Flathead Valley Community College
LIBRARY COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICY
Effective: 11/09
Approved:
______________________________________________________________________________
I.
INTRODUCTION
The planned development of the College Library collection centers on objectives in this policy. No policies are
definitive for all time since the Library, like the College itself, is not static. Ideas about the nature of the Library and its
contents are constantly evolving. The College therefore invites public scrutiny of this document and suggestions for library
improvement.
The College Library is indeed a "forum for information and ideas" as stated in the American Library's Bill of
Rights. Americans are now actively engaged in the Information Age where intellectual freedom and the right to read must
be embraced. The Library, then, endorses the ALA's Freedom to Read statement and the Library Bill of Rights as part of
this materials management policy. (See attached)
A College extension campus is located in Libby, Montana. A formal MOU for library services between the
College and Lincoln County Library merges services, staff, collections and site into one outlet for the purposes of providing
a centralized library for college students.
The following represents a statement for collection management for the main College Library. These materials
selection guidelines have been developed with the following purpose in mind: to insure the acquisition of materials which
will promote and strengthen the curriculum, arouse intellectual curiosity, and help develop critical thinking and lifelong
learning skills.
II.
OBJECTIVES/MISSION
The Library, as an instructional arm of the College, is dedicated to developing the emotional, educational,
intellectual, and social well-being of students, public, faculty and staff. The College Library aims to develop and support
information-literate learners who can access, identify and utilize accurate information for life-long learning, academic
success, research and personal enrichment.
A.
B.
III.
The chief objective of the College Library is to collect and make available instructional material needed
by students and staff to support the College curriculum.
The secondary objective of the College Library is to provide a place of study and inquiry and a place for
informational and recreational reading and learning for students, staff and the public.
USER GROUPS
The College Library, and all materials and services offered therein, is available to the public. The College
welcomes all users whether they be students of the College or not. Those making use of the College Library collection and
facility shall abide by College policies and regulations for orderly library management.
The College Library serves a broad range of patrons from young children to older adults. It exists to expand the
total availability of library materials to the residents of Flathead County.
IV.
SELECTION
The Library Director and his/her staff, in association with College faculty and administrators, have the responsibility
for the selection of books, periodicals, maps, newspapers, videos, manuscripts and other materials subject to the objectives
and policies stated herein. In order to implement the selection process, the director may establish appropriate procedures for
the examination and review of library materials and/or organize an advisory group. Meetings with department needs and
division chairs are held routinely to address needs of new curriculum areas and new multicultural programs at the college.
V.
ACQUISITIONS
Purchasing of library materials will be in conformance with established College policies and procedures. Recently
acquired titles are available to browse under the link “New Arrivals – Library” on the Library’s Automated Catalog
Screen.
The Library will continue the practice of ordering materials from commercial vendors and local suppliers. We rely
heavily on Library Journal professional reviews with copies circulated on a weekly basis to library staff. Subjectspecific publisher’s catalogs are circulated to targeted faculty for marking and return. We also solicit
recommendations and specific title request from faculty in areas with growing curriculum and/or new program
areas.
Books or other materials may be acquired through donations. (See GIFTS section.)
Used books may be acquired from local book sales.
The Library will maintain a total holdings goal of a minimum of 20 volumes per full-time equivalent student and
150 hard periodical titles. Currently we exceed the 20 volume level based on Fall 2009 enrollment figures: 1734
FTE x 20 = 34680 volumes (GOAL); 39705 volumes (ACTUAL). Further, online periodicals database
subscriptions far exceed the hard periodical title figure of 150.
VI.
RESOURCE SHARING
Recognizing the need to make its collection available to the Montana library community and the need for a broader
range of library materials for its own patrons, the College subscribes to the principle of resource sharing using established
inter-library loan protocols. The College supports the inter-agency and inter-library cooperation as set forth in the State
Library's Long-Range Planning Document, PARTNERS IN PROGRESS: MONTANA'S LONG-RANGE PROGRAM FOR
THE IMPROVEMENT OF LIBRARY SERVICES AS ASSISTED BY THE LIBRARY SERVICES AND
CONSTRUCTION ACT and the recently established MLN (Montana Library Network). The College endorses “Intellectual
Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries” per ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) guidelines. (See
attached).
The College, Flathead County Libraries, and Flathead School District #5 have engaged in coordinated collection
development. Coordinated acquisitions between the three libraries have been de rigueur for over twenty years and, the
College will continue this practice wherever possible.
Beginning in August 2002, the FVCC Library became a partner in the Montana Shared Catalog (MSC), a
consortium of ninety-nine (99) Montana libraries sharing their holdings electronically using SIRSI/DYNIX software. The
FVCC Media Center’s collection holdings are also included in this statewide catalog.
The College Library will also maintain its annual membership in the OCLC bibliographic utility for the
identification and sharing of records throughout the region and nation. Membership in the broader OCLC WOLRDCAT
database will strengthen our library’s ability to locate and borrow resources.
VII.
THE COLLEGE LIBRARY COLLECTION
The College Library has a unique history. The College shared staff, services, collections and facilities with Flathead
County Library from the late 1960's until 1990. The development of the present collection at the College campus has
2
revolved around this situation and represents an earnest effort toward non-duplication and extended subject coverage based
on joint availability of materials. The 2009 college collection contains approximately 39,705 volumes, 122 periodical titles,
and 1,411 video titles. The College adds, on the average year, 888 volumes to the collection. The library also features
electronic information available via on-line databases, the Internet, and educational videos. The reading level of the College
collection is primarily adult, scholarly, technical monographs with an adequate blend of popular items for general interest.
Ninety-nine (99%) percent of the College Collection is on the OCLC database.
A.
Increasingly, the widespread availability of electronic databases is altering the acceptable ways of offering
information to library patrons. The College Library is responding with the acquisition of several
commercial indexes and periodical full-text and abstract subscriptions through the Internet. The library
participates in the state-wide library database project using legislative funds to subscribe to EBSCO and
GALE Group databases through the MLN (Montana Library Network). The Library currently has 59 online periodical databases for our patrons. The expanded array of electronic databases and electronic books
on our IBISTRO catalog helps to broaden our present collection levels.
B.
Subject Areas Collected
Following are specific LC subject areas collected and collection goals for each of the LC categories.
LC
CATEGORY
GOAL
PRESENT
LEVEL
FUTURE
LEVEL
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
P.
Q.
R.
S.
T.
U.
V.
Z.
General Works
Philosophy & Religion
History (General)
History (Old World)
American History (General)
American History (Local)
Geography and Anthropology
Social Sciences
Political Science
Law
Education
Music
Fine Arts
Language & Literature
Science
Medicine
Agriculture
Technology
Military Science
Naval Science
Bibliography & Lib. Science
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic-S
Basic-S
Basic
Basic
Basic-S
Minimal
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic-S
Basic-S
Basic-S
Basic
Basic-S
Minimal
Minimal
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic-S
Basic-S
Advanced Study Level
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Advanced Study Level
Basic-S
Basic-S
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Minimal
Minimal
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic-S
Basic-S
Advanced Study Level
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Basic
Basic
Basic
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Advanced Study Level
Basic-S
Advanced Study Level
Basic
Advanced Study Level
Minimal
Minimal
Basic
>
Minimal:
A few selected items representing standard authors and core works; supports
fundamental inquiries.
>
Basic:
An up-to-date collection of general materials that introduces readers to a subject
and indicates the varieties of information available elsewhere. Supports routine
inquiries.
>
Basic-S:
Includes important primary materials and fundamental reference works;
adequate to support basic undergraduate instruction and independent study at
appropriate reading levels.
>
Advanced Study Level:
Covers a wider range of basic materials, expanded electronic journal coverage
3
and E-books.
VIII.
DEFINITION OF PATRON NEEDS, SERVICES AND USER GROUPS
Fundamentally, the College Library is three things: a place to study, a place to obtain information and a place for
recreational reading. On this premise, the College Library strives to offer a wide range of reader services including (1) reader
guidance, (2) test proctoring, (3) reference services, (4) bibliography preparation, (5) instructional materials support, (6)
bibliographic instruction and orientation, (7) telefax services, (8) interlibrary loan with OCLC access, (9) quiet study areas,
(10) group meeting/study areas, (11) MSC (Montana Shared Catalog Membership), (12) electronic databases and periodical
indexes, (13) small class offerings, (14) textbook reserve and class materials reserve, (15) photocopying services, (16)
microfiche reader/printer, (17) circulating video collection, (18) student academic advising, (19) Internet access both hardwired and wireless, (20) automated catalog and circulation system (SIRSI/DYNIX), and (21) campus lost/found.
The College Library also responds to local library needs of high school and junior high school students, public
patrons, older adults and other segments of the population. This includes all residents of Flathead County and surrounding
areas.
IX.
COLLECTION PRIORITIES
A. Chronological Coverage
Current information is available to college students within budget restraints. Weeding activities may
uncover dated monographs that have the potential of providing wrong information to the user and are
therefore withdrawn. Older publications will be maintained in the collection if they expand on local or
state knowledge for historical and research purposes. Montana related publications, for example, will be
maintained within the collection because they are subject specific regardless of publication date.
B. Formats
The College Library focuses primarily on collecting printed works. The Library, however, will utilize
microforms, video formats (DVD-VHS), the Internet, and other electronic media formats because of their
popularity and ease of storage. The Library will not collect textbooks except in situations where the only
title available to support a given subject area is in textbook format. The Library will also maintain a
circulating video collection and a selected non-circulating textbook collection. The Library does not
include satellite or splinter collections.
C. Multiple Copies
Space limitations do not permit the acquisition of multiple copies. Less than .5% of the College collection
is reflected in duplicate copies.
D. Languages
College courses are primarily 100 and 200 level courses and do not currently include emphasis on foreign
language proficiency. The Library collection is therefore currently comprised of 99+% English language
instructional support and recreational reading materials. The Library collection will continue to change to
satisfy current and future foreign language curriculum requirements.
E. Funding Considerations
The Library will continue to seek library funding for operations using the ALA target goal of 6% of the
total College general fund budget. While a worthwhile goal on national levels, this figure is not likely to be
achieved at our local level based on historical precedents and the realities of funding constraints. FVCC
library is currently at 3% in FY10 and 4% if we include general fund budgets allocated to our media center
whose holdings are included in the Montana Shared Catalog (MSC).
4
F. Collection Responsibilities and Selection Procedures
The College Library will, as nearly as possible, build its collection in accordance with the Pacific
Northwest Conspectus Database, Level 1.
Factors influencing selection:
- Faculty requests for materials to support their instructional areas will be given high priority
when judged against the following criteria:
Authority of publisher and/or author.
Recency of copyright date.
Importance to total collection.
Scarcity of materials on subject.
Support for instructional areas.
Potential or known use by patrons.
Price.
Availability of materials elsewhere in local or MSC shared catalog or equiv. service area.
Significance of subject matter.
X.
-
Replacement of missing items will receive high priority when necessary for the total
development of the collection.
-
Annual editions of reference books necessary for continuity will have priority in the selection
process.
GIFTS
The College Library will accept gifts of materials that assist in the development of the collection.
The following conditions apply to all gifts:
- All gifts become the permanent property of the College.
- The Library, with administrative approval, reserves the right to decline a gift if the material(s) is
(are) not deemed usable for the collection.
- No materials will be accepted as a permanent "loan" to the Library.
- The Library staff will not assess monetary values to gift materials, but can, upon request,
prepare a receipt for the donor indicating the type and number of gifts.
- The Library may dispose of gifts that do not meet library standards as defined elsewhere in this
policy.
- The Library will not accept materials to establish a separate "collection within a collection."
- Gifts of money to purchase library materials must, in general, be subject to the same
considerations and limitations as above. Large gifts invested so that the interest only is
used may have a special fund name with appropriate book plate. Purchases using these
gift funds will be made so long as they support the College's instructional programs.
- Gift/memorial plates are available upon request of the
donor(s).
XI.
COLLECTION MAINTENANCE
Weeding is a recognized tool of collection development. The Library will eliminate from the collection unused and
obsolete materials on a continuous basis. Demand, use, recency of information, physical condition and number of copies, all
have a bearing on the weeding process.
All bibliographic records of weeded materials will be removed from local and regional databases. The Library will
maintain records of weeded items in its total title and volume count for inventory purposes.
5
Faculty members should be consulted prior to major weeding projects.
XII.
COMPLAINTS AND CENSORSHIP
Individual incidents of complaint or censorship involving items in the College Library will be handled at the
informal level on a case-by-case basis by the Library staff member and/or director and complainant. If unresolved, the matter
will be brought before the Vice President/Dean of Instruction and Student Services after having the complaining party
complete the "Request for Reconsideration of Instructional Materials" form. The Dean, the Director of the Learning
Resources Center and the Library Director shall review the complaint and complete the "Recommendation of Review
Committee on Questioned Materials" form and present it to the complaining party. Formal meetings with the complainant
may be scheduled at any time in this process. If still unresolved the matter will be brought before the College Council and
then, if unresolved, to the Board of Trustees.
XIII.
SUBJECT AREAS COLLECTED
The Library will support the College's curriculum while giving added emphasis to extra-curricular reading and
general interest areas. Proper response will be given to the addition of courses and/or degrees with appropriate acquisitions
to provide adequate study material in the Library in the form of books, periodicals, videos, microforms, electronic indexes,
and documents. The Library will collect a MINIMAL or BASIC level as per the Pacific Northwest Collection Assessment
guidelines. Some subject areas will see expansion emphasis to the ADVANCED STUDY LEVEL (see p. 3). The College
Library will attempt to satisfy minimum accreditation standards required by ACRL and the Northwest Association of Schools
and Colleges. The above agencies require approximately 40,000 volumes to satisfy standards for the College. We currently
hold 39,705 volumes. The College Library will therefore collect at the 1b and 2a level. Subject areas at the 2a level include:
Social Sciences (H), Indians of North America (E), American History (F), Language and Literature (P), and technology (T).
While small in size, the Library collection reasonably is current, with the average age by publication date being
1987. The College Library has no special collections apart from the main collection.
XIV.
APPROVAL AND REVISION
The College Library Director, in conjunction with the Vice President of Educational Services, will review this
document annually at the end of the school year to determine what new directions and goals, if any, hold promise for library
services at the College. A revised plan will be presented to the President.
This document will also be forwarded to the Montana State Library for filing.
Institution Officials
Jane A. Karas
Chief Executive Officer
(X)
Signature
President
Title
Date
Kathy Hughes, Vice President of Instruction
(X)
Signature
Date
Michael J. Ober, Library Director
(X)
Signature
Date
777 Grandview Drive
Mailing Address
Kalispell, Montana 59901
(406) 756-3853
(406) 756-3854
6
City, State, Zip Code
Area Code & Telephone No.
Area Code & Fax No.
Revised: minor revisions 9/28/94; minor revisions 4/17/95; minor revisions 11/7/97; minor revisions 2/23/98,minor revisions 3/1/2000, minor revisions 11/15/00, revised 12/20/01; revised 11/22/02; revised
12/5/03; revised 3/3/05, revised 9/8/05, revised 1/1/07, minor revisions 10/9/2007, minor revisions 10/24/2008
7