Section V - Educational Support Services
V A 2
Library - Materials Collection
To provide a policy for developing a collection which meets the goals and objectives of the College and the mission of the library.
Library Mission
Our mission is to enhance and strengthen teaching and learning by providing quality information resources and technologies in an environment that promotes information literacy, provides exemplary customer service, and advocates the free exchange of information and ideas.
Philosophy
A primary purpose of education is to help individuals develop the ability to think, to understand their own culture and viewpoints as well as other cultures and viewpoints, and to be critical in the search for values and knowledge. The freedom to read and access materials from which knowledge may be gained is critical to the development of these abilities. To this end the library endorses the policies, procedures, and published statements of the American Library Association relative to censorship, and academic and intellectual freedom.
Purpose
The library seeks to provide a collection and services which support the instructional needs of the entire College. It also seeks to provide resources and services relevant to general informational needs, intellectual and professional growth, cultural development, and recreational activities of the student body, faculty, and staff.
With the College’s “open door” policy, the collection serves a population of users with a wide range of abilities and degrees of maturity. The collection seeks to provide materials on varying reading levels and in diverse formats to meet the needs of the student body.
The collection of the library is maintained for students, faculty, and staff but is available to the community at large.
Organization of the Collection
The collection is organized to allow for optimum access to the library’s resources. To accurately describe materials, cataloging follows nationally accepted rules and guidelines. The most recent edition of the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system is used to organize materials. In addition, rules and guidelines established by the Community College Libraries in North Carolina (CCLINC) consortium are followed.
Selection Responsibilities
- Professional library staff has the responsibility for the overall development of the library collection.
- Faculty members are considered subject specialists and are encouraged to recommend materials which support the instructional needs of their program areas.
- Students, as the primary library users, are encouraged to contribute to the development of the collection by suggesting additions and by identifying weaknesses in the library holdings through library surveys.
- Director of Library Services has the final responsibility for the development of the library collection.
Selection of materials for the collection is a continuous process effected by changes in the curriculum and the publication of new materials. To assure development of a collection in accord with institutional goals, the following criteria have been established for evaluation of materials:
- Identified need
- Accuracy and objectivity
- Scarcity of material available on the subject
- Appearance in indexes, bibliographies, or professional journals
- Appropriateness of format
- Relevance to College curricula
- Timeliness and/or permanence
- Quality of writing
- Reputation and significance of author
- Reputation and standing of publisher
- Intended audience
- Price
- Budget
- Accreditation requirement
- Faculty recommendation
- Recommendation in a professionally recognized review source
The library does not allocate specific amounts of its budget to the individual subject areas of the collection or to specific departments of the College. This allows for the accommodation of unanticipated changes in the curricula or in patron needs.
Selection Criteria - Specific
Specific guidelines, in addition to the general criteria, are required for the following types of materials:
- Textbooks: For the purposes of this policy, textbooks are defined as the books and other materials adopted and required to be purchased by students for use in class. Textbooks may be included in the collection if the material presented is not available elsewhere or at the request of faculty. In general, textbooks are not purchased for the library collection.
- Periodical Collection: Subscriptions to print periodicals (journals, magazines, and newspapers) are acquired at the recommendation of faculty or professional library staff to supplement online periodical access.
- Electronic Resources: Electronic resources are selected to support RCC academic programs and to supplement resources in the library’s physical collection or available through NC LIVE. Electronic resources include, but are not limited to, online databases, streaming videos, and electronic books.
- Recreational Materials: Print and electronic leisure materials, including, but not limited to, bestselling adult fiction/non-fiction, young adult fiction/non-fiction and graphic novels, are added to the collection to support RCC reading classes and to encourage an appreciation of reading. Materials are leased or purchased to represent a variety of formats and genres with appeal to RCC students. The lease or purchase of leisure materials is not made at the expense of resources needed to support the College curriculum.
Gifts are accepted with the understanding that the library may dispose of them or add them to the collection at its discretion using the same criteria as purchased materials. The appraisal of gifts for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor. A letter acknowledging the donation, but assigning no value, is sent upon request.
A monetary donation is required before a memorial or honorarium book can be purchased. Exceptions are made when the donor is an employee of or otherwise affiliated with the College. Recommendations for specific titles or subjects are accepted from the donor; however, the Director of Library Services will make the final determination. Donations of materials in memory or in honor of individuals are discouraged, but, if accepted, are evaluated according to previously stated policy.
The Vice President for Institutional Advancement is notified of the receipt of all gifts and donations.
Collection Maintenance
- Re-evaluation is the regular and continuous process of selecting material that is no longer appropriate or is damaged for withdrawal from the library collection. The professional library staff will work with faculty to withdraw materials which are inappropriate or damaged.
- Materials being considered for replacement are evaluated by the Selection Criteria – General. Materials that are missing, lost, or withdrawn because of wear will not be automatically replaced.
- Materials removed from the collection are disposed of in adherence to the North Carolina Administrative Code: 23 NCAC 2C.0403.
Materials included in the library collection were selected in accordance with previously stated guidelines. Should any request for reconsideration be directed to the library, the following policy will be adhered to:
- The individual or group making the request will be required to complete a “Request for Reconsideration of Library Material” form which can be requested from the Director of Library Services.
- The material in question will be removed from the shelves and turned over to an ad hoc committee appointed by the President of the College. The committee will meet within five working days after receipt of the formal request for reconsideration.
- The ad hoc committee will review and evaluate the materials in accordance with established guidelines provided by the Director or Library Services.
- Should the individual or group making the request for reconsideration
wish to appeal the decision of the committee, the matter will be referred to the President of the College for further consideration. The final decision will reside with the President.
This policy will be evaluated as needed by the library staff.
Adopted 08/08/2006
Revised 03/17/2022, 11/17/2022