• I. Introduction
• II. Purpose and goals of the Collection Development Policy
• III. Descriptions of existing collections
• IV. Priorities for selecting resources in all formats, traditional and digital
• V. Criteria for collection levels and allocation of funds for the academic programs
• VI. Budget considerations
• VII. Criteria for selection of resources in various formats
• VIII. Guidelines for collection management
• Appendix A—Library Mission and Goals Statement
• Appendix B—Description of library collections
• Appendix C—Responsibilities of Collection Development Librarian
• Appendix D--Liaison roles and responsibilities
• Appendix E—Guidelines for accepting gifts and donations
• Appendix F--References

---

I. Introduction

This policy, designed as a working document, focuses on guidelines for evaluation and selection of information resources. To be useful in a setting of expanding academic programs, advances in information technology, and proliferation of electronic publishing, a collection policy must be flexible in terms of both content and format. An effective policy reflects the changing vision, goals, and objectives of the University and of the Library. Thus, the Library must continually evaluate resources and services as academic programs and as information technology choices evolve. The policy will serve as a framework for collection decisions in an environment of increasing costs and multiplication of digital information choices. The initial document and any succeeding substantial changes are subject to approval by the University Library Committee and the University administration.

Implementation of the selection and management guidelines that follow, as well as the on-going review of the policy, is the responsibility of the Collection Development Librarian, with the support and assistance of the Library Director, other librarians, and library staff.

II. Purpose and goals of the Collection Development Policy

The purpose of the policy is to guide collection development activities in fulfilling the Library’s mission (see Appendix A) to provide "high quality information services for students, faculty, and the University’s community at large". The policy supports the first goal: "to select, acquire, organize, and preserve information resources necessary to meet current and future needs of library users." The second goal, access to resources, plays an important role in the selection strategy: we must provide resources accessible to our primary users off-campus as well as on-campus. Selection and management guidelines emphasize the final goal: "ongoing evaluation of resources and services." As with any University program, our ability to achieve goals depends upon available resources: funding, staffing, technology, space. Thus the policy has an important role in the library’s strategic planning process. The policy will enable the Library

• to meet the needs of the users in a consistent and informed manner;
• to communicate collection decisions to the faculty, administration, and students;
• to justify budget requests for information resources;
• to allocate funds appropriately among the academic programs and disciplines;
• to insure that selection of new resources supports the changing needs of University programs.

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The Library promotes intellectual freedom, cultural diversity, and avoids any form of censorship in accordance with the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/work/freedom/lbr.html

III. Description of existing collections

History: In 1973 Tyler State College purchased a de-accessioned collection of 100,000 hardbound volumes from Seton Hall. Since then the book collections have grown to over 210,000 volumes. Although nearly a decade of budget deficit has left permanent gaps in the collections, with careful planning, allocation, and selection the Library can develop a current, useful collection.

Present: The Library provides information resources in the traditional physical formats of bound volumes, microforms, and audiovisual media. Since 1995, consortial purchasing through UT System, TexShare, and Amigos has enabled the Library to provide a number of new digital resources, including electronic databases and collections that provide a broad range of information for students both on and off campus. Library users can find holdings and location information for nearly all of our paper, microform, and audiovisual items via the online catalog, Data Research Associates (DRA) Web 2. Bibliographic records for online journal and book collections are being added as record sets become available. All electronic subscriptions are accessible via title and subject lists on the library’s website. For further information on library collections and holdings, see Appendix B.

Resource sharing: Interlibrary Services provides access to materials needed by individual faculty and students on an occasional basis for study and research. Participation in the AMIGOS and TexShare groups enhances access to and delivery of materials from other Texas libraries via interlibrary loan agreements and courier service. UTT students, faculty, and staff can personally check out items from any participating library with a TexShare card.

Palestine and Longview campuses: The Library supports small collections at both sites. Faculty and students at these sites can access the catalog and electronic resources via the campus network and request delivery of materials from Tyler if needed.

IV. Priorities for selecting resources in all formats, traditional and digital

• To support academic programs at all levels, from core curriculum to graduate, with special attention to required or suggested resources for course assignments and research projects;
• To meet needs of both the arts and sciences curricula and the professional programs;
• To support independent research needs of graduate students and faculty;
• To support administrative information needs, staff development, and institutional research;
• To provide access to high-quality digital resources for faculty and students in offices and homes and at all campus sites;
• To support information literacy and lifelong learning interests for the University’s community-at-large.

V. Criteria for collection levels and allocation of funds for the academic programs

The ACRL Standards for College libraries, 2000 edition, for libraries supporting programs at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels, emphasizes the evaluation of a library’s resources according to effectiveness (meeting the users’ needs) rather than by size. Profiles for each of the academic programs will describe the following factors:

• academic levels—undergraduate, graduate, faculty research percentage of total enrollment head count, FTE, SCH
• accreditation criteria and schedules
• professional certificate programs
• distance education and internet courses (including UT TeleCampus)
• relevant subject disciplines
• relative importance of publication formats for the discipline (e.g., serials vs. monographs)
• importance of availability of electronic information resouces
• interlibrary loan statistics

These factors will be criteria for selection decisions and for allocation of funds for each academic program/discipline area. The allocation process will take into account needs for information resources in all formats. Collection reviews and allocation distribution for Colleges and Departments will reflect the ongoing costs of print and electronic subscriptions in relevant subject areas. Profiles will be reviewed annually and when new or changed programs and courses are proposed.

General library resources: Profiles will describe selection guidelines for Reference, Special Collections, University Archives, and lifelong learning resources.

Criteria for extended campus sites and internet courses: The criteria above will apply to the campus sites in Palestine and Longview as well as UT Tyler Internet courses and UT System Telecampus courses. Support for the extended sites and Internet courses will be included in departmental/program allocations, with the same criteria for content as UT Tyler campus courses, but considering access to digital resources and delivery capabilities from the UT Tyler campus.

Responsibility for selecting resources: The Collection Development Librarian, the Librarian Liaisons, and the Director will work with faculty from each academic program/discipline. For responsibilities of the Collection Development Librarian, see Appendix C; for an explanation of liaison roles, see Appendix D.

VI. Budget considerations

In addition to initial purchase and licensing costs, maintaining Library collections entails costs of processing, maintenance, and technical support, that is, staffing as well as material costs. Among the factors influencing selection and purchase decisions are:

• Sources of funding (primarily State appropriations, occasionally PUF funds and gifts)
• Responsibility and accountability for expenditures
• Institutional and UT System purchasing and licensing procedures
• Consortial purchasing through institutional memberships—UT System, TexShare, AMIGOS

A substantial portion of the library materials budget is reserved for:

• serial (print) subscriptions and standing orders for annual publications and monograph series
• purchase of microform backfiles or binding of serials
• electronic subscriptions, including backfiles when available
• reference materials
• selection of items for the circulating collection by the librarians

VII. Criteria for selection of resources in various formats

Many professional books and articles suggest time-tested criteria for selection of library information resources. Whatever the format, the following factors are important:

• Appropriateness to the teaching, research, and cultural programs of the institution
• Accuracy of material and authority of authors, editors, and publishers
• Currency of content when relevant
• Reviews in professional and scholarly publications
• Suitability of format—potential usefulness and maintenance considerations
• Cost in relation to value
• User demand

All materials and online services purchased by the Library will be accessible to all users in or through the Library.

The Library will not purchase:

• Instructional material (displays, instructional computer software) intended for use in a departmental lab rather than in the Library
• Required texts for current University courses that are available for student purchase

Special considerations for the various formats:

Printed monographs (books, documents)

• Inclusion on course reading lists
• Need for materials in the subject area
• Reference queries
• Interlibrary loan requests
• Faculty selection, for new and existing courses
• Availability online, e.g. netLibrary

Printed serial subscriptions

• Publisher type and reputation
• Importance in subject discipline—inclusion in standard bibliographies and guides
• Refereeing status (for scholarly journals)
• Inclusion in major indexing/abstracting services
• Number of current subscriptions in the subject area
• Usage of current subscriptions in same subject area based on reshelving statistics
• Interlibrary services statistics showing requests (or lack of requests) for title
• Availability in full-image electronic format at reasonable cost
• Space

Microform backfiles

• The same criteria used for printed subscriptions apply; electronic backfiles will be preferred when available and cost effective because of space and potential use. Library users prefer downloading or printing articles from digital journal collections to using microfilm (or even print) formats.
• Although the Library currently purchases ERIC documents on microfiche and owns several retrospective fiche and film collections, it is unlikely to purchase such sets in the future because many such sets are being converted to digital format.

Audiovisual media (video and audio tapes, compact discs, DVDs, etc.)

• Is the item intended for frequent use (as in classroom viewing or course assignments)--rental is usually less costly than purchase for items that will be used only once or occasionally.

Computer software (CD-ROMs, etc.)

• Suitability for access by any library users; instructional software is usually better suited for use in departmental labs;
• Technical and license considerations: can the software be loaded more than once by different users on their own PCs?
• Quality of search features and user interface.

Electronic (digital) resources

When a digital subscription provides a high quality product to more users at a cost comparable to the print alternatives, the digital resource is preferred. The choice of electronic only is preferable to dual electronic/print subscriptions at additional cost.

• Reputation of vendor for reliability and technical support
• Quality of content
• User interface (ease of searching and retrieving documents)
• Cost vs. value, including relative merits of corresponding print or microform options
• Potential for use by many students and faculty
• Licensing, copyright, and archival rights issues
• Availability of subscriptions through consortial agreements (UT System, TexShare, Amigos)—preferred over local subscriptions because of pricing and technical support.

Special Collections

Purchases and gifts to be housed in non-circulating Special Collections are limited to:

• Publications concerning Texas history and culture, especially East Texas and local
• Publications by UT-Tyler faculty, staff, students, and alumni
• Printed publications (books, documents, maps, etc.) which because of expense and/or format would be at risk in the circulating collections

University Archives

The University Archives houses:

• Official and other publications by the Administration, Academic Units, and other divisions of UT-Tyler
• Publications and other materials concerning the history and activities of UT-Tyler

The University Archivist provides specific written policies for archival collections.

Gifts and Donations

The library will accept donation of books and other materials according to the same guidelines by which the library purchases materials. See Appendix E.

VIII. Guidelines for collection management

Collection management is the ongoing evaluation as well as maintenance of library resources.

Evaluation of resources

Librarians, in consultation with faculty, will continuously assess resources for value in teaching and research. Librarians will collaborate with faculty to ensure compliance with standards for accreditation of academic programs. The outcome of an evaluation project will be de-selection of outdated materials and seldom-used electronic subscriptions, replacing these when appropriate with up-to-date publications or more useful digital resources.

Deselection (weeding, cancellations) criteria:

Basically, the same criteria used for initial selection apply to evaluation of existing resources:

• Quality/authority of authors and publishers
• Currency, when applicable
• Requirements for program accreditation or inclusion on course reading lists
• Inclusion in authoritative, current bibliographies (e.g., Annual Reviews)

Additional criteria for deselection or retention of existing resources include:

• Condition
• Record of past use (checkouts, reshelving statistics, electronic resource usage statistics)
• Estimates of future use
• Space considerations (duplicate copies of low-use items will be withdrawn)

Preservation and replacement guidelines:

Frequently used items, especially those on required or recommended reading lists, are subject to wear and sometimes loss. Important, "classic," materials will be repaired when possible or replaced if in-print editions are available. In subject areas where titles have been used mainly because little newer material is in the collection, damaged items will be withdrawn and replaced with newer, good quality titles in the subject area.

Appendix A--Library Mission and Goals Statement

The mission of the UT Tyler Library is to support and enhance The University’s learning, research, and service activities by providing high quality information services for students, faculty, staff, and The University’s community at large.

In fulfilling this mission, the Library staff strives to achieve the following goals:

• To select, acquire, organize, and preserve information resources necessary to meet current and future needs of library users;
• To ensure that students, faculty, and staff, regardless of location, have access to library resources and services;
• To provide a variety of opportunities, emphasizing contemporary technologies, to assist students in developing information literacy skills for life-long learning;
• To promote optimum use of library and information resources by employing skillful, well-trained, service-oriented staff in all areas of resource management and access;
• To enhance the information choices of library users by participating in resource sharing and other cooperative agreements;
• To acquire and implement the latest technologies for providing information and access to it;
• To promote high operational, service, and ethical standards by ongoing evaluation of resources and services.

Appendix B—Description of Library Collections

The Library’s collections are divided into several location groups based on type of publication, condition of material, or special usage restrictions.

Stacks: books and government documents (the Library is a Depository for Texas State Publications)

Periodicals: current, bound, and microform holdings—library-use-only

Media: videotapes, films, music CDs, computer software on CD-ROM

Reference and Reserve: high-use items for library-use-only or short-term loans

Curriculum Materials Lab (CML): children’s books and state-adopted textbooks

Special Collections: books and other unique items that cannot be replaced

Limited Access:

For the 2000 Texas Academic Libraries Survey, the Library reported collection size as follows:

• Books, serial backfiles, government documents, etc., in various formats:
• Paper-number of titles 133,562
• Paper-number of volumes 216,365
• Microform-number of units 598,541
• Current serial subscriptions: 930
• Audiovisual materials (videos, cds, audiotapes, etc.): 10,772
• Online databases and journal collections: over 70

Appendix C—Responsibilities of Collection Development Librarian

The Collection Development Librarian is responsible for coordinating selection, evaluation, and management of library resources in all formats, including monographs, serials, audiovisual, and electronic resources. Specifically, this librarian:

• coordinates review and implementation of collection policies;
• coordinates and supports the work of the other librarians and the heads of acquisitions and serials in collection development and management activities;
• coordinates the librarian liaison activities for collection development and serves as liaison to one or more academic units;
• coordinates selection of digital resources, arranging online trials, facilitating licensing agreements;
• serves as contact for UT System, Amigos, and TexShare electronic subscriptions;
• facilitates evaluations of holdings for academic accreditation reviews;
• analyzes material usage statistics from circulation, periodicals, and interlibrary services units;
• prepares reports as required for administrative purposes;
• participates in vendor selection and evaluation;
• coordinate disposition of donations and gifts;
• will participate in implementation of an automated acquisitions module;
• participates in library instruction and reference service;
• serves on Faculty Senate and University committees as appointed.

Appendix D—Liaison Roles and Responsibilities

Each professional librarian serves as a liaison for faculty in one or more academic disciplines. The liaison assignments of the professional librarians and the Head of Circulation are currently as follows (the Library Director serves as liaison-at large):

Business		Eric Hartnett
Children's Literature		Vandy Dubre
Communications		Angel Rivera
Computer Science		Deirdre Joyce
Education		Angel Rivera
Engineering		Deirdre Joyce
Fine Arts		Vandy Dubre
Freshman Seminar		Vandy Dubre
Health Sciences		Eric Hartnett
History		Vicki Betts
Languages		Vandy Dubre
Literature		Vandy Dubre
Nursing		Eric Hartnett
Psychology		Angel Rivera
Sciences		Vandy Dubre
Social Sciences		Vicki Betts
Technology		Eric Hartnett

Responsibilities of the liaisons include:

Communication

• informing faculty of changes and additions to library resources and services;
• consulting with faculty about teaching and research needs as well as general concerns about library services;
• documenting and relaying faculty concerns and needs to the Library Director and to the other librarians and department heads as appropriate.

Selection and evaluation of resources

• assisting faculty with requests for library resources in all formats;
• providing cost and availability information when requested;
• offering to provide selection tools such as current reviews and bibliographies;
• consulting and involving faculty in weeding projects;
• consulting with faculty about profiles for collection levels and allocations for academic programs.

Instruction

• informing faculty about the Library Instruction Program;
• providing demonstrations and tutorial sessions for individual faculty or groups on digital resources in their subject area;
• participating in orientation of new faculty to library resources and services;
• serving as research consultant upon request of faculty members;
• training departmental student research assistants in library information skills upon request.

Appendix E--Guidelines for accepting gifts and donations

The library will accept donations of books and other materials according to the same guidelines by which the library purchases materials. We will accept only materials which we intend to add to the library collections. Unless special arrangements are made, all donated items will become the property of The University of Texas at Tyler and cannot be returned to the donor.

Criteria for acceptance are:

• Subject Matter
• Is the material relevant to our current academic and professional development programs?
• We will accept:
• in-print material which we would likely purchase if requested
• out-of-print material to fill gaps or replace worn-out copies
• expensive items that would enhance the collection but for which we could not justify use of the current materials budget
• usually, fiction and non-fiction by noted authors and in subject areas which support general interest and life-long learning pursuits of the University community
• We will not acccept:
• ephemeral material, such as outdated directories
• promotional material, such vendors’ sample copies of textbooks
• single issues or backfiles of serial titles to which we do not currently subscribe
• items which are the property of other libraries. We usually also will not accept items that have been withdrawn from other libraries.
• We may accept:
• textbooks (not marked "desk copy" or "free") if the instructor wants to include them in a suggested reading list for a course
• duplicate copies of an edition when we can reasonably predict high usage in specific courses
• Condition of Material
• Is the material in good condition, relatively free from markings?
• We will not accept:
• Materials with visible mold, excessive dirt or dust, insect damage, etc.
• Materials emitting cigarette smoke or other odors
• Water-damaged items
• Items with excessive writing, highlighting, underlining, or a considerable number of bent pages
• Items which require re-binding or other extensive repairs
• Space
• Addition of any supplemental material will be subject to space available for shelving.
• Cataloging and Processing Requirements
• Time and expense of processing all donated (as well as purchased) materials must be weighed against potential use.

Cash Donations

We accept monetary donations in any amount. If you would like to request that your monetary donation be used to purchase specific titles or titles in a specific subject area, we will be happy to accommodate your request.

Acknowledgement of Donations

If you would like to have your donation acknowledged, either in the form of a bookplate mounted inside the book or with a personal letter of acknowledgement, please notify us of your preferences at the time of donation. We can provide a letter or receipt acknowledging that we have received your donation but cannot assign a monetary value to your items for tax purposes.

Appendix F—References

Resources consulted in preparation of this policy include the following:

• Association of College and Research Libraries. 2000. Standards for College Libraries 2000 Edition. Chicago: ALA. http://www.ala.org/acrl/guides/college.htm (10 Oct. 2000).
• American Library Association. Subcommittee to revise the Guide for Written Collection policy Statements. 1996. Guide for Written Collection Policy Statements. 2nd ed. Chicago: ALA.
• Collection policies of other UT System academic components and other Texas academic libraries.

Recent professional library and information science literature: