Annie Gabriel Library
Archive & Special Collection Evaluation
Completed by Helen Xu
Date:
Identify which collection is being evaluated:
P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection
Southern Baptist Depository and Archive
Wallace Collection
California Baptist University Queenie
Nie Wieder! Collection
Simmons Archive
Rare Books Collection
1. Does this collection have an Acquisition Plan? If so, rate the plan using the rubric on the last
page of this document (Acquisition Plan row only). Explain your chosen rating.
The collection does not have an acquisition plan for now, as there is no space for us to add more
books to it.
2. If this is an active collection (eligible to receive new materials), are new materials being added to
the collection regularly? If not, why?
Due to space constraints, this is not an active collection. However, the library is currently
considering purchasing and/or accepting donations of some valuable hymn books to enrich the
collection.
3. Evaluate the collection. If possible, compare and contrast the collection to at least one
respected collection of similar materials at another institution. Some questions to consider are:
Comparison collections (holdings of 3 included at random in the OCLC report):
1. Claremont School of Theology – Robert Guy McCutchan Collection of Hymnology
2. Boston University School of Theology Library – Hymnological Collections
3. Regent University Library – Clark Hymnology Collection
a. How many titles does each collection have in relevant call number ranges?
P. Boyd Smith: 2,121
Comparison collections: 11,060
b. What are the oldest, most recent, and average publication dates within each collection?
P. Boyd Smith: oldest 1606 | most recent 1995 | average 1922
Comparison collections: oldest 1566 | most recent 2012 | average 1954
c. Are there any authors/editors of whose work one or many of the collections have a
significant amount?
P. Boyd Smith
Alexander, Charles M. - 8
Benson, Louis F. - 6
Bradbury, William B. - 7
Coleman, Robert H. - 18
Crawford, Percy B. and Ruth D. - 14
Emerson, L.O. - 7
Excell, E.O. - 17
Gaither, Bill - 1
Hall, J. Lincoln - 4
Hastings, Thomas - 4
Hull, Asa - 2
Mason, Lowell - 2
Perkins, W.O. - 4
Phillips, Philip - 2
Rodeheaver, Homer A. - 6
Robinson, Charles S. - 13
Root, George S. - 7
Routley, Erik - 10
Sankey, Ira D. - 15
Smith, H. Augustine - 7
Smith, Alfred B. - 8
Winsett, R.E. - 4
Woodbury, I.B. - 2
Watts, I. - 7
Comparison collections
Abraham, Gerald – 10
Bach, Johann Sebastian – 54
Beethoven, Ludwig van – 22
Berloiz, Hector – 15
Bradbury, William B. – 26
Brahms, Johannes – 14
Catholic Church – 21
Emerson, L.O. – 11
Episcopal Church – 26
Ewen, David – 18
Excell, E.O. – 18
Fisher, Burton D. – 56
Gaither, Bill – 12
Griffiths, Paul – 10
Hall, J. Lincoln Miles – 13
Hastings, Thomas – 18
Hull, Asa – 19
Hymn Society of America – 18
Kingsley, George – 10
Mason, Lowell – 38
Mellers, Wilfred – 10
Methodist Episcopal Church – 22
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus – 12
Perkins, W.O. – 13
Phillips, Philip – 18
Presbyterian Church in the U.S. – 9
Prout, Ebenezer – 10
Puccini, Giacomo – 12
Robinson, Charles S. – 12
Root, George S. – 17
Routley, Erik – 13
Scholes, Percy A. – 10
Smith, H. Augustine – 10
Winsett, R.E. – 11
Woodbury, I.B. – 10
Young, Percy M. – 16
d. Which formats are represented in each collection (book, journal, DVD, online resource,
etc.)?
P. Boyd Smith: books, scores
Comparison collections: articles, books, internet resource, scores, serials, sound
recordings, visual recordings
e. Are there any publishers of whose titles one or many of the collections have a significant
amount?
P. Boyd Smith
A.S. Barnes - 4
AMS Press - 1
Augsburg - 7
Biglow & Main - 52
Breitkopf & Hartel - 1
Broadman Press - 5
Cambridge University Press - 3
Century - 7
Robert H. Coleman - 6
Concordia Publishing House - 13
Da Capo Press - 2
Dover - 6
GIA Publications - 4
H. Flammer - 4
Hope Publishing Company - 5
Hymn Society of America - 4
Independent Press - 4
Liturgical Press - 3
Mason Bros. - 10
Morgan and Scott - 4
Novello - 4
O. Ditson - 14
Oxford University Press - 9
Prentice-Hall - 6
Routledge - 1
Schirmer - 7
Stamps-Baxter - 27
Comparison collections
A.S. Barnes – 28
Amadeus Press – 49
AMS Press – 102
Augsburg – 23
Barenreiter – 21
Biglow & Main – 25
Breitkopf & Hartel – 36
Cambridge University Press - 55
Century – 32
Concordia Publishing House – 42
Da Capo Press - 170
Dover – 83
E. Eulenburg – 68
GIA Publications – 45
Greenwood Press – 136
Henle Verlag – 35
Hope Publishing Company – 19
Hymn Society of America – 8
Indiana University Press - 55
Information Coordinators – 27
Liturgical Press – 21
Mason Bros. – 22
Novello – 35
O. Ditson - 51
Oxford University Press – 282
Prentice-Hall – 99
Routledge – 68
Scarecrow Press – 76
Schirmer – 146
Stainer and Bell – 33
Stamps-Baxter Music & Print – 22
UMI Research Press - 25
University of Illinois Press – 23
University of Washington Press - 32
University Press of Mississippi – 40
W.C. Brown – 25
Wadsworth Publishing Company
WW Norton - 12
WW Norton – 113
Yale UP – 20
f. How similar are the environmental storage conditions of the collections?
Hymnological Collections (Boston University):
The library has improved upon the room as much as they possibly could. The librarian in charge
has been very personally involved with this process by calling for repair of the roof, working with
facilities to improve dehumidification in the closed stacks area,they also have multiple portable
dehumidifiers. They also build boxes for books to better control the micro-environment around the
book with the use of acid free paper and oak tag.
g. What are the usage policies of the collections?
Hymnological Collections (Boston University):
Students can use the books in the research reading room. If the books are in brittle condition, the
librarian usually photocopies them for the students. The librarian asks that patrons wear cotton
gloves, turn the pages with spatulas. The librarian allows folks to take pictures with phones or
cameras. She also helps people long distance, providing scans for them at the cost of $1.00 per
page.
h. How are new materials identified and acquired for the collections?
Hymnological Collections (Boston University):
Most of hymn books are recommended by faculty or former professors. The library places most of
the more rare ones in the closed stacks. New ones will circulate. Selections are also made by the
library director. The library primarily holds hymnals and songbooks from the Methodist tradition
because they are a Methodist seminary.
i.
How are the collections publicized/advertised?
Hymnological Collections (Boston University):
The library lets people know about the collection through their website. There is a collection drop
down menu. Also the librarian publicizes on their facebook page. Professors advertise the
information in class. They have had groups come in and visit to look at the collections. Worldcat
and the catalogue help.
4. Identify and discuss strengths and weaknesses of the collection. Rate the collection using the
rubric on the last page of this document.
The strengths of the P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection lie in its breadth, which covers many
religious denominations and many different languages. Nearly fifty denominations and religious
groups are represented in the collection. Among the different languages represented are
Ethiopian, Malayalam, Micronesian, Marshallese, Tagalog, Apache (Western), Japanese, Korean,
Chinese and various Indian languages (e.g., Kannada, Maxakali, Marathi, Tamil)
The weakness of the collection is its physical space, which restricts the growth of the collection.
5. Does the collection align with CBU and Annie Gabriel Library’s institutional visions? Rate the
plan using the rubric on the last page of this document (CBU Vision row only). Explain your
chosen rating.
P. Boyd Smith Hymnology Collection aligns with CBU and Annie Gabriel Library’s institutional
visions very well. With its rich resources covering various religious denominations and
languages, the collection serves as a valuable resource for scholars, professors and students –
both at CBU and outside of our university – who are interested in learning more about the
subject.
6. Is the collection housed in an environment that meets its security and preservation needs? Rate
the environment using the rubric on the last page of this document (Environment row only).
Explain your chosen rating.
The collection is well-preserved and safely housed. It is necessary, though, to reshelf the
collection according to the size of each book in order to protect the collection better. Such
plans are based on recommendations from the report provided by Amigos Library Services
recently.
7. Identify specific acquisition and improvement goals for the collection
Currently, there are no plans to regularly add more resources to the collection, due to limited
space. However, the library will continue to consider purchasing and/or accepting donations of
some valuable hymn books, to enrich and grow the collection, where appropriate.
8. Additional comments, thoughts, etc.
It will be ideal to move the collection into a larger room with metal shelves. The books are
presently shelved on the oak shelves; metal shelves will protect the rare books better, and
ample shelf space will allow the books to be shelved further apart. This can help prevent fungi,
if there is any, from spreading to other healthy books.
Archive & Special Collection Evaluation Rubric (highlight selections in bold)
1 (Very Poor)
Goal is stated in vague
terms, no additional
information is provided
2 (Poor)
Basic goal is stated with
minimum specificity
3 (Acceptable)
Goal is stated, some
specificity
4 (Good)
Clear goal is stated,
specificity is adequate but
in need of refinement
Coverage
Many topics un/under
represented
Core topics represented, few
minor topics
Authority
Majority of material has
little to no author
identification or
accountability
Too basic, does not
adequately support
research
Core topics are
represented, but
somewhat lacking
Many unaccredited
works, with some
journalistic/popular
Core topics well
represented, many minor
topics
Mostly
journalistic/popular works
with many scholarly as
well
Mostly scholarly, but still
reliant on some nonacademic resources
Acquisition
Plan (Q1)
Growth
Minimal, new materials
very rarely added
Very slow, materials
added occasionally but
not actively sought out
Materials are a mix of
unaccredited,
journalistic/popular, and
scholarly works
Fairly basic, with some
scholarly resources.
Adequate for research by
non-scholars and
undergraduates
Moderate, a few items
purchased each year to
maintain the collection
Vision (Q5)
Environment
Does not align
Very poor, materials are
at high risk of damage,
deterioration, and/or
theft
Very minimally aligns
Not ideal, majority of
materials require
improved conditions for
long-term storage
Somewhat aligns
Acceptable, materials would
benefit from a more
controlled environment, but
are not in immediate danger
Scope
(Q6)
Too technical/overly
complex
Good, several items
purchased each year with
the aim of improving the
collection
Aligns well
Good, majority of
materials are wellpreserved and safely
housed
5 (Excellent)
Goal is very clearly
defined and supported
with a specific collection
plan/parameters
All relevant topics are
well represented
Materials are primarily
to exclusively scholarly
Scholarly/academic,
appropriate for the
highest level of
research
Strong and regular, in
support of a living and
active collection
Strongly aligns
Excellent, all materials
are in their ideal storage
environment and are
appropriately secured