Guidelines

Mission:

The Library at Washington State College of Ohio serves as the information provider for our students, faculty, and staff. We strive to provide literacy through traditional and innovative technology to encourage curiosity, free inquiry, research, and learning in a friendly environment.

Introduction:

The collection development policy is a written document which defines the scope and nature of a library's existing collection and the policies and plans for continuing development of resources as they relate to institutional goals, general selection criteria, and intellectual freedom.

The objectives of the Washington State College of Ohio Library as factors in selection are as follows:

• To help people know more about themselves and their world
• To supplement formal study and encourage informal self-education
• To meet the information needs of the WSCO community
• To stimulate thoughtful participation in the affairs of the community, the country, and the world
• To aid in learning and improving job-related skills
• To assist the individual to grow intellectually and spiritually and to enjoy life more fully

Responsibilities for Material Selection

The ultimate responsibility for selection of print and non-print materials, as with all library activities, rests with the Library Director. This responsibility is shared by other members of the staff. However, because the Director must be able to answer to the powers that be and the WSCO community for actual selections made, he/she has the authority to reject or select any items contrary to the recommendations of the staff (provided the budget allows for it).

Principles:

The selection of all library materials should be as objective as possible. Selection that is affected by one's own prejudice is an act of censorship. A thorough knowledge of the library's collection and overall balance is necessary to good materials selection. Good materials selection is based on a thorough knowledge of the college's needs and resources. In selecting materials on controversial issues, the library must make every attempt to present differing points of view. In materials selection, popular demand must be recognized to the extent of maintaining college interest and support of the library. However, materials selection by popular demand must still be guided by consideration of merit, use, and balance. The selection of materials by the library staff is geared to the interests of the majority of the patrons served and not to special interest groups. Materials selected should be judged upon their authoritativeness and effectiveness of presentation. Each must be considered as a whole and not judged by any of its parts. The materials budget should be expended in such a way that the various demands made upon it are proportionately served.

It should be noted that selection of any materials should not be construed as an endorsement by the library of the views contained therein.

Criteria for Selection:

The following is a list of general criteria to be considered in selection of library materials. This list is not in priority order, nor is it meant to be exhaustive.

• Insight into human and social condition
• Suitability of subject and style for the intended audience
• Present and potential relevance to college needs and interest
• Timeliness or permanent value
• Relation to existing collection
• Scarcity of information in the subject area
• Availability of material elsewhere in the community or on OhioLINK
• Price
• Format
• Authority
• Comprehensiveness and depth of treatment
• Clarity, accuracy, and logic of treatment
• Vitality and originality
• Artistic presentation
• Sustained interest and entertainment

Exclusion of Materials:

The Library Director is expressly charged with the legal and professional obligation to execute, in good faith and the highest degree of skills, the collection development policy of the library. The Library Director is also professionally obligated to resist with equal good faith, skill, and vigor, the efforts of every person or group, when directed to him/her, to compel a modification of materials selection or services based upon criteria substantially in conflict with policies established by Library.

Some materials may be purchased which are shocking to some users, but if these materials meet the standards of the written selection policy, the interest of the community and are relevant, the librarian is justified in purchasing the books and materials. Disapproval of an item by an individual or group should not be the means by which that item is denied to all individuals or groups.

Although materials written to trade on sensationalism are not knowingly added to the collection, works which present an honest and realistic picture of some problem or aspect of life are not excluded because of frankness of the language or description.

Library materials are not marked or labeled to indicate approval or disapproval of their contents. Library materials are selected in their entirety and not subject to modification or alteration by the library staff.

Deselection:

Discarding of library materials is necessary to maintain a vital, useful, well-kept collection. The purpose of weeding is to reevaluate the collection in conjunction with the selection of new and replacement materials. An active and continuous weeding program is essential in order to keep material viable and useful.

Any material taking up space that could otherwise be more profitably used for other materials is subject to reevaluation and discard by the collection manager. This includes older nonfiction that no longer contains current information and once-popular fiction no longer in demand. Among those attributes considered will be physical condition, number of copies available, use, adequate coverage in the field, and availability of similar materials.

All withdrawn materials are offered to other OhioLINK institutions at no charge. These materials may be added to collections which can more appropriately house them without detracting from the circulating collection.

Criteria for Deselection:

• Materials worn out through use
• Materials no longer considered accurate or factual
• Materials which have had little recent use and are of questionable value

Excess copies of a title no longer in demand

While the library attempts to have copies of standard and important works, it does not automatically replace all materials withdrawn. The same criteria that apply to original selection will also apply to replacements. The need for replacement is based on:

• The number of duplicate copies
• Existence of adequate coverage of the subject in the collection
• Demand for the specific title or subject area
• Availability of material

Challenged Materials:

Criticism of the library holdings will be registered and reviewed by the Director, who should refer to the selection criteria for the item and respond to the challenger appropriately. If the challenger wishes to pursue the issue, he or she may schedule an appointment with a representative of the school. If the matter is not resolved by the school representative, it will be referred to the full Board whose decision will be final. In extreme cases, when the committee and the Board make a finding that an intrusion of intellectual freedom exists and cannot be resolved by conciliatory procedures, the Board may authorize one or more of the following actions: seeking legal advice; making accurate and complete information available to all local news media; reporting the incident to the American Library Associations Office of Intellectual Freedom and other appropriate entities.

In cases which involve intrusion of intellectual freedom coupled with the threat of dismissal against the Director and/or staff, the Board shall provide moral support to the librarian to resist, provide factual support in documented evidence, and authorize monetary support for legal aid. If monetary support is required for legal aid, the Board shall determine whether such aid can best be furnished by the Ohio Library Council, the American Library Association, or by such groups as the Freedom to Read Foundation of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Library encourages the interest and involvement of citizens and organizations in its service program through contributions of book or non-book materials for collections and appropriate gifts which will enhance the collection.

Gifts of miscellaneous books or other materials are accepted with the understanding that items which are not added to collections will be disposed of at the discretion of the Library Director. Any proceeds derived from such disposal may be used at the discretion of the administration for Library improvement or staff development.