that support the research of the entire student body as well as special subject databases
*Computer software will not be purchased with library budget allocation funds unless the purpose of the software can be accessed by the entire student body – such as a site license for the entire campus.
Policies for weeding
The most frequently asked questions in regard to weeding the Wallerstedt Library collection are:
Circulation: Has it been used?
Condition: Is it worn? Damaged?
Date: Is it outdated? Do we have a newer edition? Do you have many books in this are?
Historical value: Does it have information that is historical?
Duplication: We do not have space for duplication
College Curriculum: Is it useful to the curriculum?
Format: Is it a useful format?
Faculty: Removal is recommended
Physical item is lost
The following questions should be considered as well in the weeding process according to the book, Fundamentals of collection development and management, by Peggy Johnson.
Policies by patron served
The library’s first priority is to serve the needs of the students for study and research.
The library serves the faculty by purchasing items that the student body can also use and through the interlibrary loan service for their study and research.