Collections Development Policy

This Policy provides guidelines to be practiced by Memorial Library, and its Liaison Librarians, in the curation and development of its collections. The policies for the Archives and Special Collections, given their unique mission and reliance upon donated materials, may be found at the Archives and Special Collections policy page. This collection policy will be reviewed yearly and updated as needed by a collection development committee with input from liaison librarians.

The library’s collection supports the teaching and research activities of SUNY Cortland students, faculty, and staff. Materials are selected for inclusion in the collection based on relevance to current curriculum as well as faculty and student research plans, projects, and assignments. SUNY Cortland alumni and members of the community may borrow physical items from the circulating collection and access the library’s electronic resources while in the library if they request guest access.

Statement of Censorship and Freedom of Information

In developing its collection, the library affirms the “Library Bill of Rights” created by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, including the following policies:

• “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their
  creation.”
• “Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.”
• “Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibilities to provide information and enlightenment.”
• Memorial Library supports and complies with the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association as well as the relevant NY State laws governing library records, including section 4509 of the New York State Civil Practice Law & Rules. The library privacy policy can be found on the Library Policies page.

The reason for this collection development policy is to provide guidelines to create a collection of library materials that supports the library's mission. All decisions about the kinds of materials to be collected or accessed should be made with the mission statement in mind.

A. General Collection Development Policy

1. Collection Development Strategies

• The goal of collection development is to provide a relevant and vital collection in all disciplines related to the curriculum and to the university community's information needs, in print, electronic and web-based formats, and all other emerging media as appropriate.
•  Additional emphasis is given to supplying the day-to-day information needs of the university community. These responsibilities are identified through continued interchange between the liaison librarians and the faculty. The liaison librarians, through an ongoing process of evaluation, develop a collection of needed items in each discipline.
• Cooperative purchases and the Memorial Library's access to regional library resources will be considered in most selection decisions.
• When advantageous, the Library participates in consortia agreements for access to resources through SUNY, South Central Regional Library Council (SCLRC) and Lyrasis.
• The collection is supplemented by SUNY wide resource sharing and Interlibrary Loan, to include arrangements for advanced-level research.

2. Selection Criteria

The Library's primary responsibility is to provide the materials needed by current patrons, rather than to establish a collection that will serve the projected needs of a future generation. Therefore, selection will be based primarily on knowledge of current library use and present
curricular needs. The library collects materials to support the curriculum.

Selection of materials to be acquired is the responsibility of the liaison librarians with input provided by university faculty.

The library adapted the following selection criteria from the 2018 “Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries” created by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom

• Relevance. Materials selected for inclusion directly support current SUNY Cortland teaching and research.
• Authority. The Library will prioritize the acquisition of works that represent seminal research, or scholarly, literary, and/or creative works with great significance to the fields of study engaged in by its users.
•  Publisher. The Library considers publisher reputation as a general indicator of quality. Self published materials will not typically be considered for inclusion within the collections.
• Uniqueness. Materials should provide access to unique content that is not otherwise represented in the collection or available from a free and stable online resource.
• Currency and Timeliness. For disciplines that rely on newly published and current information for research, the Library collects materials with recent publication dates or materials that were recently revised to reflect the most up-to- date findings in the field.
• Format. The Library collects resources in formats that best support the course format (online or in-person), local pedagogy, and  research and align with the technology support provided by Campus Technology Services.
  •  Books. The Library’s preferred format for books is print or eBooks with licensing forunlimited simultaneous users.
  •  Journals & Electronic Resources. The Library subscribes to journals, magazines, and newspapers in electronic format, both individually and within database collections.
  • Journals specific criteria:
    • Accessibility through an indexing and abstracting source and/or database to which the library subscribes.
    • Interdisciplinary nature of the periodical and expected number students and faculty who may benefit from a subscription.

• • Electronic Resources specific criteria:
    • Accessibility
    • Ability of authenticated users to access the resource from outside of the library.
    • Ability for multiple simultaneous users to access the resource
    • Access to the same or comparable content in another library resource or free, stable online resource

• •  Streaming Video. The Library’s preferred format for films is streaming access. If a film is not available to stream, or not available to stream on a platform that is interoperable with library systems, the Library will purchase a DVD copy of the film, which will be available to stream by authenticated users only.
  • Accessibility. The Library aims to provide equitable access to our collections in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In situations where the format is inaccessible, the library staff will work with patrons and the Disability Resources Office to provide reasonable accommodation.
• Diversity. SUNY Cortland defines diversity broadly to include all aspects of human difference. We value diversity in our collections and know that it enhances our ability to inspire students to learn, lead and serve in a changing world. 
• Language. The primary emphasis of the collection is on the English language. Non-English materials supporting the foreign language curriculum are selectively acquired and purchased.
• Faculty recommendations. Faculty recommendations will be considered for purchase, depending upon funding, curriculum needs and current holdings. Recommendations should be submitted through the Materials Request Form. Faculty are encouraged to donate their
  own publications when possible.
• Student suggestions will also be considered.
• Price. The library will consider price, including whether the resources is a one-time purchase or an annual subscription.
• Usage or demand as indicated by data.

Materials Out of Scope for the Collection

• Unsupported Formats. The Library does not purchase formats such as VHS tapes and CDs.
•  Audio Books. The Library does not collect audio books in any format.
• Duplicate copies of a title will be purchased only under very special circumstances, on a highly selective basis, given budgetary constraints. Heavy demand for one title may necessitate use of reserves or other arrangement.
• Textbooks are not regularly purchased for the collection. Study guides and materials accompanying textbooks, such as instructor guides and workbooks, are rarely purchased. Professors may provide a personal copy of a textbook to be placed on course reserve.
  Former course reserve textbooks are not added to the main collection.
• Print reference works (with the exception of citation styles, writing guides, and essential curriculum related resources, i.e. DSM ) are out of scope for the collection as the Library no longer maintains a print reference collection. The library provides access to online reference materials when available.
• Microforms. The Library does not collect microforms.

3. Collection Assessment

Continuing assessment of user needs, and examination of current circulation patterns and curriculum will be analyzed to gain a better knowledge of what is required.

4. Preservation, Repair and Replacement

The library is committed to the appropriate preservation of aging or damaged materials in order to maintain a collection appropriate to curricular needs.

Preservation may include repair, or replacement. The method of preservation is influenced by the availability of replacement options, electronic duplication of content, physical condition of the material, importance of the item to the Library's collection, and other factors unique to each item. Priority will be given to items that show high usage and relevance to programs and curricula.

The library will replace lost materials as appropriate. Lost items may be directly replaced, or the library may instead select similar material or variant editions to replace the lost content. Users maybe responsible for the cost of items that must be replaced. The Library Fines policy describes this in more detail.

Materials that do not meet the above-listed criteria will be withdrawn, and not replaced or mended.

5. Deselection

Deselection of materials is an important part of our collection development and maintenance program. To ensure a relevant collection that best supports the teaching and research at SUNY Cortland, the Library routinely removes physical materials from the collection, based on input from faculty and liaisons. The following criteria are considered for deselection:

• Items no longer relevant to the curriculum; based on input from faculty, and liaisons
• Items are outdated: if usage is high: new or revised materials may be available
•  Items are damaged beyond repair; if usage is high: new or revised materials may be available
• Historical value of the item: materials which have the potential for inclusion in the Archives or Special Collections are reviewed by the Archivist & Instructional Services Librarian
•  Incomplete sets or dead runs of series
• Items that have sustained low usage as shown by usage data
• Multiple copies
• Items outside of the scope of the collection or in a format we no longer collect

Withdrawn materials from the collection will be disposed of in accordance with New York State statutes and policies.

6. Gifts (Donations)

Memorial Library welcomes donations that support the curricula of SUNY Cortland programs. Appraisals of materials donated are the responsibility of donors and must be completed before the donation is made to the library.

Donors are strongly encouraged to review our criteria for donations and to set up an appointment for the transfer of materials. All materials accepted become the property of the library without restrictions by the donor. When appropriate, items that do not support the library’s mission will be donated to Better World Books or a similar charitable program.

The Library does not perform financial appraisals of donated materials. Donors should speak with their tax accountant or attorney about the possibility of a tax deduction for the donation of material to the Library. If requested, an acknowledgement letter is sent to the donor.

7. Criteria for Donations

The library gladly accepts the following materials for the circulating collection:

• Materials that support the curricular and research needs of the university
• Materials that are in good condition: clean, dry, and free of mold
• Materials in poor condition or exhibiting signs of mold or mildew
• Textbooks
•  Mass market paperbacks
• Electronic materials requiring obsolete software
• Magazines and journals
• Atlases
• Duplicate copies of materials already held by the library
• Condensed books
• Books with highlighting, underlining, or annotation
• Encyclopedia sets
• Government documents
• Gifts to which the donor has attached conditions or restrictions
• Materials in outmoded formats (e.g., VHS or 8-track tapes, 5.25-inch computer disks, LPs, Betamax, or CDs)

B. Teaching Materials Center (TMC) Collection Development Policy

1. TMC Mission

The Teaching Materials Center (TMC) offers collections, instruction, outreach, and research services to the students and faculty of the SUNY Cortland teacher education programs. The TMC Librarian works actively with students and faculty to deliver services and build responsive collections.

The collection includes materials that are typically encountered in P-12 school libraries, allowing students to gain hands-on practice with these resources before they use them in the classroom.

2. General TMC Collection Guidelines

The main goal of the TMC is to support the curricular needs of the students and faculty of the School of Education. As a result, the primary audience of these materials is ultimately current and future educators, making its objectives distinct from school or public library collections that are aimed directly at children and young adults. These materials should still appeal to various age levels, but with an overall focus on supporting the curricula and classrooms of the education departments.

The following criteria are considered when adding items to the overall TMC collection:

• Curricular needs of the School of Education: e.g., courses, assignments
• Curricular trends in the schools
• Topics of high interest and importance (based on current events, etc)
• Reading Levels: All levels are collected from infant/toddler up through secondary. There is a strong emphasis on materials for Early Childhood and Childhood, based on the large student population in this major, as well as circulation statistics.
• Recommendations from high-quality review sources
• Faculty recommendations
• Donations: These are considered following the Library’s guidelines for Gifts

Materials out of scope for the TMC:

• The TMC adheres to the Main Library policies for most materials that are not considered for collection, including: VHS (and other physical video formats), audiobooks, duplicates, and reference works. The only exception are K-12 textbooks, which are collected based on demand and budget.

3. Specific TMC Collection Guidelines

Each sub-collection of the TMC has unique items, as well as criteria for selection. Currently, the
TMC consists of the following collections:

• TMC Easy: Picture books and leveled readers. This area is the most frequently circulated
  section of the TMC, consistently accounting for almost half of all TMC Circulation.
• TMC Nonfiction+: A wide variety of formats, levels, and genres, making it the most
  diverse and largest area of the TMC. It's generally the second most frequently circulated
  collection.
  • TMC Nonfiction Formats/Topics:
    • Books:
      • Nonfiction, informational texts
      • Poetry, drama
      • Folklore, fairy tales
      • K-12 Textbooks
      • Teacher materials: activity guides, lesson plans, etc.
    • Objects:
      • Kits (STEM, literacy, English language learning, etc.)
      • Realia
      • Manipulatives
      • Games
      • Toys
• TMC Fiction: Young adult novels and mid/upper-elementary-level chapter books.
• TMC Biography: Biographical books on historical figures and other notable people, covering a range of reading levels and topics. Formats include picture books and chapter books.
• TMC Board: Sturdy board books which are useful for reading with infants and toddlers.
• TMC Jackdaw: Packets of primary source materials.
• TMC Graphic: Graphic novels for all age levels.
• TMC Puppet: Puppets that are separated into bags and located on trees in the Children’s Reading Area.
• TMC Giant: Oversized books which are especially suitable for read-alouds.
• Online Materials: The TMC follows the overall library guidelines for obtaining ebooks and streaming videos. Open access materials freely available on the web are provided through the Virtual TMC section of the TMC’s online guide.

Memorial Library Liaison Librarians, under the direction of the Library Director, are responsible for the policy and for collection development. In the event the policy requires revision, the Library Director will appoint an ad-hoc committee of liaison librarians to revise the policy.

For specific information or clarification, please contact the Director of Libraries. If you have questions related to the Teaching Materials Center, please contact Lisa Czirr.

A. References:

Association of University and Research Libraries. (2017). Guidelines for curriculum materials centers. American Library Association.

Memorial Library’s policies are available to view at the Library Policies page.