Collection Development Policy

1. Introduction

1. Mission Statement

The purpose of the Boreham Library is to provide access to information which enhances the learning environment of the University.

1. The primary function of the Library is to facilitate and improve the learning process by providing a diversity of information resources and services for the critical thinking needs of the instructional program.


2. The second function of the Library is to provide resources and services relevant to the intellectual and professional growth, and the general information and personal needs of the total University population.


3. The third function of the Library is to provide learning resources and services for the community as time and funding allow.

2. Goals of the Library

• To create a proactive atmosphere that encourages users to come in again, confident of finding what they need.


• To assist students, faculty, and staff to construct search strategies that result in effective use of library resources.


• To assist in the planning and development of University facilities which allow for the development and expansion of instructional services in print and other media, and for the efficient operation of all library services.


• To acquire a collection of learning resources that reflects the needs of the University by involving students, faculty, and staff in the selection process.


• To produce library materials needed for the learning and teaching activities of the University.


• To organize and manage all units of the Library so that users can effectively access resources and acquire services.


• To cooperate in the development of local, regional and national information networks and systems.


• To provide opportunities for Library staff members to grow professionally.


• To evaluate all Library activities on a continuing basis.

3. Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to provide a basis for Library collection development in a systematic and structured manner as needed by the policies and priorities of the University. The policy is based upon other materials compatible with nationally recognized standards endorsed by the American Library Association.

2. Use of the Boreham Library Services

The primary use of the Library is by the students, faculty and staff of the University. This includes the students attending the University Center programs and other such programs as sponsored or contracted by the University.

Secondary use of the Library is by the general public of the area.

3. Collection Requirements

The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith offers programs leading to transfer to other institutions, associate and other degrees in a variety of areas, and continuing education for adults. Support of all of these programs is necessary in the collection, with primary emphasis on regularly scheduled courses within the University curriculum.

The University Center offers programs from other institutions leading to higher degrees. These programs are selectively supported as allowed by available funding.

1. General Collection Information

The Boreham Library houses the library print and audiovisual collection. This includes a circulating collection of nonfiction and fiction, and non-circulating reference and periodical materials. Materials may be assigned limited or non-circulating status in the Reserve Room at the request of faculty and library staff.

Audiovisual materials include, but are not limited to, videorecordings, sound recordings, computer software and computer-accessible information, visual media such as filmstrips, slides and transparencies, and other media including combinations of differing types in audiovisual kits.

Materials are also purchased in microformats, primarily in periodicals and college catalogs.

The collection also includes the Olive, Kathleen and Rosa Belle A. Pebley Historical and Cultural Center, the Wilder Historical Collection, and other special areas of interest.

The Library also provides access both on campus and off campus to currently registered students, faculty and staff for electronic resources, including ebooks and databases.

2. Cooperative Collection Access and Development

The Library is a member of OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), which is an international library database of holdings for cataloging and interlibrary loan. Requests for interlibrary loan may be made and received through the OCLC computer network, and loans made and received by physically shipping or electronically sharing files. Cooperative agreements through the AMIGOS Bibliographic Council subgroup of OCLC allow many interlibrary loans with minimal or no extra charges by the lending libraries. Serials are listed on OCLC and therefore in any Arkansas Union List of Serials (AULS) generated. Materials may be requested online in many cases.

Collection information is exchanged with area libraries to minimize duplication of resources. Reciprocal privileges for card-holding users are extended between the Boreham Library, the Fort Smith Public Library, and the Scott-Sebastian Regional Library. Interlibrary loan is available through other libraries.

4. General Priorities and Acquisition

1. Emphasis of Coverage

• Chronological Coverage

The latest editions and volumes of materials are obtained unless specific requirements are for earlier materials. Out-of-print materials will be sought and purchased to replace important missing items which have no later editions in print, or to obtain unique items specifically required by the collection, including fulfillment of serial volumes.

• Language Coverage

English language editions will be purchased except as required for foreign language instruction and comparative editions.

• Geographical Coverage

Emphasis will be on the United States, with special interest in the Arkansas and Oklahoma region, except as specifically required by the curriculum.

Newspapers and other local and regional materials will be purchased according to the relevance to the curriculum, the availability of indexing, and the short-term and long-term needs of the collection.

• Research Outside the Curriculum

Materials will not be purchased for in-depth projects outside the assignments made as part of the curriculum of the University or the University Center, except at the discretion of the Library Director when such materials cannot be accessed through interlibrary loan and are geographically unavailable. However, donations and specially funded purchases will be considered for inclusion in the collection for non-curricular uses.

2. Duplication and Formats

• Duplication

Duplication of materials will not normally be made unless required by high demand or by variations in format, in which case limited exceptions may be made on a case by case basis. Such exceptions may include multiple copies of materials placed on Reserve, or duplication of serial material in more than one format for long-term storage and use. Additional copies of items may be provided by the Library, a University program, or other sources for use during the period of high demand through the Library's facilities, at the discretion of the Library Director. Duplication decisions shall be made by the Library staff in consultation with requesting faculty and approved by the Library Director.

Expendable materials such as workbooks, forms, etc., which would be used only once will not normally be purchased for the collection, excepting as photocopiable reference material.

• Print Formats

Print materials shall be purchased according to standards of cost-effectiveness in available bindings, prebindings, and binding reinforcement methods. Print materials expected to be retained for periods longer than one year shall be purchased in acid-free or archival-quality paper format when available.

• Non-Print Physical Formats

Non-print materials shall be purchased and retained according to use, in the format most cost-effective at the time of purchase, and in the predictable useful life of the material and the media format.

Materials may be converted from one medium to another to allow continued use as necessary, while complying with the current laws of copyright and the policies of the University.

Non-print materials other than periodicals costing more than an amount set annually by the Library Director, or requiring examination before purchase, may be obtained under the conditions equivalent to purchase "on approval", with privileges of return without obligation other than transportation costs. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Library Director providing the material is determined to be of unique value to the curriculum, or has obtained at least one favorable review in an acceptable review source, or has been seen already by the requesting faculty or staff members and recommended for purchase.

Non-print microformat periodicals shall be handled according to the needs of the serials collection.

• Electronic Formats

• Computer software

Computer software related to Library use shall be obtained for use in the Library on Library equipment, licensed for in-library use, or circulated normally. Software for use in classes, computer labs outside the library, or faculty offices should be purchased by the relevant department. Materials and software requiring special access to computer services, such as the installation of software, should normally be referred to the Learning Assistance Center.

• Internet and Online Services

Internet-based and on-line services shall be contracted as necessary for complete and cost-effective services for the Library, as determined by the Library staff and as determined in consultation with faculty.

• World Wide Web Links

Links to World Wide Web sites can be made available on Library web pages and through the Library catalog as determined by the Library staff and when requested by faculty. Relevance to Library services and the curriculum will be primary factors, along with the source of the web site information and the relative durability of the site and relevant links.

5. Materials Selection Factors

The Technical Services Librarian will collate and submit recommendations from all sources for review by faculty and Library staff as appropriate and final approval by the Library Director based upon consideration of such factors as:

1. General Factors

• Quality
• Cost effectiveness and availability
• Current and projected needs, including requests for purchase and interlibrary loan, and projected continued use of the material in the future
• Consistency with the mission of the Library and University
• Balancing the collection within the limitations of selection levels and funding
• Established level of coverage for the subject area
• Recommendations by faculty, Library staff, or others
• Favorable review(s) in authoritative sources
• Lease of product versus ownership

2. Additional or Alternate Factors for Periodicals

• the availability of accessible indexing and the cost as a factor of the serial cost
• frequency of publication
• source, such as serial jobber or direct order, or provided by a University Center participating institution
• availability in a Resource Arkansas-Fort Smith participating library
• format(s) available, including paper and microformats
• practical retention period in format(s) acquired

3. Additional or Alternate Factors for Owned Electronic Resources

• all current copyright laws as applicable to library ownership and circulation of software and media must be followed


• purchase of software and media shall not be made at the expense of other Library materials with longer effective lives in the Library collection


• formats and platforms (computer systems) capable of using the software or media currently existing and in operation at the Library during the predicted useful lifespan of the software or media. This includes the physical format, hardware to use it, and the related software such as operating systems required to use it.


• related materials such as independently published manuals, aids, etc., shall be subject to the same limitations according to the useful lifespan of the software or media covered.


• currency of coverage which may require acquisition of products to cover earlier periods of time

4. Additional or Alternate Factors for Electronic Resources Access Services

• the correlation with the available materials indexed or otherwise provided, or directly provided


• the cost-effectiveness of the service compared to obtaining the same information by other methods, considering the need for currency of information, relative times required to obtain the information, and the relative cost of the information


• the cost of the service in starting and continuing costs, basic and/or per-information-unit charges as a factor in the total Library materials budget, and the comparison with serials and other formats with the equivalent information


• ease of use and training, and staff time required for staff training, training users, and performing maintenance activities related to the use of the service.


• currency of coverage which may require acquisition of products to cover earlier periods of time

5. Annually Reviewed Materials

Continuation (serial) and standing order materials shall be reviewed annually for continued relevance to the collection and the Materials Selection Factors. Other materials such as periodical subscriptions, database access, and computer software may be reviewed also as appropriate.

6. Textbooks and Materials Required for Purchase in Courses

Materials currently required for purchase by students in UA Fort Smith courses will not be purchased for the long-term collection, with the exception of case by case exceptions made by the Library Director. This includes workbooks and other materials intended for one-time use. Such materials may, upon the request of the instructor, be considered for reserve use.

6. Funding and Priorities

1. Regular Budgeted Funding Allocated

Funding allocated in the regular Library budget shall be allotted according to the following priorities:

1. standing and continuation orders, following the annual review of such orders;
2. emphasized areas, such as new courses and programs expecting specific accreditation examination;
3. all other program needs.

The formula for division of funds shall be set by the Library Director according to the latest information on faculty, courses, students, and the cost of materials in the subject area as compared to other subject areas, to insure an equitable allotment.

2. Funding Outside Regular Budgeted Funding

Funds not in the regular Library budget include, but are not limited to, tax arrearage funds, funds from other state taxes and sources, various grants, funds donated through the University's Foundation, sale of discarded and donated materials, funds from library fees, and funds provided for specific purposes, such as development of the collection for certain programs.

Such funds may have certain limitations upon allotment, time periods of availability, and other factors. Such limitations shall be the first priority in allotment of funds. Funds from fees shall be allotted for materials related to the relevant courses as appropriate. Donations in memory or honor of any person or persons should be used for materials with a long effective lifespan. Funds from grants, donations with limitations, or provided for specific purposes, shall be expended within those grant terms, limitations, or purposes.

7. Responsibilities

Recommendations for purchase of materials shall be accepted from all Library users. The highest priorities will include the recommendations of the faculty and staff of the University as related to the curriculum, and of the Library staff as related to the use and functioning of Library services. In the absence of or insufficient recommendations for any curriculum area, the responsibility rests with the professional judgement of the library staff.

Recommendations may be made through program liaison librarians and other means provided by the Library and supervised by the Technical Services Librarian. Final approval on any and all purchases sent to the University's purchasing process shall be made by the Library Director, or other officials as designated by the policies of the University or the Library Director.

8. Gifts

• Monetary donations

Funds from sale of materials are deposited in the appropriate account for use for library purposes, as this was originally funded for the Library. Use will be decided by the Library staff or Director and approved by the Director.

Funds otherwise donated by sources not contracted with the University are to be made through the University's Foundation and deposited in accounts for Library use according to the policies of the University and Foundation. Acceptance of limitations upon use of such funds must be made by the Library Director, the Foundation or the University before funds are accepted for deposit.

The University and Foundation reserve the right to refuse any and all donations due to unacceptable limitations. The authority to accept or refuse limitations rests with the Library Director at the Library level. The Library may furnish a receipt for materials donated, and may elect to furnish a title-by-title or simply a total count of volumes, whichever is most practical. The Library will not furnish any valuation for materials; such valuation would not be acceptable for tax deduction purposes and would incur additional expenses. Acceptance of a gift does not in any way imply an endorsement of any appraisal.

• Material Donations

Gifts of print and non-print materials are accepted upon meeting the following criteria:

• the material clearly supports the reference requirements of the curriculum offered by the University's and/or University Center's program(s);


• the material does not duplicate or predate existing materials;


• the material is in usable condition and without special environmental requirements not currently available;


• the material does not require special facilities, control, or staffing;


• the material does not proselytize for religious, political, or other subjects outside the scope of the curriculum, except as the Library staff shall consider such necessary for balance with materials in the existing collection;


• the material has redeeming value, as reflected by professional review and examination by the Library staff and, when appropriate, the Library liaison committee.

• Materials Not Included in the Collection

Materials which fail to be included in the collection may be returned, if so stipulated by the donor before or at the time of donation, or they may be sold to raise funds for the library, or they may be made available to other agencies. Materials accepted by the Library become the sole property of the Library, which retains all rights to classify, house, circulate, and dispose of outdated, damaged, or unneeded materials, except as agreed at the time of acceptance.

Acceptance of a "collection" or group of materials donated does not imply acceptance of all items in that collection, unless stipulated and accepted by the Library. Materials not deemed suitable for the needs of the collection will not be included and will be sold, returned or appropriately handled.

• Materials of Significant Monetary Value

Materials accepted for donation which are determined by the Library staff or independent experts to have significant monetary value require a transfer of legal title by gift using a properly executed form. This form must be signed and dated by donor, and witnessed and dated by an appropriate representative of the University. The University will not provide any statement of the value of the gift for tax or other financial purposes, but will provide a receipt acknowledging the acceptance of the gift, upon request. The Library is under no obligation at any time to establish value, and will assist donors to establish value only to the extent of resources available within the Library. Acceptance of a gift does not in any way imply an endorsement of any appraisal by the Library.

9. Updating, Replacement and Repair, and Withdrawal of Materials

• Updating

Materials will be updated according to the recommendations of faculty, staff, and students, as permitted by availability and funding. Certain materials will be updated on a regular basis through serials subscriptions, standing or other orders with vendors, as supervised by the Technical Services Librarian and approved by the Library Director. Such subscriptions, standing or regular orders will be reviewed annually for continued relevance to the curriculum and cost-effectiveness. Certain purchases may be referred to purchase by donated funds available or to be sought by the Foundation.

• Replacement and Repair

  Materials of continued relevance to the collection shall be repaired or replaced as permitted by availability and funding, upon serious damage, theft or absence in part or in whole.

• Withdrawal

Materials shall be reviewed for withdrawal from the collection on a regular basis by the faculty, staff, and Library staff responsible for the relevant part of the collection. Such duties shall include the circulating, reference, and the audiovisual media collection components.

1. General Criteria for Withdrawal

General criteria for withdrawal may include the following:

• current use, or recent use if not used currently
• projected future use
• condition of material
• practical use of media format in current and projected use; i.e., is the media format no longer in use by faculty
• long-term relevance to the collection; i.e., is this work considered a "classic" which is likely to be used again
• continued accuracy and completeness of information

2. Additional or Alternate Criteria for Periodical Withdrawal

Criteria specifically related to periodicals may include the following:

• storage capacity of the Library, especially the area allocated to the item. Large and/or frequently issued serials and newspapers may be withdrawn more often.
• titles of local or state historical interest, or chronicling historical, social or cultural changes, are retained indefinitely, in hardbound copy when practical
• titles supplied by University Center institutions in microformat are retained indefinitely or until permission to withdraw them is granted; paper format materials are evaluated for retention with input from the relevant program director
• accessibility in available indexes
• arrival of microformat may determine retention of paper format
• incomplete volume(s), when missing parts will not be obtained
• the material has been included in an owned cumulative form
• the material duplicates bound or microformat materials

3. Additional or Alternate Criteria for Non-Print Media

• lack of support for this version in the University courses
• lack of hardware or related software support for this version
• lack of actual use, especially when this non-print is used to justify continued related hardware/software retention. Other hardware or software should not be kept merely to support unused software or media.

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10. Intellectual Freedom

Materials will be selected and retained according to the principles of the following standards:

• the Library Bill of Rights as adopted by the American Library Association
• the Freedom to Read Statement as adopted by the American Library Association
• the Freedom to View Statement as endorsed by the American Library Association,
• the Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries as adopted by ACRL and the American Library Association
• the Statement on Principles and Standards of Acquisitions Practice of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services of the American Library Association

11. Reconsideration of Materials

Materials kept or accessed by the Library are the property of or for licensed use by the Library and the University. They are not intended for the sole use of individuals, and therefore may not be removed, altered, limited or discontinued solely at the request of individuals. In cases of accessing remote materials, such as through the Internet, it may not be practical or even possible to limit or block access without impairing access to uncontested materials.

Persons who wish the Library to reconsider the retention of or access to materials already provided through the Library should remember that removing or otherwise limiting or terminating access to materials must be justified by the Library to the students, faculty, and the University, as well as other persons, organizations, and possibly governments and courts.

In order to provide a reasonable method for reconsidering materials available through the Library, a procedure has been set as follows:

1. A Request for Reconsideration of Boreham Library Materials form must be completed and filed with the Library Director.
   Only such requests from legal residents of the service area of the University ( will be accepted.
   Proof of identity and legal residence of the requester may be required at any point before proceeding.
   If the requester is acting on behalf of other individuals, or an organization, the authority to do so must be verified by contact with those represented.


2. The Request is considered at the next library staff meeting. At this time, the Library staff will arrange for one or more staff members to:


1. read, view, listen, or access the material in question, in context.


2. review the selection process and other criteria for acquisition and retention of the material or access to it


3. check professional resources regarding the material for expert and critical recommendations, faculty requests and suggestions, and related information


4. discuss the material with the entire Library staff in the context of the gathered information


5. recommend the retention or removal of the material or access to it, to the Library Director, within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 90 days from the date of receiving the original Request for reconsideration.


3. Persons requesting the retention of the material or access to it may also submit requests, which shall be included with the other factors involved in the reconsideration.


4. All persons completing Requests will be notified by regular mail of the decision.

The Library must reserve the right to reconsider acquiring the material or access to it again if the needs of the University require it. At no time should it be assumed that a request for reconsideration must result in removal of any or all material designated. Material may be retained despite completion of the entire procedure for reasons deemed adequate before or during the procedure.

12. Policy Basis, Implementation, Evaluation and Revision

This policy will be implemented upon approval by the Library Director. The policy will become official upon approval by the Academic Provost and the University Chancellor.

This policy will be evaluated annually and revised as necessary by the Library staff with the approval of the Library Director. In the event of revisions, the policy will be submitted for approval by the Academic Provost and the Chancellor.