Updated: 2/5/04

The purpose of this policy is to provide selection criteria for individual materials within the broader scope of the collection development policy. All materials purchased with library funds must fit within the scope of the collection development policies and plans developed by the academic departments.

  Physical materials purchased with library funds must be housed within the library building.

  Electronic materials must be accessible through the library web site or be hosted on library systems. 

  In general, multiple formats or copies of the same title or work will not be purchased.

MONOGRAPHS CRITERIA: 

1. Current imprints are preferred. Retrospective materials are purchased when appropriate to the discipline. 
2. Positive review in a reviewing source which recognized as acceptable by the academic community is preferred. 
3. The author must be recognizable with authority and/or credibility within the broadly accepted academic community. 
4. Must be published by a reputable commercial or scholarly publisher. 
5. Cost must be within an appropriate price range compared to the average cost of publication in the field 
6. English language materials only are acquired, unless otherwise specified by the collection development policy for the discipline 
7. Preference is given to monographs which broaden the collection. Purchases of like materials in disciplines areas already well represented in the collection is discouraged. 
8. Textbooks used in the curriculum are not purchased. The Library adds donated textbooks to the collection on a highly selective basis when the textbooks could serve as study aids for the students 
9. Print bibliographies are purchased on a highly selective basis and only when the literature is not indexed by a print or electronic index or abstract available through the library.
10. Consumable forms of materials such as workbooks are not purchased. 
11. Materials (including donations) must be in acceptable physical condition: binding intact, good paper stock, free of markings and other defacement.

PERIODICALS CRITERIA: 

1. Due to budgetary constraints, a journal or journals of equal monetary value within the subject discipline must be cancelled in order to purchase a new journal title. 
2. Priority is given to the purchase of journals which directly support the curriculum. 
3. The journal must be indexed/abstracted by services in or available through the library. 
4. The cost must be comparable to the average cost of journals in the field. 
5. Preference is given to journals which broaden the collection. Purchase of a journal which replicates the coverage of current journals in the discipline is discouraged. 
6. Potential use of the journal must be considered -- factors to judge potential use are:

  Number of Students in discipline 

  Level of program- Does the level warrant the addition of another journal of this type?

  Does the journal content and coverage match the level of the program for which it is being requested? 

  Type of program: graduate, undergraduate, new, permanent, etc. 

  How many courses will the journal support?

AUDIO VISUALS CRITERIA: 

1. Current productions are preferred. Retrospective materials are purchased when appropriate to the discipline. 
2. Positive review in a reviewing source which recognized as acceptable by the academic community is preferred. 
3. The producer/performer must be recognizable with authority and/or credibility within the broadly accepted academic community. 
4. Must be produced by a reputable commercial or scholarly publisher. 
5. Cost must be within an appropriate price range compared to the average cost of an audio visual in the field. 
6. English language materials only are acquired, unless otherwise specified by the collection development policy for the discipline 
7. Preference is given to audio visual which broaden the collection. Purchases of like materials in disciplines areas already well represented in the collection is discouraged. 
8. Donated materials must be in acceptable physical condition.

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES (any resource which requires computer access) CRITERIA: 

1. The library must have the technology compatible to and available for supporting, accessing, and using the resource. 
2. The terms of the license agreement or contract must be acceptable to the University/TBR. The Library complies with all terms and restrictions of license agreements. 
3. Consideration must be given to the impact on staff for maintenance, support and training for new electronic resources. 
4. Cost must be within an appropriate price range compared to the average cost of electronic resources in the field. 
5. Preference is given to electronic resources which can be used by multiple disciplines.

LIBRARY GENERAL BUDGET  Materials to be purchased with the Library General Budget include:

1. Materials which support the curriculum
2. Newer editions that become available which are not purchased from departmental allocations
3. Gaps in the collection
4. Replacement copies
5. Suggested materials from professors not necessarily for their discipline
6. Library General should not be used to purchase materials for personal research or interest.