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Collection Development Policy
The purpose of the policy is to serve as a working document for library staff, faculty, and other constituencies to Black Hawk College concerned with collection development of the Black Hawk College Library. Responsibilities and priorities are defined, as well as guidelines for the selection, rejection, and withdrawal of library materials. This policy is reviewed continuously.
All members of the College community are invited to make suggestions for the purchase of library materials. All suggestions will be evaluated using the criteria listed elsewhere in this policy. Faculty are responsible for recommending purchase of materials that support student assignments for their courses as well as in their subject areas at large. It is the responsibility of the Director of Library Services to ensure that the collection as a whole fulfills the College goals according to the guidelines below.
Each item will be considered in terms of its own merit and usefulness to the students, faculty, and staff who use the library. For all materials, the following general criteria will be considered:
Additional considerations for students include:
Additional considerations for faculty, administrators, and staff include:
All materials should be appropriate for undergraduate research. Interlibrary loan service is available for scholarly research or infrequently requested materials.
The Black Hawk College Library will therefore emphasize the acquisition of collection items that feature established and emerging authors and scholarly authorities from diverse and underrepresented communities. Increasing representation from historically marginalized communities will aid efforts to universalize the curriculum and help our diverse College community see themselves reflected in the Library’s collections.
Selection guides used to develop the library collection include but are not limited to the following: Booklist, Choice Magazine, and Library Journal.
Popular works: The library maintains a small collection of contemporary, popular fiction and non-fiction suitable to the reading levels and interests of our users. Popular works may be purchased in print or digital format.
Serials: A continuation or serial is defined as a publication issued in successive parts at regular intervals intended to continue indefinitely. Serials include periodicals, yearbooks, annuals, newspapers, and some reference works. Serials are purchased in a variety of formats including some print, but primarily through online databases. Priority is given to titles, regardless of format, that support the curriculum, are indexed in locally available sources, and are recommended in standard sources. Because serials represent a major expenditure for library materials, the library staff and faculty evaluate these materials frequently.
Nonprint materials: Nonprint materials must meet the same standards for selection as print materials. Examples of nonprint materials include but are not limited to online databases, ebooks, audiobooks, streaming video, loanable technology, DVDs, and Blu-rays.
Ebook titles: Individual ebook licenses are purchased on an as needed basis. All ebooks are purchased through the Library's subscription services such as Proquest Ebook Central, EBSCOhost Ebooks, and Overdrive. In addition, multi-user licenses are also preferred but not required due to cost and availability.
Streaming videos: Streaming video licenses are purchased to support the curricular needs of the College. The emphasis in the selection of streaming titles is placed on titles which will be directly used by the faculty for instruction or in support of instruction. As much as possible, the Library will purchase access to streaming videos through subscription or license from third party vendors such as Films on Demand, Kanopy, Swank, and Criterion Films USA. In general, faculty members are encouraged to preview audiovisual materials prior to a request for purchase.
Duplicate copies: In general, the Library does not order duplicate copies of materials.
Textbooks: In general, textbooks are not purchased and added to the collection. The Library does maintain a collection of reserve materials that may include textbooks provided by faculty or student support services.
Paperbound editions: Paperbound editions are preferred for most subject areas.
Archival material: The Black Hawk College Library maintains a small archival collection of bound print materials such as: College course catalogs, student newspapers, yearbooks, Board meeting reports, and other material relating to the history of the College. The Library reserves the right to discard duplicate material and to decline to add items not closely related to the history of the College or that do not meet the bound format of acceptable materials. The Library does not collect student records, personnel or departmental records, and financial records unless they have historical interest or value to the College.
Black Hawk College accepts donations of library materials at the discretion of the Director of Library Services with the understanding that there are no conditions attached to their use or disposal. Only materials in good condition that meet the criteria established in this policy are added to the collection. Donations of cash and equipment need to be made through the individual campus foundation offices. In general, the appraisal of gifts for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor.
Replacements: It is not the Library’s policy to automatically replace all materials because of damage or loss. The following criteria will be considered on a title-by-title basis:
Withdrawal: In order to maintain the currency, quality, relevance, and condition of the collection, titles are reviewed periodically and systematically. The Director of Library Services and librarians are responsible for the continuous and systematic evaluation of the collection. As with selection, the faculty is encouraged to periodically review materials in their subject area to make recommendations for additional withdrawals.
The withdrawal process is an integral part of collection maintenance. Materials are withdrawn to maintain a current, active, and useful collection. The shortage of space may also necessitate the withdrawal of materials from the collection. When evaluating materials for withdrawal, the criteria used for the selection of materials as well as the following may also be considered:
Final decisions to withdraw are made by the librarians on a title-by-title basis.
Black Hawk College Library supports the principles of intellectual freedom inherent in the Constitution of the United States and expressed in the Library Bill of Rights of the American Library Association. If any material is challenged, the right to access the materials, the integrity of the library personnel, and the comprehensive nature of the selection process must be defended.
In the unlikely event that a title is challenged, the individual who has initiated the challenge will be asked to submit the challenge in writing to the Director of Library Services. The Director will review all challenged material and respond in writing, including a copy of this policy in the response.
If the challenger is not satisfied with the response, they will be asked to submit the challenge in writing to the academic officer responsible for the Library.