Media 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 media resources collection 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. Media resources include electronic media that are primarily non-text (including but not limited to audio cassettes, video cassettes, DVDs, CDs, CD-ROMs, computer files, and multimedia) as well as non-electronic media (including but not limited to kits and graphics).
2. The following determinants define the parameters of the collection:
   1. 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. The resources of Holman Library are available for use by the general public; however, the library does not purchase materials requested by community users. As a general rule, media items will not be made available for interlibrary loan.
   2. Languages -- The library collects primarily English language materials. Foreign language materials are purchased to support the college's language programs and foreign students.
   3. 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
3. Collection Locations -- The majority of the media resources collection is located at the Holman Library circulation desk. Other locations include the Basic Skills Collection and the Instructional Media Services department.

Collection development shall be the joint responsibility of the Media Services Supervisor and the Collection Development Lead with input from the professional library staff, the Library Advisory Committee, instructional faculty, staff, students, and administration.

1. Oversight
   The Director of Library and Media Services has oversight responsibility for media collection development.
2. Media Services Supervisor
   The Media Services Supervisor reports to the Director and has leadership responsibility for the following activities:
   1. coordinates collection development activities concerning media materials with the Collection Development Lead;
   2. purchases media materials based primarily on faculty requests; and
   3. in coordination with the Director of Library and Media Services and the library’s Administrative Assistant, provides day-to-day management of the media collection development budget.
3. 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 media materials with the Media Services Supervisor;
   3. coordinates liaison activities related to collection assessment, selection and deselection with instructional divisions, departments and programs;
   4. prepares and maintains collection development policies and procedures;
   5. coordinates training for library/media faculty and staff in the area of collection management; and
   6. chairs the campus-wide Library Advisory Committee.
4. 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 and the Media Services Supervisor 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.
5. 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.

In general, media materials are purchased with state operating funds allocated separately from the funds used to purchase monographs, standing orders, and serial and database subscriptions. The Director of Library and Media Services, the Media Services Supervisor, the Collection Development Lead, and the library’s Administrative Assistant determine an allocation for Media Services collection development. The majority of the Media Services collection development budget is reserved for faculty and librarian recommendations and is utilized in the order in which recommendations have been received. Any remaining funds can be allocated at the discretion of the Media Services Supervisor, the Collection Development Librarian, and the Director of Library and Media Services.

1. Selection criteria include:
   1. relevance to the research needs of Holman Library's primary users;
   2. scholarly appropriateness to curriculum;
   3. relevance to curriculum as demonstrated by faculty requests;
   4. anticipated demand for the material;
   5. strengths and weaknesses of the existing library/media collection in the subject area;
   6. accuracy and validity of the information;
   7. reputation and authority of author, publisher or producer;
   8. technical quality;
   9. timeliness or permanence of the material;
   10. availability of public viewing rights;
   11. support of the format by Library Media Services;
   12. purchase of versions containing closed captioning and meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements when available;
   13. favorable evaluations of the material in standard or knowledgeable reviewing sources;
   14. cost, including comparison of purchase versus rental costs; and
   15. language.
2. Purchasing/Previewing
   For expensive media materials, previewing is strongly recommended. For less expensive items, previewing will be at the discretion of the Media Services Supervisor or the Collection Development Lead
3. Gift Items
   Gift items will be evaluated with the same criteria used to evaluate purchased items. (See Gift Policy, Appendix 3)

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 4). 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. The Media Services Supervisor, librarians, and regular teaching faculty in their area of expertise may be asked to participate in weeding activities.
2. Criteria for Weeding include:
   1. worn or damaged materials, considering them for replacement or repair as use warrants;
   2. materials having little or no circulation;
   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. non-viewable items due to obsolete, irreparable, or unobtainable hardware.

The Media Resources 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 and the Media Services Supervisor.

Created November 8, 2000
Updated February 28, 2005
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.

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.

Review of Library Materials Policy

Request for Review of Library Materials form