Transferring materials to Special Collections (SPC) from within University
Libraries: Quick guide for subject bibliographers
This Quick Guide explains both the procedure for proposing transfers to SPC and the
criteria used by the department in determining whether or not to accept the transfer.
I. IDENTIFICATION
Candidates for transfer may be identified during routine handling and review of materials
for the following library functions:
Acquisitions
Cataloging
Binding
Gifts
Circulation
Inventorying and shelf-reading
Interlibrary loan
Collection surveys
Weeding
Preservation
II. PROCEDURE
Once materials are identified, the subject bibliographer should bring them to either the
Faculty Director of Special Collections or the Instruction Librarian in Special Collections
with a brief note explaining why they might be good candidates for transfer; offers of
transfer may also be made by email. The materials will then be evaluated and either
accepted for transfer or declined. The SPC technical services staff will change the
location code. For transfers within University Libraries, no other paperwork is necessary.
III. CRITERIA USED TO EVALUATE POSSIBLE TRANSFERS
Special Collections uses the following criteria to evaluate possible transfers:
General Considerations:
 Space
Due to space limitations, decisions to transfer materials to SPC are made
conservatively. This means that materials that are not accepted now may be accepted
in the future if the department is allotted additional, environmentally adequate space.
 Access vs. Security
Does the need for security outweigh the drawback of restricted access?
 PASCAL
If use is low and security is not a major issue but preservation is, the recommendation
may be made to send materials to PASCAL. PASCAL offers better environmental
conditions than are available in Norlin Library.
 Specific Considerations
While some materials may be transferred based solely on one of the following, in
many cases materials must meet more than one of the criteria.
 Date of publication
Printed in North or South America before 1850
Printed in Asia, Africa, and Australia before 1900
Anything printed in Europe before 1750
Anything printed in Antarctica
 Strong addition to subject collections
Photobook and Original Photography collections
Bailey Travel and Exploration
Mountaineering collection
History of Books and Printing
Publishers Bindings
British and American Literature
Women Poets of the Romantic Period
Artists Books and Fine Press Books
Person in literature, the arts, sciences, American or Colorado history
Unusual markings
 Editions
First editions by noted literary authors as well as foundational texts in the various
disciplines (e.g. issues of scientific journals containing articles by Einstein)
 Illustrations
Hand done techniques such as original illustrations laid in the book, original
photographs, hand colored illustrations, etchings, engravings, lithographs, woodcuts,
silkscreen, etc. Quality is important.
 Binding and format
Inlaid binding, papier-mâché, wooden boards, vellum, fabric, elaborately tooled,
gauffered edges, foredge painting, handmade paper, handbound. Unusual format or
unusual size (e.g. Mesoamerican codex facsimiles, miniature books, portfolios).
 Research value and importance in field
Subject bibliographers may be consulted on this; it is very helpful if bibliographers
give some indication of the material’s research value and importance to their field
when proposing transfers based on this criteria.
 Rarity
Specifically the number of other libraries owning a copy
 Duplication
Would the transfer be a duplicate of material already housed in SPC?
 Value
If an individual item (not a set) costs more than $1,000, has been appraised at that
price, or is on the market at that price. Materials valued at less than $1,000 will only
be considered if they meet other criteria.
 Condition
All values of a book – scholarly, bibliographical, and market – are greatly affected by
condition. Badly worn, much repaired or rebound materials or those missing plates or
maps may have lost much of their value.
IV. WHO TO CONTACT
Faculty Director and Bibliographer for Special Collections:
Deborah Hollis
deborah.hollis@colorado.edu
2-3910
Instruction Librarian in Special Collections:
Michelle Visser
michelle.visser@colorado.edu
2-2720
V. NOTE ON COLLABORATIVE ACQUISITIONS
Funds permitting, Special Collections is a willing participant in collaborative acquisitions.
Collaborative purchasing proposals should be directed to the Faculty Director of SPC.
The Faculty Director may also propose a collaborative purchase to a subject
bibliographer or group of bibliographers.
VI. NOTE ON THE ACQUISITION OF MATERIALS THAT SHOULD BE HOUSED
IN SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Please briefly confer with the Faculty Director of SPC before purchasing materials that
should be housed in Special Collections.
VII. FINAL REMINDER
Approximately 75% of the materials housed in Special Collections have no online
records in Chinook. Materials without Chinook records may be located through the card
catalog in the SPC Reading Room, on web pages and in PDF files on the SPC website, or
in paper finding aids and collection inventories (also located in the SPC Reading Room).
To avoid duplicate purchases, it is a good idea to check SPC holdings before ordering
materials that might fall within the scope of the collections housed in SPC.