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UPDATED OCTOBER 2024
In libraries, the phrase “collection development” refers to building appropriate, useful and balanced collections based upon the ongoing and changing information needs of Library users, which in our case is primarily Bradley students, faculty, and staff. We strive to maintain the best collections possible by reviewing, selecting, purchasing, resource sharing, and removing materials. This Collection Development Policy contains the criteria that inform this process.
This policy informs library faculty and other selectors about achieving collection goals related to the mission of the library and the mission of the university. It defines the guidelines and principles by which library materials are selected and de-selected. It applies to all formats, be they physical or online. In determining these guidelines, we ensure quicker decisions about what to purchase or lease from publishers/vendors, what to include in collections from donations, and what to de-select when necessary or appropriate. In addition to this broader policy there are subject, departmental, and collection policies.
Via this policy and the selections that come from it, the Library provides access to robust and individualized collections that reflect the diversity of the program offerings at Bradley. We strive to enhance and simplify access to resources that support our users’ learning, teaching, and research needs. In addition to the resources we purchase, we partner with other libraries in Illinois, the country, and the world to provide access to resources from all over. These relationships come in consortium memberships, regional library system agreements, and individual arrangements with libraries. These relationships are referred to as resource sharing, document delivery, or interlibrary loan.
In addition, we contribute to the accreditation requirements of the University and individual programs (and those of the American Library Association/Association of College and Research Libraries.
The Library is a visible expression of the University's commitment to the ideals of scholarship and intellectual freedom; its growth and development concern all members of the Bradley community. To that end, this document informs the basis of our professional ethical framework. It helps us clearly define our commitment to the community's research, scholarship, and recreational information needs. Adherence to this policy ensures well-balanced collections that meet the current and future needs of the Bradley community.
The Cullom-Davis Library abides by the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, its Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries statement, and its statement on Challenged Resources. We also support Illinois House Bill 2789 which prohibits the practice of banning library materials. We strive to collect materials that represent differing opinions on controversial matters. Selection is nonpartisan regarding race, gender, politics, religion, or moral philosophy.
The Cullom-Davis Library's primary clientele is the University's students, faculty and staff. Our collections build upon their needs. The physical collections are also available for alums, local and visiting researchers, and members of the surrounding communities. Interlibrary loans (borrowing from other libraries) and remote access to e-resources are available only for the current Bradley students, faculty and staff.
Working with the Provost, the Library’s Executive Director is responsible for determining and allocating budgets each year and has discretion over how to distribute them. Historically, most of the Library’s resource budget is allocated to recurring resources/ subscriptions of various types, such as databases, streaming video collections, e-book subscriptions, packaged e-book/e-journal collections, and single or packaged e-journals.
The Executive Director allocates funds to purchase non-subscription-based resources, such as books, e-books, streaming videos, etc.
When the University approves a new degree program, it must provide the Library with additional funds before the program starts and with annual funds afterward to maintain the databases, e-journals, and other subscriptions to support the new program.
Each Library faculty member is a liaison to academic departments assigned duties. Generally, the liaison librarian serves as a department’s point of contact within the Library. They perform collection development for the subjects that make up their liaison departments. For example, the liaison to the History Department collects materials on history, African-American Studies, and Women and Gender Studies. This happens with the guidance/input of departmental faculty.
Each librarian is knowledgeable about previously published works, pertinent authors, and publishers in their subject liaison areas. They develop familiarity with the curriculum and accreditation requirements of the departments with which they work. They write subject-specific collection development policies to aid themselves and others with selection. These policies are listed in Appendix B (forthcoming).
We encourage suggestions from students and departmental staff. This policy applies to their recommendations. Generally, we only accept solicitations from off-campus sources if they fill a niche in the collection, are by local authors, or are about Bradley or Peoria. Materials purchased with library funds become University property and are kept in the Library.
As of 2024, Cullom-Davis Library belongs to a large, powerful consortium called the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI). We broker CARLI’s buying power with dozens of other academic libraries in Illinois to leverage discounted pricing on databases/packages and higher discounts for monographs. As part of our annual CARLI membership, we select and purchase most of our critical databases and some of our e-book and e-journal collections and receive additional products. In addition to CARLI, we provide access to numerous databases through the Illinois State Library.
Academic e-book, streaming video, and e-journal vendors provide libraries with “point of need” services under “purchase-on-demand” or “deliver-on-demand” terms. These services allow the Bradley community to use resources before we select or purchase them. The result of using this selection model is that we ensure a new purchase will be used. It is also an effective way to find materials we didn’t know our users wanted.
We prefer to provide purchased copies of the materials our users need. However, there are occasions when resource-sharing methods are more efficient due to availability, cost, and other factors. Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is one such method. This service obtains physical copies of books and other media from around the globe and provides online copies of articles delivered directly to Library users. The delivery of articles is often the same day, while physical materials take a bit longer.
In support of Interlibrary Loan, the Library subscribes to article-on-demand services. We provide articles to Bradley students and personnel by purchasing prompted articles. This often results in same-day deliveries to Bradley Library users. On occasion, we also buy articles directly from a publisher’s website.
From a collection standpoint, we strive to provide materials to support and develop the curriculum and to meet the needs of University and departmental accreditation. The Library also endeavors to support the needs of the faculty by obtaining resources needed for their study and research. In addition, the Library improves the entire University community by purchasing recreational, cultural, and other materials. To ensure the best and most appropriate collections possible, we use these additional factors in choosing items:
Selectors may consider additional guidelines, such as:
Additional guidelines for databases/subscriptions:
Additional guidelines for e-books:
Additional guidelines for physical books:
The Library accepts gifts of physical items from individuals and organizations. Our gift acceptance policy is provided to donors as it is below:
“The Cullom-Davis Library of Bradley University hereby accepts and acknowledges as an unrestricted gift the collection or item(s) described below and agrees to administer it/them in accordance with its established policies:
All gifts are subject to review. The impact of the donation on University resources is considered. The value of the donation is weighed against the cost of processing, maintaining, and housing the material. The condition/smell of the materials is a factor in determining if a gift is accepted. The Library cannot be responsible for the appraisal of donated materials.
There is no guarantee that materials received as donations will be accepted, nor that the donated materials will be added to the Library’s collections. All gifts are received with the understanding that the Library retains the right to dispose of gifts at any time and in any manner deemed appropriate, including reselling or discarding them.”
Donations must meet the same selection guidelines as purchased materials.
Collection management and de-selection are integral parts of library collection development. They increase the findability of newer and relevant titles and remove damaged or unusable materials. The Executive Director and the Library faculty are responsible for withdrawing materials. The decision to withdraw materials is based on the following guidelines:
We keep and repair materials when necessary to retain essential items. As part of their role as liaisons, Library faculty manage the review of their subject areas’ collections to locate candidates for de-selection. We de-select materials throughout the year. Withdrawn materials may be offered to other libraries or interested parties, recycled, and/or discarded. We endeavor to avoid discarding any materials, but we will do so if no other options exist or there is a lack of space.
Materials in the Library are selected to support the intellectual needs of the University community. These materials and the needs they serve cover a wide range of topics, reflecting the full academic freedom of our community, as described in the Faculty Handbook.
A patron who wishes to request the reconsideration of Library material for any reason may meet with the Executive Director of the Library. If the patron is not satisfied after speaking with the Executive Director, they may begin the process of filing a formal, written complaint using the Library-provided Reconsideration Request Form.
The form may be submitted physically to the main library office, or electronically to tspires@bradley.edu. This written request will be reviewed by the Executive Director of the Library and by the reconsideration committee which the Executive Director convenes.
This committee will consist of three members. One member shall be a librarian; the other members may consist of additional librarians, Library staff, and/or relevant faculty from outside the library, as best addresses the nature of the material and the request. The Executive Director of the Library will be responsible for making the final decision. The patron will receive a final, written response to the submitted request for reconsideration within 90 days of the Library receiving the request.
A patron who would like to file a formal complaint regarding a Library resource must submit a completed Request for Reconsideration Form. A determination will be made in accordance with the library’s policy and procedures. The patron will receive a final written response to the submitted request for reconsideration within 90 days of the Library receiving the request. Records are retained to limit re-challenges within three years.
Forthcoming.
Forthcoming.
Executive Director/Collection Development Librarian
Library 145
(309) 677-2830
tspires@fsmail.bradley.edu