Learning Resource Center COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Transcription

1 Los Angeles Mission College Learning Resource Center COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY I. PURPOSE AND GOALS II. III. IV. SELECTION OF BOOKS Responsibility Criteria for Selection Subject Boundaries Language Limitations SELECTION BY FORM Periodicals Newspapers Nonprint Materials INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT Responsibility Criteria for Selection V. GIFTS VI. VII. VIII. IX. COLLECTION REVIEW AND EVALUATION DISCARDING REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS X. COMPLAINTS AND REEVALUATION OF CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS

2 Los Angeles Mission College Learning Resource Center COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY I. PURPOSE AND GOALS The Learning Resources Center exists to support the goals and objectives of Los Angeles Mission College. Both occupational and transferable programs are supported by providing a well-rounded collection of materials. representing various points of view, and aimed at the needs of our lower-division students. The position of the American Library Association s Bill of Rights on intellectual freedom is adhered to in the selection process. Collection development is guided by the budget and the following collection development goals of the LRC. A. To acquire, organize and circulate materials and equipment needed to support the instructional program taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, maturity levels of the students served.. B. To provide materials to strengthen student skills, stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, and to stimulate intellectual curiosity. C. To provide a background of information which will enable students to make informed judgements in their daily life. D. To provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that students can develop critical reading and thinking skills. E. To provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contribution to our American heritage. F. To provide materials for leisure and relaxation. D. To provide and make resources readily accessible to students, faculty, and administrators through appropriate facilities, equipment, and adequate staff. E. To engage in cooperative relationships with the other eight community colleges in the Los Angeles Community College District.

3 II. SELECTION OF BOOKS A. Responsibility: Though librarians are responsible for the final selection of materials, recommendations are encouraged from faculty, students and administrators in order to achieve a strong and utilized collection. B. Criteria for selection: 1. The existing collection is based on selections from faculty, student, and administrative requests, and from reviews in Library Journal, Choice, and Wilson Library Bulletin. Current and retrospective bibliographies, such as Books for Junior College Libraries, Reader s Adviser, Opening Day Collection (Choice), Books for Occupational and Educational Programs, Materials for Occupational Education, have been consulted as well as publishers literature. 2. Continuing selection utilizes some of these same tools. 3. Materials will support and be consistent with the general education goals of the college and objectives of specific courses 4. Materials will meet high standards of quality in content and presentation. 5. They will be appropriate for the subject area and ability level for whom they were selected. 6. Representative materials expressing differing social, religious, and political view points from religious and minority cultural groups shall be included in the collection. 7. Biased and controversial materials will be provided to maintain a balance of various views. 8. Except for donations by instructors and students, the LRC does not acquire textbooks. 9. All forms of materials are considered for selection, (books, films, filmstrips, records, audiocassettes, video cassettes, microfiche, computer software, etc.) 10. Collection deficiencies, determined by annual collection evaluation, and materials for new programs will receive priority. C. Subject Boundaries: There are not firmly defined subject boundaries for collection development. The collection exists to support the institutional goals and curriculum. As new courses are offered, new subjects and subject intensity is considered. The subject intensity varies from Minimum Study Level, as defined in ALA s Guidelines for Collection Development, where only a few notable works are held, to Initial Study Level which includes a broad selection of works of notable writers,, significant works of secondary writers along with major review journals and significant reference tools for subject coverage. The coverage of core subjects, e.g. English, History, Psychology etc., are at the Initial Study Level.

4 III. SELECTION BY FORM Selection and responsibility for selection of different forms will be primarily based on the same criteria as that for the general book collection. Exceptions will be noted. A. Periodicals: The priority for periodical selection will be primarily based on the degree a title supports the curriculum and the contents' accessibility through indexes. B. Newspapers: Newspaper selection will include different political and social points of view on community, national and state issues. National newspapers will also be selected on accessibility of contents through indexes and the availability of back issues on microform. C. Nonprint materials: 1. Responsibility: Selection of nonprint materials will be by faculty recommendations based on personal preview or knowledge of the material. 2. Criteria for selection: Nonprint materials will be selected, acquired, designed or produced using the same criteria and objectives as that for books. Wherever possible expensive materials like films and videocassettes, will be borrowed from another cooperating Learning Resource Center within the Los Angeles Community College District or from inexpensive rental sources like the local County Film Library. 3. Film or Videocassette purchase rather than rental may be justified if: a. The rental cost is high and the film or VC is frequently used. b. The film or VC is frequently used and is repeatedly difficult to obtain. IV. INSTRUCTIONAL EQUIPMENT Instructional equipment is included in the collection development policy because of its necessity in accessing Learning Resource materials and information. A. Responsibility: The responsibility for equipment selection lies with the Learning Resource Center Staff. B. Criteria for selection: The criteria for selection includes evaluation of equipment for performance, quality, ease of operation, cost, portability, cost of maintenance and repair availability. To provide standardization of equipment and to secure the best equipment, parts, and service at the lowest cost, cooperative purchasing with the other community colleges is encouraged.

5 V. GIFTS Generally gifts are accepted according to the book selection policy, and are accepted only when they add strength to the collection and impose no space, handling, disposition, or duplication limitations. Acceptance should be with permission to exchange, sell or discard as deemed appropriate. VI. COLLECTION REVIEW AND EVALUATION To help insure continued collection development toward changing institutional goals, to determine areas of weakness and strength, and to identify titles for discard or replacement, some degree of collection evaluation shall be engaged in each year. Evaluation will include materials in all forms. Equipment will also be evaluated continually to insure its condition of usefulness, and to identify equipment for withdrawal or replacement. VII. DISCARDING Because of space limitations and quality collection maintenance, materials and equipment need to be considered for discard. Evaluation of materials based on use, physical condition, contents, duplication, superseded editions, outdated material of little or no historical value, broken sets, and whether the material meets the guidelines for the current collection development policy, will help identify materials for discard consideration. Faculty with subject expertise will be consulted as deemed necessary. Evaluation of equipment will also be based on the same applicable criteria to insure its condition of usefulness, and to identify equipment for withdrawal or replacement. VIII. REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR Lost and damaged materials and equipment are considered for replacement or repair. The decision to replace, repair, or withdraw lost or damaged materials will be based on the quality of the content, the demand for the material, requirement for class assignment, the number of copies held, the existing coverage of the subject, and the availability of newer or better materials on a subject. The decision to replace, repair, or withdraw lost or damaged equipment will be based on the same applicable criteria. IX. COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS To provide the best possible service to students, faculty and administrators, cooperative relationships with the other eight community colleges in the district are encouraged. Media, book, knowledge expertise and service resources are shared when available. Interlibrary loans and rentals from other sources are also initiated when necessary.

6 X. COMPLAINTS AND REEVALUATION OF CONTROVERSIAL MATERIALS Since opinions differ regarding appropriateness of materials for inclusion in a library's collection, conflicts and objections may arise. The following procedures should be followed for these objections: 1. Inform and provide a copy to the complainant of the Learning Resource Center's selection procedures and its support of the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. 2. If necessary, the complainant will be referred to the director of the Learning Resource Center, where if still unresolved a formal request for reevaluation may be filled out and submitted to the LRC Material Reevaluation Committee. 3. The challenged material will be reviewed by the committee within 15 days of its receipt. 5. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and the College President will be notified that such a review is taking place. 6. The material is analyzed in terms of the current institutional goals and the current collection development policy, to further determine its strength and value as a whole in supporting the curriculum. 7. When a decision is reached by the committee, a formal report will be given to the complainant, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the College President. 8. The materials will be retained or withdrawn as mandated by the committee. Until this time, the questioned materials will remain on the shelf.

7 Rev Los Angeles Mission College LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF LIBRARY MATERIAL Author: Hardcover Paperback Other Title: Publisher (If known) 1. To what in the book do you object? Use back of this page if more space is needed for comments. (Please be specific; cite pages). 2. What do you feel might be the result of reading this book? 3. For what age group would you recommend this book? 4. Is there anything good about the book? 5. Did you read the entire book? What parts? 6. Are you aware of the judgement of this book by literary critics? yes no 7. What do you believe is the theme of this book? 8. What would you like the library to do about this book?

8 9. In its place, what book of equal literary quality would you recommend that would adequately convey a picture and perspective of the subject treated. Complainant represents: Yourself (Name of Organization) Your name Address City & Zip Telephone No. ( ) Staff member to whom you spoke Date Thank you