The full document is available online at www.assumption.edu/sites/default/files/library/pdfs/Coll_Dev_Policy_8-13.pdf.
THE COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT and Retention Policy for the Emmanuel d’Alzon Library is notable because it describes specific procedures for staff to use to develop the library collection. The policy details a number of guidelines for selection, and includes the following text to guide staff in weeding and retention:
Members of the faculty are encouraged to review books in their respective subject areas and to bring books that should be removed from the collection to the attention of the appropriate subject liaison. After a liaison has determined that items are not exempted by the repository standards enumerated above, the liaison is expected to bring items to cataloging staff or other designated librarians to be removed from the collection.
Nonetheless, it is recognized that many members of the faculty do not have time to locate and examine materials that are shelved in their normal locations. For that reason, the appropriate subject liaison or designate is expected to evaluate the collection on an ongoing basis. The chair of the appropriate department should be notified that items have been selected for possible removal from the library collection. Members of the faculty should have a minimum of two weeks to look at such items to determine if they warrant removal or if they should be returned to the collection. If a librarian other than the subject liaison has designated materials for review, the liaison will be notified to review the selections to make a similar determination. As appropriate, library workers will be notified to return designated materials to their normal locations in the library collection.
After the stated time has passed, items that remain under review will be removed from the collection.
• Incomplete sets should be considered for removal unless:
• Remaining volume(s) in the collection make(s) sense on a stand alone basis, or
• Replacement of missing volume(s) is feasible.
• An item in obviously poor condition should be removed unless:
• Removing the work would create a significant gap in the collection, and
• Replacing the work would cost more than $50. If the work can be replaced for under $50, staff time would be better spent focusing on the repair of more expensive items. A work that meets both criteria above should be transferred to the repair shelves, unless the work would be removed under other criteria without regard to condition of the item.
• Duplicate copies of works over ten years old should be removed unless:
• Each copy has circulated at least once during the past three years, or
• The work is of a general nature, such as an introductory retrospective work.
• Multiple editions of works should be reviewed for removal if later editions are acquired.
• Materials should be considered for removal if they are in a language not actively taught at Assumption College unless they contain significant information (e.g., art reproductions).
• Works pertaining to current technologies or health sciences that are more than five years old should be considered for removal unless they contain significant retrospective or historical information.
Under the direction of the Head of Reference, Reference Librarians evaluate the collection on an ongoing basis. In addition to using the DUSTIE Guideline books are evaluated to see if they could be more useful to our patrons if they were transferred to the circulating collection. Frequent weeding or transferring is needed to avoid overcrowding of the space allotted for the collection. Subject liaisons are notified when works are designated for review and they are expected to evaluate the usefulness of such items for the circulating collection, using the criteria for the subject areas involved. After decisions have been made, the cataloging staff processes the items for transfer to the circulating collection or for removal from the collection, as appropriate.