The purpose of this policy is to state the principles and guidelines for selecting, acquiring, and deselecting materials for the library. It is used to provide consistency among those who have responsibility for developing the collection and for communicating the library’s policies to faculty, staff, students, and other library users. The policy will be reviewed annually and revised as needed.
Guiding Principles
The library provides information resources to support the educational mission of the college. The first priority will be the purchase of materials that directly support the college-related information needs of our students, faculty, and staff. While it is recognized that faculty and staff have research needs beyond the established curriculum, the library cannot be expected to meet most of these needs through collection development. Other library services, such as interlibrary loans, will be utilized to assist faculty and staff with their research.
Information resources are provided in a variety of formats to support the curricular program. The library will purchase material reflecting a wide variety of viewpoints on religious, political, social, sexual, economic, scientific, and moral issues. No censorship will be exercised on the controversial nature or unpopularity of an author’s point of view or mode of expression.
While the librarians have ultimate responsibility for collection development, the involvement of the college community is essential. Library materials are selected and acquired by the library staff with serious consideration given to recommendations from the Library Committee, our faculty members, the college staff, our students, and members of the community.
~Approved by the Library Committee 10-14-09