Chapter Eight: Collection Development Policy
8.1 Purpose
8.2 Clientele Served
8.3 Standards
8.4 Selection
8.5 Weeding
8.6 Collection Assessment/Evaluation – Determining Adequacy
8.7 Challenges & Request for Reconsideration
8.1 Purpose
The collection exists to support the programs and curriculum of the college and the general educational, recreational and developmental needs of the students, faculty, and other patrons. The purpose of the Collection Development Policy is to provide guidance to the Libraries of Hinds Community College in the areas of acquisition and retention of quality materials relevant to, and supportive of, the Mission, Vision & Values of the college and of the Libraries. This policy is a statement of principles and guidelines used in the evaluation, selection, acquisition, and maintenance of library materials.
8.2 Clientele Served by Libraries
Hinds Community College Libraries serve the students, faculty, and staff of the college. Patrons from the surrounding community of each campus location are also welcome to utilize the collection.
8.3 Standards
The Hinds Community College Libraries follow the standards for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) as well as those of other accrediting agencies or associations requiring library support for specialized programs of the College. The Hinds Community College Libraries therefore strive to meet the most recent version of “Standards for Libraries in Higher Education” set forth and revised by the American Library Association’s Association of College and Research Libraries.
Intellectual Freedom
It is the responsibility of the librarians to maintain a nondiscriminatory policy in the selection of library materials. It is imperative that all points of view relevant to the mission of Hinds Community College are represented in the collection. It is also imperative that materials within the collection provide patrons with a choice of information, as well as opinions about that information, to foster the pursuit of learning. The Hinds Community College Libraries endorse the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read. The principles of these documents frame the Hinds Community College Library’s view of intellectual freedom and censorship.
Race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or political/social views will not have a bearing on selection or exclusion of materials. Individual items, which in and of themselves may be controversial or offensive to some users, will be selected if their inclusion contributes to the range of viewpoints and effectiveness of the collection as a whole. See Challenges to Materials.
Copyright
The Hinds Community College Libraries comply with the provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law and its amendments. Hinds Libraries support the fair use section of copyright law that permits and protects citizens’ rights to reproduce and make other uses of copyrighted works for the purposes of teaching, scholarship, and research.
8.4 Selection
Hinds Libraries rely primarily upon the professional librarians and classroom faculty of the College for purchase recommendations. It is the professional responsibility of these two groups to develop the collection in sync with curriculum goals. In addition, the library dean is an active member of the college’s Instructional Affairs Committee and as such provides the professional librarians regular updates on changes to courses, programs or curricula.
Requests for purchases are encouraged from the faculty, staff, administration, and students with priority given to faculty requests. Final decisions concerning selection of library materials rest with the Dean of Libraries or his/her designee.
Selection Criteria
Librarians regularly check appropriate bibliographies, trade catalogs and professional journals to aid in the purchasing process. Additions to the collection must meet the following priorities:
The first priority is to provide a current, core collection of print and online materials to students in support of academic and career-technical curriculum requirements. “Current” is defined as, in general, published within the past ten years. This timeline is shorter for certain campus locations (i.e.Nursing Allied Health) and is adjusted according to the requirements of the standards governing specific programs.
The second priority is the provision of more advanced materials to meet faculty understanding of learning styles, teaching methods and research needs, when funds are available.
The third priority is to meet the enrichment and recreation needs of the community at large as funds permit.
Additional guidelines include:
1. Accuracy
2. Permanent value
3. Quality in content and format
4. Availability of information elsewhere in the community
5. Relation of work to existing collection
6. Scarcity of information in subject area
7. Ease of use
8. Format
9. Price
Selection Criteria by Type of Material
Reference
Hinds Libraries no long support large general print reference collections. Hinds Libraries provide smaller specialized print reference collections if any at all. Because of the cost and need for up-to-date materials, emphasis for reference is on electronic collections which support the curriculum and meet the information needs of the patrons.
Textbooks
Since the Libraries’ collection supplements and augments the curriculum, specific editions of textbooks adopted for class use are not normally purchased. However, other textbooks which are authoritative or which are required to be shelved in the Reserve section by specific program accrediting agencies or which provide needed coverage of a subject may be included. The Libraries do not purchase consumable materials such as workbooks or tests which are considered primarily a part of laboratory or classroom practice.
Duplicate Copies
Students are better served by a variety of books on a topic so duplication of materials is discouraged. For materials which require extensive reading, the library may buy one copy for each ten students to a maximum of five copies or may provide electronic access if available.
Replacement Copies
Titles which are lost, damaged, or for which the last copy has been withdrawn are considered for replacement using the following considerations:
1. Informational value of the title
2. Demand for the title
3. Number of copies in the collection
4. Existing coverage of the subject
5. Availability of newer/better materials on the subject
Hardbound versus paperbound books
Hardbound editions are the preferred format due to their greater durability.
Special Collections
Black Heritage Collection
This collection is housed in the William H. Holtzclaw Library on the Utica Campus. It is designed to provide resources and ready reference to materials outlining the history and personalities involved in the African American experience. Items are added to the collection using the following criteria:
1. Biographies of African Americans who have gained recognition for their contributions to African American culture, history, or the civil rights movement.
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2. Biographies of little-known persons who have made significant contributions to the African American experience.
3. Item written by, or about, African Americans including new authors who have gained significance and credibility within the African American community.
4. Discussions outlining the experiences relating to African American life or concerns. Titles should provide users with information representative of all sides of topics of specific concerns to African Americans.
Juvenile Collections
This collection supports the Early Education and child-care programs at the college campuses. Items are selected depicting the daily experiences and enhancing the imagination of early learners. In addition priority is given to titles which have been awarded the Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, or Coretta Scott King Award.
Archives
Hinds Community College provides access to materials in two archives. One is located on the Raymond Campus in the McLendon Library. The other is located on the Utica Campus in the William H. Holtzclaw Museum (not associated with the libraries). The archives were established to preserve and make accessible records which are deemed to be of continuing value to Hinds Community College. The collections are intended to be used by students, faculty and alumni of the institution as well as interested researchers.
The McLendon Library archives strives to collect items from or about the former Hinds Agricultural High School, Hinds Junior College, and the current Hinds Community College and all of its locations. Items collected include yearbooks, student newspapers, college catalogs, student handbooks, operational documents of the college, photographs, memorabilia, architectural records, and minutes of meetings. This collection also includes the John Bell Williams Collection, which was presented to the college by the family of the former Mississippi Governor and U. S. Representative.
See Archives Mission & Collection Development and Use
Gifts
Materials donated to the Libraries as gifts will be governed by the same criteria that govern the selection of purchased items. Libraries reserve the right to refuse donations, and to dispose of unwanted material. Library staff have the final decision on the disposition of the donation. Library staff are not responsible for monetary statements to the donor for tax purposes. Donors will need to complete the Donation form to initiate the donation process.
The Hinds Community College Foundation is responsible for thanking donors for contributions to the institution. The library dean should notify the Foundation of donations.
Serials
Newspapers
Newspapers, print and online, are subscribed to based on campus need to provide local, state, and national coverage.
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Periodicals
The Libraries subscribe to a range of print and online journals both as individual selections and as offerings in larger subscription packages or databases. Selection priority is given to those titles which support the curriculum and the college and libraries’ missions with additional recreational titles purchased based on funding availability and demand. Financial resources, title use, and access to titles elsewhere should be reviewed yearly to determine the need for subscription continuation.
E-Resources
The libraries provide online resources in multiple formats, including e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming videos. Some of these titles are individually purchased selections, while some are subscription packages or databases. These types of purchases should provide content that supports the curriculum requirements and vision of the Libraries and the College, while also considering permanent value, content quality, format, availability, scarcity, and price of the content. Supplementary considerations for selecting materials in electronic formats include:
1. accessibility
2. ease of use
3. permanence of access
4. reliability
5. maintenance of the collection
Usage and platform/content quality of electronic subscription packages should be reviewed yearly to determine the need for subscription continuation.
8.5 Collection Maintenance/Weeding
The Hinds Community College Libraries strive to provide a collection designed for active use by students, faculty and the campus community. In order to maintain a quality collection, materials are withdrawn which are in poor condition, obsolete, no longer support the curriculum or no longer serve the mission of the college or libraries.
Titles to be weeded are identified based on the following criteria:
1. Superseded editions not containing unique information or of historical value
2. Multiple copies of materials no longer in great demand
3. Materials no longer supporting the Hinds Community College curriculum
4. Materials in poor condition which are beyond reasonable repair
5. Materials of poor content which are outdated, badly written or containing incorrect information
Weeded materials are officially withdrawn from the collection and disposed of in an appropriate manner. Professional librarians responsible for collection development are responsible for assuring that missing, lost, and damaged materials are replaced as needed.
8.6 Collection Assessment/Evaluation of Adequacy
It is important that Hinds Libraries periodically assess their collections and services to determine if resources are meeting the mission of the college, are meeting the curricular needs of the programs as well as the academic and individual needs of the faculty and students. Assessment and evaluation help the libraries know strengths and weaknesses and help determine what areas, if any, may require attention.
Adequate services and resources is defined as each campus and off-site location having access to: collections (online and in-person) that meet faculty, student and program needs; an experienced and qualified librarian and adequate staff to maintain the library hours, collections and services offered; space to meet the changing needs of students (e.g. collection space, study space, group work space, computer/research space); and up-to-date computers/technology to meet learning, research, teaching and leisure needs of students and faculty.
Analysis of the collections and services are obtained from varying methods:
Faculty & Student Input
Although all library users are encouraged to suggest additions to the collections through a Title Request form located on the library’s homepage, Hinds Libraries rely upon librarians and faculty of the College for recommendations for specific subject areas. It is the professional responsibility of these two groups to develop the collection in sync with curriculum goals. Librarians make efforts each year through emails and visits to faculty and departments to encourage purchase suggestions and deselection.
The number of faculty contacts is reported on the libraries’ monthly Statistics sheet. A link to a Title Request form is located on the library’s homepage but faculty or students may contact librarians at any time through any method to provide suggestions.
Faculty, Staff and Student Satisfaction Surveys
Each fall, the libraries encourage feedback from all faculty, staff, students and administrators by sending out the “LRC Annual Satisfaction Survey”. The 15 question survey assesses satisfaction of facilities, services and collections. The survey is placed on the library’s home page and the link sent out to faculty/staff and students through the college’s weekly emailed newsletters (Insider and Student Insider). Paper copies are distributed to individuals and groups within the library during the month. The goal of the college is that the majority of survey question responses will be satisfied/very satisfied.
Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) is another useful survey for obtaining student satisfaction with resources and services. The SSI measures how satisfied students are as well as what issues are important to them. The SSI is administered to all students every three years. The goal of the college libraries is to score at or above the national average in each category.
Data from the surveys is compiled by the library dean and distributed to each library with an overall synopsis of the results. After reviewing the results, the librarian and dean discuss how to address the identified needs or problems.
Peer Review
The libraries use comparative statistics of peer institutes to evaluate such items as collection size, formats, expenses and personnel numbers to determine strengths/weaknesses in these areas relative to institutes of similar size (FTE) and distributed campuses. Comparisons should be done of regional as well as state institutes. Hinds Libraries strive to remain at or above the median numbers.
Circulation Statistics
Item circulations statistics are an important measure of collection strengths and weaknesses. Data points indicate overall use, use by subject area, and requests for unavailable items through transit and ILL requests. Numbers such as high use or high number of requests for items from other libraries are used to determine if there is a need for further collection development in a particular area.
Collection Analysis
Every 7-10 years, the libraries embark on a comprehensive collection analysis that looks at the number and age of all materials (print and electronic) in the collection by subject range and with an eye on the courses taught and the method taught (online or in person). Strengths and weaknesses of each library’s collection are determined by the librarian with faculty input – and weeding and beefing up of areas are planned and budgeted for over a multi-year period.
8.7 Challenges to Materials
Challenges to the collection should be made in writing to the Dean of Libraries on a Reconsideration Form (see Appendix 4). The form includes:
The citation information of the material: author, title, publisher, publication date and any other identifying information.
The challenger’s name, status on campus (student, faculty, administration, staff, other), school or departmental affiliation, area of specialization, and accomplishments in the field under question (if appropriate).
The specific text in the material that is being challenged, including a detailed assessment of the item being challenged relative to the collection’s Purpose and Selection Criteria as outlined above.
Upon receiving the challenge, the dean will notify the campus Academic Dean and VP. The library dean will then form a Review Committee composed of the acquisitions librarian, the administrative librarian for the campus where the challenge originated, the liaison librarian who selected the material, and a faculty member (particularly one with background in the field of the challenged book) selected by the campus academic dean. The committee shall carefully investigate the challenge to determine if the material:
1) Supports the programs and curriculum of the college, and /or the general educational/developmental/recreational needs of the students, faculty and staff;
2) Supports the overall Mission, Vision & Values of the college and the library;
3) Meets the library's Standards and Selection sections of the Collection Development Policies including the commitment to intellectual freedom.
The Review Committee will make a recommendation, in writing, to the dean outlining in detail how the material does or does not meet the above criteria. The recommendation shall be one of the following:
1) Remove the item because it does not meet any of the three criteria above;
2) Add a source with an alternative view to balance the collection;
3) Keep the item because it was found to be relevant to the curriculum or educational/developmental needs and/or within the scope of the library’s and college’s mission and values.
Challenged items will remain on the shelf and available to library users during the duration of the challenge.
The library dean will advise the campus Academic Dean and VP of the recommendation of the committee. The dean will make the final decision and will notify, in writing, the person who made the challenge of the decision of any action to be taken (if any). The challenger may appeal the decision first to the VP of the campus and then the president.