UW-Parkside Library Collection Development Policies
Physical Materials
The Collection Development Policy of the Library of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside outlines selection criteria and standards used in the acquisition of all library resources. Within the context of this policy, the term "collection development" is understood to encompass the selection of both materials owned by and housed in the Library and those electronic resources to which the Library provides access.
The purpose of the policy is to communicate to all library users, including staff, faculty, students, administrators, and community members, standards used in the selection and deselection of materials for the collection. It is hoped that the existence of this statement will facilitate the cooperation of all concerned groups in the implementation of the University's and the Library's mission and goals.
In order to keep the Library's policies responsive to changes in library science, technology, institutional goals and objectives, the curriculum and the university population, this policy will be revised and updated as necessary.
Mission and Goals
Mission
To support the curriculum, research and other information needs of the University by selecting, acquiring, organizing, preserving, and circulating or providing access to a collection of materials in a variety of formats (e.g., paper, electronic, audio-visual) and to reevaluate and weed materials from the collection in order to maintain its high quality and usefulness. Following the UW System’s “One System, One Library” concept, the idea of “collection” goes beyond the materials located in the UW-Parkside Library and more broadly refers to the collections of all UW System libraries. The UW System libraries jointly endeavor to develop these collections, allowing them to serve as interdependent resources for research and teaching.
Goals
Intellectual Freedom Statement
The UW-Parkside Library endorses the principles of the Freedom to Read Statement and the Library Bill of Rights, as adopted by the American Library Association. Diverse points of view, including controversial and unorthodox subjects, are available in our collections. Inclusion in the collection does not imply that the library or the university approves of the contents of materials.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Statement
The UW-Parkside Library values the perspectives and contributions of all individuals. The library is committed to providing access to information that reflects diverse experiences with structural and power differences among people, including but not limited to, differences in race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, or perspective.
General Policies
Clientele of the Library
The UW-Parkside Library primarily serves the university community: the faculty, staff, and students of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. We also act as a resource for the people, agencies, institutions, and businesses of the surrounding area. More generally, the Library serves UW System faculty, staff and students and the residents of Southeastern Wisconsin and the State of Wisconsin.
Priorities and Criteria
The Library applies consistent practices and priorities in the expenditure of its finite resources. During the selection process, the following priorities and criteria are used to evaluate potential acquisitions:
Criteria:
The Library will forego purchase of specialized or infrequently used materials if they can be readily borrowed directly from another library, accessed electronically, or acquired through document delivery.
Languages
The Library normally acquires materials in languages other than English in support of either the language curricula or reference needs (e.g., dictionaries or encyclopedias).
Consortia
The UW-Parkside Library’s collection decisions are influenced by the Council of University of Wisconsin Libraries (CUWL) and other consortia partners (Carthage College, Gateway Technical College). The library values resource sharing and strategic and sustainable cooperative collection development. Participation in direct interlibrary loan arrangements with libraries in Kenosha and Racine counties enables the Library to fill many interlibrary loan requests quickly.
Multiple Copies
Requests for duplicate copies are reviewed individually, but, in general, the Library abstains from the purchase of duplicate copies of any given item except where clearly justified by heavy use. The Library's responsibility for ensuring availability of titles assigned for collateral reading, viewing, listening, etc. in specific courses is limited, except in unusual circumstances, to two copies that can be placed on reserve.
Gifts
The Library encourages the donation of books and other materials. The Library cannot appraise the materials or pay for them. Applying the same criteria to gift materials as it uses in purchasing new materials, the Library selectively transfers gifts to the collection. Gift materials not added are made available at the annual library booksale.
Copyright
The use of all materials will conform to U.S. Copyright law.
Selection Process
Librarians and faculty cooperate to develop the Library's collection. The selection process is coordinated by the Collection Development Team.
The Collection Development Team consists of the Director of the Library, the Head of Library Collections, all librarians who serve as liaisons to academic disciplines and campus units, and other appropriate staff. The Head of Library Collections chairs the team and is responsible for overseeing the physical materials budget. Recommendations for the purchase of physical and electronic materials are accepted from faculty, staff, and students. Final responsibility for the selection of library resources lies with librarians.
Policies by Types of Material
Books
Most books are purchased in a softcover edition, if available. The decision to purchase a hardback edition is based on price, lack of availability of a softcover edition, anticipated use, long-term value of the title and other criteria.
In general, books used as textbooks for UWP courses are not acquired for the collection. The library acquires for its Education Collection examples of textbooks used in elementary and secondary schools.
Periodicals and Newspapers
Curriculum needs are met primarily through onsite availability of print journal back issues subscriptions and full text electronic databases, supplemented by interlibrary loan (see Electronic Resources policy). Faculty research needs are met primarily through interlibrary loan.
The Library acquires a limited number of newspapers in print format, covering local, state and national news. The Library makes available electronic access to a wide number of regional, national, and international newspapers.
DVDs and CDs
Materials are acquired only in formats for which equipment is available in the Library (DVDs and CDs). The Library does not pay preview charges.
Video games
The video game collection is focused on contemporary video games; therefore, the Library will not collect vintage video games unless a specific demand arises.
Education Collection
The Library collects materials related to elementary and secondary education curricula. The children’s collection consists of children's and young adult's fiction and nonfiction literature in printed form.
Browsing Collection
The Browsing Collection consists of materials of current interest that are desirable for curriculum development, collection enrichment and collection balance (typically Collection Development Priority 3). Both fiction and non-fiction items are considered.
Collection Evaluation
In order to maintain a viable and useful collection and to assure adequate space for its housing, Materials that have become obsolete or are no longer relevant are withdrawn from the collection and placed in the annual booksale. Materials in poor physical condition are reviewed for repair or discard and replacement.
The weeding process is the responsibility of the Collection Development Team in consultation with the appropriate discipline faculty and is an ongoing component of collection development.
Appendix
Library Bill of Rights and its interpretations
Updated 5/2021
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