Johnston Memorial Library recognizes that the library is not just a place where books are kept and read. The Library houses all types of media - audiocassettes, videocassettes, slides, microforms, periodicals, newspapers, documents, computer software, compact discs, pamphlets, books, etc. The selection of materials is a continuous process affected by the changing curriculum content and needs. The general policy for selection applies equally to all types of materials being considered for acquisition.
GENERAL POLICIES FOR SELECTING MATERIALS
Standards and Ethical and Legal Principles
Standards
Johnston Memorial Library supports the standards on collection development contained within the "Standards for College Libraries" adopted by the American Library Association's Association of College and Research Libraries.
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship
Johnston Memorial Library recognizes that free access to ideas and full freedom of expression is fundamental to the educational process. The library will attempt to purchase materials, that represent a wide variety of viewpoints on religious, political, sexual, social, economic, scientific, and moral issues. To this end, the library subscribes to and complies with the American Association of Library Bill of Rights and its accompanying statements of interpretation including, but not limited to statements on Intellectual Freedom, the Freedom to Read, Freedom to View, Access to Electronic Information, Services and Networks, Challenged Materials, and Statement of Labeling. The library does not add or withdraw, at the request of any individual or group, material that has been chosen or excluded based on stated selection criteria.
Confidentiality
The American Library Association's Code of Ethics states"Librarians must protect each user's right to privacy concerning information sought, received, and materials consulted, borrowed, or acquired." (ALA Policy Manual 54.16, Code of Ethics, point 3). In addition, Johnston Memorial Library adheres to the American Library Association's "Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records" (ALA Policy Manual 52.4).
Copyright
The Johnston Memorial Library complies fully with all provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C.) and its amendments. The library strongly supports the Fair Use section of the Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. 107) which permits and protects citizens' rights to reproduce and make other uses of copyrighted works for teaching, scholarships, and research.
Criteria for Selection of All Materials:
a. Relevancy to the curriculum and appropriateness to the clientele
b. Timeliness of material; lasting value
c. Reputation of the author, issuing body, and/or publisher
d. Presentation (style of writing and readability)
e. Aesthetic considerations. Material should have literacy, artistic and social value and appeal to imagination, senses, and intellect of students.
f. Special features (e.g., details, logical, accurate index; bibliography; footnotes; pictorial representations-diagrams, maps, drawings)
g. Physical and technical quality:
1. Paper, typography and design
2. Physical size
3. Binding
4. Durability
h. Appropriateness of medium; suitability of form to content
i. Strength of present holdings in the same or similar subject
j. Demand; frequency of ILL requests for material on the same or similar subjects
k. Price/relative cost of material in relation to the budget and other available material
POLICIES FOR THE SELECTION OF SPECIFIC TYPES OF MATERIALS
Duplicates
Duplicates are not normally purchased. Duplicate materials will be added to the collection if warranted by heavy usage of copies already held by the library.
Fiction
The Library will not buy fiction that is anticipated to have only short-term interest among readers, but will attempt to select established literary works and new works of promise in the literary field; especially those works which would support literature course offerings. As part of the selection process, librarians will evaluate the work in terms of the author's earlier writings and current reader interest.
World Languages Materials
Except for dictionaries, the library collects primarily English-language materials. Literature and language materials needed to support the curriculum are collected as needed.
Gifts
Gifts to the Library are encouraged. However, gifts will be added to the collection only after the items have been evaluated to determine if they meet collection development requirements. Generally, the library accepts only books and journals as gifts. Donors should call the Acquisitions Librarian if they have other materials they wish to donate or if the donor has any questions about the appropriateness of their gift.
The library will only acknowledge with a gift letter those items that have been accepted by the Acquisitions Librarian. The library will acknowledge the number of items donated, but cannot legally provide an appraisal or estimate of the value of the donated material. Gift materials that are not added are returned to the owner, if requested, donated to other libraries, or discarded.
Non-Print Materials
Non-Print materials are considered as any research and/or instructional materials not in print format.These types of materials may include electronic products, videotapes, videocassettes, compact disks, laser disk, audiocassettes, slides, etc. Requests for non-print materials will be evaluated on the same basis, as are book materials. The library has developed policies for the following formats
Electronic Resources
Johnston Memorial Library subscribes to many electronic resources. Electronic resources are defined as any resource which requires computer access, such as databases, indexes, statistics, and other reference sources.
The primary criteria for the selection of any electronic resource is the extent to which it is relevant to the curriculum, improves the overall library collection, and/or enhances the library's access to information.
Guidelines for purchasing electronic information sources will address general, vendor, and technical considerations. Librarians will decide on whether an electronic resource will be made available.
Out-of-Print Material
The majority of selections are current publications. The library recognizes the need for some retrospective purchases and systematically uses standard bibliographies and other evaluation tools to locate and fill gaps in the collection.
Paperbacks
Hardbound monographs will normally be selected over paperbacks. Paperback monographs for the regular collection will only be acquired when hardback editions are not available, or when there is a significant difference in price between the hardback and paperback editions. When making a choice of paperback over hardback, the long-term value and expected use of the title should be considered.
Regional Materials
In cases where materials are available for each state, Johnston Memorial Library will normally collect mostly materials for Virginia and surrounding states.
Textbooks and Laboratory Manuals
Textbooks are not normally purchased. Exceptions are when a textbook is the only or best source of information on a particular topic. Textbooks and laboratory manuals will be evaluated and added to the collection based on the guidelines stated above.