Faculty & Staff Handbook Cover_af77a4e0

Selection Guidelines

Materials are selected according to the following criteria: 1. Support of the College’s educational curriculum 2. Correlation with the existing collection 3. Appropriate level 4. Accuracy and objectivity

5. Reputation of author and/or publisher 6. Currency/permanence of the material

Policies by Format of Material

Books: Hardcover books are preferred due to their durability. Paperbacks may be purchased for rapidly changing topics. Multiple copies are discouraged. Textbooks: The library will not purchase copies of currently used textbooks unless that title is considered an important source in its own field. Periodicals: Guidelines for the selection of print serials include the availability of their contents in indexes and their cost in proportion to anticipated use. Full-text availability from one of the subscription databases will be another factor in determining whether to subscribe to the print version. Electronic Resources: Electronic resources are defined as any material requiring a computer for access. When choosing the format of a resource that is available electronically or in print, the following will be considered:

• Equivalency of price • Availability of equipment needed for access • Inherent advantages of electronic resources over print resources: Providing multi-user and remote access

More sophisticated searching tools Less vulnerable to damage and theft A significant amount of space is saved May be frequently updated

Videos: Audiovisual materials are purchased by recommendation from faculty.

Foreign Language Materials: Foreign language materials will be purchased if they can be used in support of the language courses offered or there is evidence of their immediate usefulness to the students and faculty.

Popular Fiction: The library will purchase popular fiction and non-fiction in order to encourage reading as a recreational habit.