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Collection Development
Collection Development Principles
and Goals
Responsibility
for Selection of Library Materials
Selection
Criteria
Format
and Type
Mending/Binding
Weeding
Archives
and Special Collections Collection Development Policy
Cooperative
Collection Development
Gift
Policy
Collection
Development Principles and Goals
The goal
of collection development in the Hunter College Libraries is
to support the College’s multi-disciplinary
and diverse curriculum. The majority of our collection will
always be curriculum-defined
with collecting emphases evolving as our programs change.
The
Libraries strive to provide the maximum support possible for
the College’s
academic programs. This includes supporting the needs of undergraduate and graduate
programs, and supporting the academic community in carrying out teaching and
research activities.
Recognizing that no library can supply materials to satisfy
the needs of all of its users, the Libraries take into consideration
the fact that Hunter College
benefits from CUNY open access and the proximity of the New York Public Library
collections.
The Libraries recognize its responsibility to support the research
needs of the faculty to the extent possible within our financial
constraints. While
it is
not possible for the Libraries to purchase materials for all of the research
projects of all of the teaching faculty, or for in-depth specific theses
topics for graduate students, the Libraries will attempt to support
this research
through interlibrary loan, document delivery and other types of resource
sharing.
The Hunter College Libraries include three branch libraries
(School of Social Work Library, School of Health Professions
Library and Visual Resources Library)
in addition to the main (Wexler) library. The collection principles described
here apply to all of the libraries, although specific exceptions may be
noted.
Libraries
use a variety of codes and labels to describe the relative
size and nature of their collections. Many college
libraries use collection
definitions which are refinements of the work done by the Research Libraries
Group. Using
these criteria, the Hunter College Libraries in general collect at Level
3
Study of Instructional Support Level:
3 STUDY
OR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVEL: A collections that is adequate
to impart and maintain knowledge about a subject in a systematic
way but at a level of less than research intensity. The
collection includes a wide range of basic works in appropriate
formats, a significant number of classic retrospective
materials, complete collections of the works of more important
writers, selections from the works of secondary writers,
a selections of representative journals, access to appropriate
machine-readable data files, and the reference tools and
fundamental bibliographical apparatus pertaining to the
subject. At the study or instructional level, a collection
is adequate to support independent study and most learning
needs of the clientele or public and special libraries,
as well as undergraduate and some graduate instruction.
The collection is systematically reviewed for currency
of information and to assure that essential and significant
information is retained.*
*Reproduced
from pp. 32-33 of the WLN Collection Codes in Guide for
Written Collection Policy Statements, 2nd edition. Ed.
Joanne S. Anderson, ALA, 1996. top
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Responsibility
for Selection of Library Materials
Selection
of library materials is the scholarly and administrative work
of librarians.
The scope, balance and quality of Hunter’s
library collections are the responsibilities of librarians in
their roles as subject specialists, department liaisons and resource
administrators.
- Subject
Specialists: Appointed by the Chief Librarian according to academic background
and research interests when possible,
librarians are responsible for all aspects of collection asessment,
planning and development within designated areas or disciplines.
- Department
Liaisons: Subject specialists work with academic departments,
programs and individual faculty to set collection
goals toward meeting current curricular and research needs and
anticipating future trends in scholarship.
- Resource
Administrators: Subject specialists are responsible for collection
decisions that
weigh scholarly judgments (collection scope, balance and quality) against available
funds.
The Library
Collection Development Committee, composed of librarians (elected
by the
Library Department) and chaired by the Head of
Collection Management (appointed by the Chief Librarian), is
responsible for developing collection policies and procedures.
This committee also studies various means of assessing the quality
and use of all library collections in all formats and media.
The Head of Collection Management is also Hunter’s representative
in CUNY and other regional and statewide cooperatives and coordinated
collection development planning.
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Criteria The major factors used
in selecting library materials are:
- Relevance
of the subject to the curriculum
- Appropriateness
for the user and potential for use
- Appropriateness
for the entire collection, including filling gaps, and
strength
or weakness of
- collection
in the same subject
- Quality,
authoritativeness, and accuracy as determined by review
sources and bibliographic aids
- Cost
in relation to the budget and to competing sources
- Reputation
of the author and/or publisher
- Suitability
of content to format
- Inclusion
in indexes and bibliographies
- Timeliness,
or permanence, if relevant
- Demand,
as determined by user requests/ILL on the same subject
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and Type
All
materials purchased with funds from the Library’s
acquisitions budget are housed in one of the Hunter College
Libraries and are accessible
to all Hunter College faculty, staff, and students.
Monographs
- Hardcover/Paperbound
Books
Hardcover
editions are preferred for books which are expected to
be heavily used.
Paperback editions are preferred when there is a significant
price difference between the hardcover and paperback editions,
or if a title is expected to have short-term value. Paperbacks
may be sent to the bindery before they are circulated to
extend their shelf life.
- Multiple Copies
The
Library’s
budget does not allow us to purchase everything needed
to support teaching and research, and Library
space is always limited; therefore duplication will be held
to a minimum. Multiple copies will be acquired for titles
in heavy, continuous use, or in heavy use in more than one
branch.
- Textbooks
College level textbooks of a general survey nature published
primarily for classroom use will rarely be selected as library
material. Exceptions will be made if faculty request a textbook
to be put on reserve for a class. When new editions are acquired,
the preceding edition is moved to the circulating stacks
and earlier circulating editions are discarded.
- Workbooks
and Manuals
In general, workbooks, lab manuals, materials in three-ring
notebooks, and user manuals associated with a particular
task or a particular version of a product will not be acquired.
If they are necessary for library research they will be placed
on Reserve on an individual basis.
Spiral bound material will not be purchased unless absolutely necessary, and
if it is possible, the contents will be sent to the binder.
- Books
with CD-ROMs and diskettes
Books with accompanying cd-roms and diskettes are selected
with the same criteria as regular monographs. The cd-roms
and diskettes accompanying stacks books circulate, and the
cd-roms with reference books may be used in the Library.
- Electronic
Books
Electronic,
or ebooks, are a relatively new format and we are purchasing
them very selectively. We acquired a collection
of ebooks from one vendor through a consortial purchase,
and we have begun to experiment with some individual reference
titles.
- Children’s
Books
Children’s
books are acquired very selectively to support the education
curriculum.
Other
Print Formats
- Theses
and Dissertations
One
print copy and one microfiche copy of all master’s
theses from Hunter College will be cataloged and kept in
Special Collections/Archives (Wexler Library) or at the Health
Professions Library. One copy of all dissertations written
for the School of Social Work will be kept at that library.
The manuscripts of theses and dissertations are sent to the
bindery.
- Musical
Scores
Musical scores are acquired selectively to support music
instruction.
- Maps
and Atlases
Maps are not acquired. Neither are geological series that
include maps in pockets as primary materials. Atlases are
acquired for Reference.
- Government
Documents
Hunter College Libraries is not a Depository Library.
Government documents that meet the evaluation criteria
for all materials
may be selected for curriculum support and will be cataloged
and integrated into the collection.
- Curriculum
Materials
Curriculum materials that directly support teacher education
are acquired very selectively based on faculty requests.
Preference is given to materials used by the New York City
Board of Education.
- Standardized Tests
Standardized diagnostic and other tests which directly support
education and psychology courses will be collected selectively
based on faculty requests.
- Vertical File Material
The Libraries no longer maintains vertical file material
of pictures or other ephemeral material.
Serials Serials
are publications that are issued regularly and are expected
to continue indefinitely. They include, but are
not limited to, newspapers, magazines, journals, annuals,
indexing and abstracting services, and online databases.
The format of serials may be print, microform, or electronic.
Since serials represent a significant and continuing expense,
requests for new serial titles are scrutinized more carefully
than is the case with requests for books. Certain subject
disciplines rely more upon serial material rather than books
and an acknowledgment of this fact is taken into consideration
in reviewing serial holdings.
In addition
to general collection criteria, periodicals are selected
and retained according to the following:
- accessibility
through indexing and abstracting
- cost
- availability,
either full or partial, in online sources currently subscribed
to
- usage
or demand as measured by ILL and document delivery
- availability
at other CUNY libraries
- Journals
and Magazines
In recent years the Libraries have acquired online access
to approximately 10,000 journals and magazines. Nevertheless,
the Libraries are currently committed to maintaining its
journal collection in print, microform and electronic formats
in the interest of collection preservation and individual
user preference.
There have been several reasons for the shift toward electronic access to journals.
In some cases the Libraries have entered into consortial arrangements with
other CUNY libraries. This has enabled us to acquire online access to titles
held by other libraries and substantially increase our periodical offerings
without incurring additional cost. In these cases we usually cancel the print
versions in order not to pay twice for a title.
In some instances, online access is offered for free or for a nominal charge
with the print version. In these instances we maintain both print and online
access.
In other instances, online access to a journal or magazine not previously subscribed
to by the Libraries is acquired through our licensing of a periodical aggregator
(database).
The current practice is that requests for new journal subscriptions can only
be honored if the requesting academic department is willing to cancel another
journal subscription in its subject of equal or greater cost. Occasionally
we are able to acquire new online subscriptions through the swapping of titles
held in a consortial package deal, and the Libraries will make every effort
to satisfy user requests.
- Standing
Orders
Serial titles that are published annually or irregularly,
and monographic series, may be placed on standing order with
the publisher or a vendor. These are generally titles that
must be kept up to date, or are of lasting value to the collection.
Because this is a continuing budget commitment, particular
care is taken in making this decision.
Selective monographic serials that were once on standing
order are now purchased out of annual subject allocations
as the volumes are published and available funds permit.
Electronic
Formats The Library strives within the confines of the budget to
make the most heavily-used resources available campus-wide
and from home.
- Cost
- Demand,
including suitability to curricular support/uniqueness
of material
- Interdisciplinary
coverage and/or contribution to the balance
of subject coverage of the title list
- Quality
of search capabilities
- Linking
(if applicable) to full-text journals
- Comprehensiveness
and/or currency, if applicable
- Duplication
of material elsewhere in the collection
- Licensing
restrictions and technical support requirements
- Ease
of use and training requirements for staff and users
Subject websites
selected for inclusion on the Library’s
web pages are evaluated using some or all the following criteria:
- They
must be free of charge
- Authorship/authority
- Publishing
body
- Point
of view or bias
- Currency
and/or coverage
- Accuracy/verifiability
- Referral
to other sources
- CD
ROM/DVD
CD ROMs are seldom, but occasionally, acquired. For databases,
the preferred format is online access. Some reference material
may be purchased in CD ROM/DVD format if it is deemed preferable
to print.
Audio
and Visual Materials
- Sound
recordings
Music recordings are collected selectively to support the
curriculum in compact disc format. Audio books (on tape)
were collected in the past but are not collected now.
- Videos
(VHS and DVD)
VHS
tapes and DVD’s are acquired selectively to support
the curriculum. In most cases, purchases of videos are charged
to a department’s allocation.
Microforms Back
volumes of many newspapers, magazines and journals
are maintained in microform for reasons of space and preservation.
The
Library has older microfilm and microfiche collections
of non-serial material which may be viewed in the Microforms
Room. However, such sets are not currently collected. top
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Mending/Binding Library
materials are mended on the premises, or sent to a commercial bindery,
if the bindings are compromised, the covers badly damaged, or pages
loose. The paper must be in good condition for an item to be mended
or sent to the bindery; if the paper is deteriorating, the item
must be withdrawn. The purpose of the library’s mending procedures
is to prolong the life of a book on the shelf, not to decorate
or enhance the value of a book.
Before an
item is mended, it should be evaluated by a librarian to determine
if it is worth the time and expense of mending. Items
not worth mending include inexpensive paperback editions, duplicate
copies and older editions of textbooks.
Oversized
books like theses and dissertations, some music scores, and art
books are usually sent to the bindery.
Conventionally
sized items will be mended to the best of our ability in house.
Mending may range from tipping in loose pages
to completely
reconstructing a book.
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Weeding
As space
is always an issue in libraries, there is a constant need for
collection
evaluation that supports growth, while maintaining
the library’s mission of providing access to a broad range
of materials that reflect the current curriculum.
Weeding and
withdrawal of materials helps maintain a useful and up-to-date
library collection.
The selectors
are responsible for weeding the collection in their respective
subject areas. When appropriate,
they will
work together
with teaching faculty to make informed decisions about the
value of potentially discarded materials.
Materials considered for withdrawal include:
- Items whose
physical deterioration precludes binding or mending
- Superceded
editions
- Items with
outdated or inaccurate information
- Excess duplicate
copies
- Seldom used
titles
When identifying materials for withdrawal, the selectors should
decide whether or not to request replacements or newer editions
when available. top
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Archives
and Special Collections Collection Development Policy
Archives
The division of Archives and Special Collections of the Wexler
Library serves a dual purpose. The archival unit collects and
houses archival records, manuscript collections, and publications
primarily associated with Hunter College of the City University
of New York. Many of the archival records highlight the establishment
and evolution of various administrative offices and academic
departments. Particular records of interest include annual reports,
correspondence, minutes of meetings, memoranda, undergraduate
and graduate catalogs, commencement programs, photographs, the
Wistarion (a.k.a. Hunter College yearbook) and other documents
of historical significance. The collections that are housed in
Archives and Special Collections consist primary of faculty papers
and/or records of organizations and institutions that are affiliated
with Hunter College.
Special Collections
Special Collections houses rare and unique monographs,
faculty publications, and masters theses produced by students
other than
those enrolled in the School of Health Sciences and the School
of Social Work. In addition, we keep special reports produced
by CUNY Headquarters like the Chancellor’s Reports, CUNY
Budget Reports, and Research Foundation Reports. Special Collections
items are non-circulating and are accessible through the CUNY
catalog. The selection of publications should adhere to the following
criteria:
- Single copies
of works produced by administrative and academic units of Hunter
College.
- Single copies
of monographs written by Hunter College personnel.
- A small representative
sample of monographs with the Normal College bookplate, stamp,
or embossed markings.
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Collection Development
Hunter College Library recognizes that collaboration among libraries
maximizes access to research and educational resources. To that
end we have been participating with the organizations that follow.
Almost all of our electronic resources have been acquired through
one of these associations.
- CUNY
Electronic Resources Advisory Committee
All of the CUNY libraries
participate in the Electronic Resources Advisory Committee.
This committee evaluates and selects databases
that are deemed to
be of interest to the largest number of schools. The ERAC negotiates directly
with vendors. Because ERAC represents over 18 campuses with over 200,000 students,
it is able to acquire favorable consortial pricing that would not be available
to the libraries individually.
Some of the databases selected by ERAC are paid for by the CUNY Office of Library
Services. These are made available to all campuses. Others are partially
funded by OLS and partially by the individual libraries’ budgets.
A third category of databases are of interest to only a portion of the
CUNY Libraries, and in
this case the libraries form a smaller consortium.
- NYLINK
NYLINK
is a nonprofit New York state organization of libraries, one
of whose services is to facilitate group purchasing of electronic
products at cost-effective prices. Hunter College Library
purchases
products through NYLINK whenever possible to take advantage
of their buying power.
- WALDO
The Westchester
Academic Library Directors’ Organization
is a consortium representing academic, school and public libraries
in New York state. WALDO also negotiates with vendors for consortial
pricing for databases and then makes these products available
for any qualifying library to purchase directly from WALDO. Hunter
College Library purchases many products from WALDO.
- SUNY
In the past, the CUNY Libraries have been successful in negotiations
with a major vendor for combining CUNY and SUNY consortial deals
for a large periodical package, so that Hunter patrons would
have access to titles not only held by all of the CUNY campuses,
but also by the SUNY campuses, at no additional cost.
- NYSHEI
The
most current collaboration initiatives are coming from the
recently
created (2003) New York State Higher Education Initiative.
NYSHEI is an organization
of public and private academic libraries in New York, including all of CUNY
and SUNY libraries, Columbia, Cornell and many others. One of NYSHEI’s
initiatives is to migrate consortial licensing to a statewide platform, providing
the best possible pricing and access for its members.
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Gift
Policy
Hunter College
Libraries welcomes donations of books and other library materials,
as well as monetary donations. Gifts from donors allow us to
acquire titles we could not otherwise purchase. We encourage
donations of recent scholarly titles, classics in subjects
currently taught, issues of journals that fill a gap in our
holdings, and any material relating to the history of Hunter
College (see Archives/Special Collections policy).
- Monetary
gifts
The acceptance of monetary gifts is at the discretion of
the Chief Librarian. Such funds will be placed on deposit
and expended
by the Library in accordance with the terms of the gift.
- Donor
privileges
Anyone who pays $50 to become a Junior Member of The Friends
of the Hunter College Libraries is entitled to user privileges
in the Wexler Library for a year. Information on joining
the Friends of the Hunter College Libraries may be found at
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/alumni/fol.shtml.
- Acknowledgment
of gifts
The donor will receive a letter of thanks acknowledging the
number of books donated. Unsolicited and anonymous
gifts or sample copies
will not be acknowledged. Appraisal of donated material
is the responsibility of the donor; we do not assign value
to
donated
material. Donors may wish to consult IRS Publication
561: Determining the Value of Donated Property at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p561/index.html.
- Faculty publications
Autographed copies of faculty publications which are donated
to the library are placed in Special Collections, as
are single copies of faculty publications received
as gifts.
- Terms of
acceptance
All potential gifts will be added to the collection only
after the items have been evaluated by the same standards
that apply to materials being
purchased. The librarian will determine whether items received as gifts
should be integrated
or discarded, recognizing that all gifts incur processing and storage
costs. Accepted donations become the property of the Libraries and
the Libraries
may
keep or dispose of materials at its discretion. Unwanted material may
be given to another library, offered to students, sold, or discarded.
All donated material must be in reasonably good physical condition
to be accepted into the collection.
As a rule, we will not accept added copies of materials already in
the collection. Exceptions will be made if the item is expected to
be heavily
used, is a
classic in its field, or would be expensive to replace.
The Libraries will not accept donated material with conditions or stipulations.
Gifts are not accepted from religious groups or organizations.
- Procedures
for donating materials
Persons wishing to donate materials to the Libraries should contact
Linda Dickinson (212 772 4168, ldickins@hunter.cuny.edu). Pickups
can be arranged;
donors should
allow for an average of one to three weeks to make arrangements with
the College.
Thank you for your interest and support. top
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