Collection Development Policy

Green River Community College offers courses and programs leading to a variety of associate degrees, certificates, and diplomas in academic transfer and professional and technical fields. Developmental and basic skills programs and non-credit courses are also offered. The main campus is located in Auburn with classes also offered in Enumclaw, Kent, and other community locations. There are approximately 130 full-time faculty and 200 part-time faculty teaching approximately 9000 students representing a diversity of ages and backgrounds.

This policy serves as a guide for the development of the Green River Community College Holman Library print and non-print collections in support of the College's and Library's missions (Appendix 1). It contains definitions and criteria and identifies responsibilities.

Holman Library adheres to the principles of intellectual freedom as established in the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom.

1. The following determinants define the parameters of the collection:
   1. Collection Level -- Unless otherwise noted, Holman Library aims to develop and maintain a collection that will meet Green River Community College's instructional needs at the initial study level, as defined in the American Library Association Collection Level Codes. The initial study level is defined as a collection that is adequate to support undergraduate course work, including: classics or standards in a subject; a selection of major and secondary periodicals; current information from print sources and electronic databases pertaining to the subject; and the Internet/World Wide Web.
   2. Intended Audiences -- The primary audience of Holman Library's collection consists of students and faculty of Green River Community College in their learning and teaching roles. The secondary audience consists of staff and administrative employees. Materials that fall outside specific instructional or job-related needs will be considered if they contribute to the overall education of students. Individual or unique research needs are primarily supported by interlibrary loan services and reference assistance. The resources of Holman Library are available for use by the general public; however, the library does not purchase materials requested by community users.
   3. Languages -- The library collects primarily English language materials. Foreign language materials are purchased to support the college's language programs and foreign students.
   4. Collection Areas -- The library collects materials to support the following divisions and programs:
      • Business (Business Administration, Business Education, Business Management, and Computer Reporting Technologies)
      • English (English Composition, English Literature, Reading, and Study Skills)
      • Fine Arts (Art, Dance, Drama, Journalism, Music and Photography)
      • Health Science and Family Studies (Early Childhood Education, Education, Health Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Parent-Child Education, and Physical Therapy)
      • Humanities (Chinese, Communication, Counseling, French, German, Japanese, Library Science, Philosophy, Spanish, Speech)
      • Language, Academic Skills and Wellness (Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, GED Preparation, Health Education, High School Completion, and Physical Education)
      • Mathematics (Mathematics and Mathematics Education)
      • Science (Anatomy-Physiology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Interdisciplinary Science, Natural Science, Physics, Science Education, and Water Supply/Wastewater Technology)
      • Social Science (American Studies, Anthropology, Behavioral Science, Criminal Justice, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology)
      • Technology (Aviation Technology, Computer Information Technology, Computer Science, Design Drafting Technology, Electronics Technology, Engineering, Fiber Optic Technology, Natural Resources, Geographic Information Systems, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, and Mechanical Design Technology)
      • Trades (Auto Body Technology, Automotive Technology, Carpentry Technology, Industrial Education, Machine Technology, and Welding Technology)
      • Intensive English as a Second Language
2. Collection Locations -- Items in the Holman Library collection can be assigned to one of many sub-collections held both in the library and elsewhere on campus:
   • Main Collection: Located on the second floor of Holman Library, the circulating Main Collection is the foundation of the Holman Library book collection.
   • Oversize Collection: Located on the second floor of Holman Library, the circulating Oversize Collection contains items 29 cm in height or greater.
   • Reference Collection: Located on the second floor of the Holman Library near the Information Center desk, the Reference Collection includes materials expected to receive frequent, short-term use by library staff and patrons. These items do not circulate unless explicitly permitted by a reference librarian. The reference section may include subject areas not contained in other library collections. Other reference materials may include items with special value or those that are especially vulnerable to damage or theft if allowed to circulate. Items weeded from the Reference Collection may be withdrawn from the library or transferred to the general collection.
   • Reserve Collection: Housed at the library's Circulation Desk, this collection includes materials with non-standard circulation periods. These materials may belong to the library or be privately owned. Materials put on reserve by library staff or Green River Community College faculty, such as books, videos, photocopies, or personal items, should support a specific instructional or institutional need. Librarians do not manage or develop this collection. Refer to the Circulation Policy Manual for complete information on the Reserve Collection.
   • Basic Skills Collection: Located on the second floor of the library, the Basic Skills Collection is primarily intended for the use of English as a Second Language and Adult Basic Education students. It includes readers, English language tapes, writing handbooks, etc.
   • Essential College Skills Collection: Located on the second floor of the library, the Essential College Skills Collection is primarily intended for Adult Basic Education students and students wishing to improve study skills. It includes GED, COMPASS and test preparation books, and books on study, reading and writing skills.
   • Picture Book Collection: Located on the second floor of the library, the Picture Book Collection supports children's literature and Early Childhood Education classes.
   • Media Services Collection: Located both in the Media Services area and at the Circulation Desk, the multimedia collection consists of audiovisual materials in various formats.

Collection development shall be the responsibility of the professional library staff with input from Library Advisory Committee members, instructional faculty, staff, students, and administration.

1. Oversight
   The Director of Library and Media Services has oversight responsibility for collection development.
2. Collection Development Lead
   The Collection Development Lead librarian reports to the Director and has leadership responsibility for the following activities:
   1. with input from library/media services faculty and staff, writes and annually updates a collection development strategic plan;
   2. coordinates collection development activities concerning electronic resources and media materials with the Information Commons Manager and the Media Services Supervisor;
   3. in coordination with the Director of Library and Media Services and the library's Administrative Assistant, provides day-to-day management of multiple budgets;
   4. coordinates liaison activities related to collection assessment, selection and deselection with instructional divisions, departments and programs;
   5. with input from librarians and media services staff, coordinates the expenditure of the general book, serials and media funds;
   6. prepares and maintains collection development policies and procedures;
   7. coordinates training for library/media faculty and staff in the area of collection management; and
   8. chairs the campus-wide Library Advisory Committee.
3. Librarians
   All full-time librarians participate in collection development and have the following responsibilities:
   1. serve as liaisons to assigned faculty divisions (assigned divisions will be in the librarian's area of expertise, if possible);
   2. provide input to the Collection Development Lead regarding collection development activities and the needs of the divisions to which they are assigned as liaisons; and
   3. serve as members of the Library Advisory Committee.
4. Library Advisory Committee
   In accordance with the purpose of the Library Advisory Committee (Appendix 2), this committee will assist with collection development by facilitating communication between the library, academic divisions, and other campus offices.

Print and non-print materials are purchased using a combination of state operating funds; federal, state, and local grant money; and the interest from the Holman Library endowment fund managed by the College Foundation. In addition, the student technology fee annually funds electronic resources. These combined budgets are allocated among monographs, standing orders, and serial and database subscriptions. Monographic materials are items purchased individually; standing orders encompass series or sets of materials purchased over time; and serial and database subscriptions are those purchased or licensed on an annual basis.

1. Allocations
   The Collection Development Lead, the Director of Library and Media Services, and the library's Administrative Assistant determine allocations with input from librarians and staff. In general, allocations shall first cover annual standing orders and subscriptions prior to allocations for book materials.
2. Divisional Allocations
   1. Book Collections
      1. Each academic division represented through the Library Advisory Committee shall receive a base allocation for book purchases at the beginning of each fiscal year.
      2. Contingent upon the availability of funds, a supplemental allocation for books may be allocated to each division and shall be based on criteria in Appendix 3.
      3. Base and supplemental allocations shall be reserved for the exclusive use of each division until February 15th of each year, after which time any remaining funds shall revert to the general collection development fund.
      4. When funds are available, faculty requests over and above divisional allocations shall be given priority for purchase.
   2. Serial Subscriptions
      1. In general, serial subscriptions may not be charged against division allocations, but each subscription shall be associated with its initiating division.
      2. If a division chooses to use its book allocation towards a serial subscription, the cost of the annual subscription shall be deducted from the division's allocation in the initial and all subsequent years.
   3. Electronic Database Subscriptions
      Electronic database subscriptions are not charged against division allocations; however, balance among divisions will be sought in the allocation of the electronic database subscription budget.
   4. Media Resources
      The Instructional Media Center has a separate budget for media purchases. Media requests are referred to the IMC and are not charged against division allocations.

1. Selection criteria include:
   1. relevance to the research needs of Holman Library's primary users;
   2. accuracy and validity of the information;
   3. anticipated demand for the material;
   4. timeliness or permanence of the material, including the frequency of updates;
   5. strengths and weaknesses of the existing library collection in the subject area;
   6. cost of the material on a one-time or continuing basis (this includes serials, standing orders, and networking costs for materials in electronic formats);
   7. language (English or non-English) and reading level of the material;
   8. reputation of author, publisher or producer;
   9. coverage in readily accessible indexes (specifically for periodicals);
   10. accessibility of information;
   11. evaluations of the material in standard or knowledgeable reviewing sources;
   12. whether the source is full-text, abstracted, or strictly bibliographic; and
   13. the extent to which a title or subject has been requested by Holman Library users through interlibrary loan.
2. Additional Selection Criteria for Books include:
   1. the choice between soft or hard cover, based on expected usage and cost;
   2. the decision to replace lost, missing, or damaged materials according to the criteria established for initial selection;
   3. in general, not purchasing multiple copies (with the exception of titles requested by the Basic Skills faculty and purchased with their divisional allocation);
   4. in general, not purchasing textbooks that students purchase as part of their course requirements; and
   5. evaluating gift items with the same criteria used to evaluate purchased items. (See Gift Policy, Appendix 4)
3. Additional Selection Criteria for Electronic Databases include:
   1. public service support requirements, such as the need for staff and user training;
   2. compatibility with existing library network and computer systems;
   3. searching considerations, including search response time, standard search features (Boolean operators, truncation, field searching, etc.), downloading/printing features, and overall user friendliness in accessing the database; and
   4. technical support by the producer of the database including user guides, manuals, and training from the producer of the database.
4. Additional Selection Criteria for Media include:
   1. availability of public viewing rights;
   2. support of the format by Library Media Services;
   3. priority given to faculty requests; and
   4. purchase of versions containing closed captioning when available.
5. Additional selection criteria for linked Web sites are included in the Web Site Link Policy (Appendix 5).

Should a library user consider any item in the Holman Library collection to be objectionable, the user may submit a completed Request for Review of Library Materials form to the Director of Library and Media Services. See the Review of Library Materials Policy (Appendix 6). The item will remain in its current location while the review is underway.

Weeding refers to the ongoing assessment process during which items are identified for removal from the collection and disposed of in accordance with Washington State law.

1. The Collection Development Lead is responsible for coordinating weeding activities and must approve all weeding decisions. Librarians and regular teaching faculty in their areas of expertise may be asked to participate in weeding activities.
2. Criteria for Weeding include:
   1. worn or damaged materials, including those with broken spines, defaced or faded pages or covers, missing, torn or brittle pages, etc. (If the materials receive reasonable use, they should be considered for replacement or repair.);
   2. materials having little or no circulation according to information derived from the Library's online catalog. (Exceptions are classics in their disciplines or standard titles in their areas which give an overview of the subject area.);
   3. duplicate copies of low-circulating materials;
   4. materials containing outdated or inaccurate information;
   5. materials that no longer meet a curriculum need;
   6. superseded editions of materials neither considered classics nor needed for historical purposes; and
   7. periodicals over ten years old, unless the material is specifically chosen for extended holdings.

The Collection Development Policy Statement shall be updated or changed as needed to maintain currency, and shall be reviewed every two years by the Collection Development Lead.

Created November 8, 2000
Last updated April 2010

Holman Library Mission

Green River Community College Mission

The composition and function of the Library Advisory Committee is currently in work. April 8, 2010.

For monographic purchases, each division shall receive a base allocation to be determined each year by the Director of Library and Media Services. The base allocation for all divisions shall be approximately two percent of the overall collection development budget (excluding serials).

A supplemental allocation may be allocated to each division, depending on the library budget, and shall be based on:

1. The size of the division and its courses and/or programs, including the number of faculty, the number of FTE students, and the number and variety of courses offered;
2. Changing curriculum needs and, in particular, the development of new courses and/or new programs in the division;
3. Library use by faculty/students in the division's courses and/or programs;
4. Current holdings in the collection area and their relevance to the division's courses and/or programs;
5. Recent expenditures and acquisitions levels in the collection area;
6. Growth of the literature in the field;
7. Relative costs of books and other media published in the field; and
8. Current serials acquisitions levels in the collection area.

Adding the base allocation to the supplemental allocation (if any) yields the division allocation.

Holman Library does not accept gifts of books, periodicals, CDs, DVDs or other materials at this time. Monetary gifts may be made through the Green River Community College Foundation.

Monetary gifts may include restrictions, providing they are pre-approved by the Director of Library and Media Services. Please indicate your gift is for Holman Library.

Web site link selection criteria:

In addition to the general selection criteria, the following criteria will be used in selecting Web site links:

• the site is authoritative, credible, and non-commercial (exceptions will be made only for sites of exceptional quality)
• the site is open to everyone
  • a site which requires membership but no fees can be added with a note that registration is required to access some or all information
  • a site which offers some useful free information and other information for a fee can be added with a note that a fee is required for complete access
• the site's purpose is clearly stated
• Information about the author, title, and most recent update is clearly identified
• Page is stable and does not move or disappear frequently

Web duplication of print resources is acceptable for free Internet resources in order to provide an additional point of access.

Web site link maintenance criteria:

This portion of the Web Site Link Policy is currently under review. April 2010.

Review of Library Materials Policy

Request for Review of Library Materials form