Collection Development Policy Statement

A. Objectives

1. Education Resources supports the education curriculum of Louisiana State University, particularly the methods and practicum courses, and also the needs of local educators.

2. Education Resources makes readily available for inspection, evaluation, and use, educational materials of the highest quality produced for use with children from preschool through grade twelve, and adult basic education materials when appropriate to the curriculum.

3. Priority is given to materials which most directly support course work preparing students to meet requirements of education degrees and credentials.

4. Education Resources may also provide patrons with materials relating to the teaching profession, for personal and staff development.

5. Education Resources also serves as a demonstration school library media center for undergraduate and graduate education majors. As such it will include examples of the different types of instructional materials and equipment which might be found in an average public school covering grades K-12.

B. Institutional Context

1. Education Resources collection development policy is coordinated with the main library's mission of service.

2. Curriculum materials come in a variety of formats which may be different from other academic and research library materials, and they may be acquired from different sources.

3. Their placement in Education Resources allow staff to render specialized shelving, reference, and circulation services.

C. Supporting Documents

1. As part of its philosophy of collection development, Education Resources supports the following statements from the American Library Association:

a. Library Bill of Rights

b. Intellectual Freedom Statement

c. Librarians Code of Ethics

d. Freedom to Read Statement.

2. Education Resources also supports The Students Right to Read statement from the National Council of Teachers of English.

3. In the spirit of these documents, reasonable efforts will be made to locate materials elsewhere for patrons and to recommend additional sources of information when the centers collection does not provide the needed resources.

II. Audience

A. Definition

The clientele is the same as that of the rest of the library system. Circulation policies may differ according to the category of the user. See Sections C and D below.

B. Exclusion

Although Education Resources contains materials suitable for children, it is part of an institution of higher education and, as such, is to be used by adults. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Campus security will be called to locate parents of unattended children.

C. Categories

Clientele categories are listed in no order of preference.

1. Campus-based patrons:

a. Education students, both graduate and undergraduate.

b. Non-education students, both graduate and undergraduate.

c. Full and part-time faculty and staff in all academic departments.

2. Consortium patrons: Patrons who do not fall into the above categories, such as interlibrary loan borrowers, and walk-in members of networks, cooperatives, etc.

3. Other library card patrons:

a. Local school teachers who do not fall under the above categories.

b. Members of the general public with an interest in the collection.

D. Loan Restrictions

1. To borrow materials from Education Resources, the patron must satisfy the requirements for obtaining an LSU Libraries borrowing card either as a university related or non-university related patron.

2. Circulation policies for each category of client may vary.

3. Excluding actual loan, Education Resources materials and reference services are available to anyone.

A. General Guidelines

1. Curricular level and subject treatment

a. The Education Resources collection contains media and resources appropriate for pre-school through secondary education and adult education.

b. College level textbooks are not collected.

c. Reading, language arts, spelling, handwriting, literature, foreign languages, music, science, health, mathematics, social studies, career education, special education, adult education, bilingual education, and multicultural education are examples of subject areas included in the collection.

2. Languages: The primary language of material in the collection is English, although materials used to teach foreign languages or in bilingual/multicultural environments are also included.

3. Chronology: Emphasis is on teaching materials of current significance, although some items of historical or research value may be kept.

4. Geographical Guidelines

a. Educational methods and approaches used in the United States are emphasized in the Education Resources collection.

b. Materials issued or published by the state education agency and area school systems are also emphasized.

c. Materials from other states and countries are selectively collected.

5. Cultural Diversity: Collection materials should reflect cultural diversity and promote respect and appreciation for specific cultures and the global community.

B. Specific Guidelines

1. Textbooks

a. Textbooks in all curricular subjects, grades kindergarten through twelve, are selected.

b. Textbooks that are adopted by local schools may be acquired comprehensively, while other exemplary texts are collected selectively.

c. Emphasis in the textbook collection is on materials published within the last ten years, although some older texts may be kept for research value.

2. Curriculum guides: Preschool through twelfth-grade curriculum guides from the state, regional, and national level are collected selectively, while local curriculum guides are acquired comprehensively.

3. Juvenile literature

a. Books appropriate for the preschool child through young adult may be located in the collection.

b. Award winners, honor books, and notable books are generally collected and are part of the Young Peoples Collection. Caldecot, Newbery, and Corretta Scott King award books have a seperate location.

c. Other examples of literature located in the collection include picture books, read-along books, folk literature, mythology, realistic fiction, and historical fiction.

d. Factual works are also acquired, including biographies, autobiographies, and representative works in a variety of information areas.

e. Support and emphasis is provided for regional and curricular focuses.

f. There are materials which could be housed in Education Resources which are also appropriate for undergraduate college students. In certain instances duplication of these materials may be appropriate.

4. Professional literature

a. A core collection which supports other materials in the Education Resources collection may be acquired, or may be part of the library's general education collection.

b. Examples include:

(1) Idea and activity books.

(2) Books which teach students how to write behavioral objectives and prepare lesson plans.

(3) Selected classroom support books.

c. Books about educational research, theory, or history are usually located in the library's general circulating stacks.

5. Reference collection.

a. Editions of reference sources which are related to other materials in Education Resources may be included in Education Resources reference collection.

b. Examples include:

(1) Indexes and reviewing sources of audiovisual media and equipment.

(2) Kindergarten through twelfth grade encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauri.

(3) Electronic versions of these resources as they become available, such as online indexes, multimedia encyclopedias, and other reference works available over the Internet or on microcomputer diskettes.

6. Journals: A collection of journals and magazines is located in the library's periodicals collection.

7. Non-print materials.

a. Audiovisual materials are acquired for demonstration and circulation purposes and to provide resources that students can use in lesson preparation.

b. Examples include:

(1) Charts and pictures

(2) Study prints

(3) Photographs and slides

(4) Sound recordings

(5) Multimedia kits

(6) Films, filmstrips, and videocassettes

(7) Simulation games

(8) Transparencies

(9) Manipulatives

(10) Models and realia

(11) Toys.

c. A representative collection of exemplary computer software used in preschool through twelfth grade educational settings, and in adult education when appropriate, is acquired as part of the Education Resources collection.

d. Software may represent the following categories:

(1) Computer-assisted instruction such as drill and practice programs, tutorials, reference works, and simulations.

(2) Utility programs such as desktop publishing programs for newsletters.

(3) Mini-authoring programs such as those which enable teachers to create their own drill and practice programs.

e. Computer software which is selected is generally compatible with hardware generally being used in school systems or educational environments.

f. Appropriate audiovisual hardware is also located in Education Resources.

g. Inclusion of new and emerging instructional technologies that impact upon educational practices will be incorporated into Education Resources when appropriate.

8. Government documents

a. Government publications from the federal, state, and local levels are an authoritative source of information, particularly for educational studies and reports, statistical data, curricular materials and guides, maps, and audiovisual materials.

b. LSU Libraries is a full federal depository which collects and integrates documents into the collection.

c. Few government publications are housed in Education Resources, so that patrons are referred to the reference desk for assistance with governmental information.

9. Teaching units: Sample units are an important part of Education Resources because they help teach students how to develop their own teaching units; student-produced units are collected and labeled as such.

10. Vertical file: Pamphlet materials are collected for instructional purposes, to be used by teachers or students when developing unit/lesson plans or for professional development.

11. Standardized tests.

a. Standardized achievement tests, diagnostic tests, personality and vocational tests, and miscellaneous tests are not currently collected.

b. Most of the extant test collection is in microform.

c. Test review reference materials are housed in the reference department.

12. Free materials

a. Materials are solicited from governmental and professional organization outlets.

b. While free materials may help supplement the collection, they may be difficult to locate and add.

c. In particular, items from commercial organizations and industry are critically reviewed before the decision is made to add them to the collection.

d. Historically, textbooks have been solicited for donation. While this practice will continue, donated textbooks are to be treated as supplementary to the primary collection. A percentage of the budget will be designated for textbook purchases in order to upgrade the Louisiana textbook collection.

13. Publishers catalogs

a. Catalogs from education publishers and distributors are collected extensively.

b. Besides aiding in the acquisition of materials for Education Resources, catalogs are patron accessible.

c. Catalogs are available free in print and increasingly in such electronic formats as microcomputer diskettes and online.

14. Education Resources will purchase all necessary equipment to support materials selected for the collection. Emphasis will be on obtaining emerging education technologies. The center will endeavor to purchase a wide variety of equipment in order to provide students with hands-on experience with different types of equipment.

IV. Selection Criteria

A. Introduction

The selection of materials is a complex process of deciding what materials will be added to the collection. Although the Education Resources librarian is responsible for the selection of materials to be included in the collection, input from other professionals involved in the areas related to the mission of Education Resources will be encouraged. Reasons for choosing a specific item will be based on an evaluation of the item and its relationship to the collection. Justification for the choice will be derived from an assessment of its contribution to the fulfillment of the policies and goals of this collection development policy.

B. General Criteria

1. The potential use of materials should be considered on both a current and long-term basis.

2. Materials which are potentially useful in several subjects and grades have priority over materials for which a low or specialized use is expected.

3. Priority is given to materials that have received favorable reviews in the professional literature of a given subject field or in a standard review source.

C. Selection Criteria

1. Intellectual Content and Presentation: The basic idea or content of the material and how it is presented.

a. Authority: Qualifications and abilities of the people responsible for creation of the work.

b. Appropriateness of content to users: Content should be presented at the users interest and developmental level.

c. Scope: The overall purpose and depth of coverage. Does the scope meet the needs of the collection? Does the material fulfill its purpose?

d. Accuracy of Information: Facts and opinions should be recognizable and impartially presented.

e. Presentation: Style of presentation should be appropriate for the subject matter and use. The sequence and development of content should facilitate the ease with which the information can be understood.

f. Literary merit: Should apply to nonfiction as well as fiction.

g. Information availability: The need for materials on a particular topic may at times overshadow other literary criteria.

h. Format: Less expensive formats may be preferable to more expensive formats for materials dealing with rapidly changing subjects so replacements can be obtained more economically.

i. Special features: Teachers guides, maps, graphics, glossaries, indexes, bibliographies, etc.

j. Value to collection: The material should meet the need of the program and/or users. Can the item be used in a variety of ways?

k. Other considerations: Correlation with the Louisiana State Curriculum.

2. Physical Format: Compatibility of content and format.

a. Technical quality: Photography, sound, filming technique, color, graphics, etc., should be of good quality and appropriate for the subject matter and audience.

b. Aesthetic quality: Preference should be given to attractively packaged and aesthetically pleasing materials.

c. Safety and health considerations: Of particular importance when selecting realia or tactile materials.

d. Other considerations:

(1) Potential number of simultaneous users.

(2) Variety of purposes for using the material.

(3) Variety of formats for the same work (e.g., video of a book).

(4) Ease of use, storage, and maintenance.

(5) Equipment needed to utilize the media.

(a) Ease of use, maintenance, and service.

(b) Reliability of performance.

(c) Compatibility with other equipment.

D. Reviewing Sources

1. Introduction: When it is not possible to evaluate materials personally, the Education Resources librarian will select materials using a wide variety of evaluation sources. These resources will provide reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared evaluations of the materials in question. The location of at least two (2) positive reviews will be necessary for selection consideration of higher-priced materials.

2. The following titles are examples of sources which will be consulted when locating reviews:

a. Professional library literature: Booklist, Horn Book, and Bookfinder.

b. Professional education literature: Instructor, Teaching Pre-K-9, Computing Teacher, Language Arts, and Social Education.

c. Specialized lists: Best Books for Children, Notable Films and Videos for Children, andOnly the Best.

E. Requests

Every effort will be made to purchase materials requested by faculty. Requests from students and staff will be evaluated either personally or by using reviewing sources.

A. Examination of the Item

1. The curriculum librarian should make every effort to examine firsthand the item under consideration.

2. Materials can be examined at conventions, conferences, selection workshops, examination centers, and in other CMCs.

3. Vendors may supply items on an approval basis.

4. Audiovisual and computerized materials, especially, should be examined prior to acquisition.

B. Consultation of Selection Sources

1. The curriculum librarian should seek critical reviews and evaluations to support a selection decision and not rely completely on producers or authors statements.

2. There are two types of selection sources:

a. Selection tools: non-evaluative lists of bibliographic information used to identify titles of instructional materials.

b. Review sources: repositories of reputable and professional discussions that may provide background information, varying points of view, critiques, and suggestions for use within the classroom for the item in question.

3. Consider the scope of the selection source:

a. What is the selection policy for inclusion? Is only recommended material included?

b. What types or formats of material are included?

c. For what type of library is the material intended?

d. What is the frequency of publication and the speed with which current reviews appear?

e. What is the scope of the guide and how much information is given for each item?

f. How is the information arranged?

g. What is the authority of the contributors to the selection source?

A. Deselection

1. Weeding is the removal of materials from the Education Resources collection for discard or for other locations.

2. Its primary benefit is the removal of materials which have become obsolete, are in poor condition, or are no longer relevant to the goals and objectives of the Education Resources collection and services.

3. Depending on the purpose, criteria which may be followed include:

a. Poor physical condition:

(1) Heavily damaged

(2) Badly worn

(3) Torn, scratched, or broken

(4) Deteriorating.

b. Poor content:

(1) Badly written, illustrated, or performed

(2) Outdated information

(3) Superseded knowledge

(4) Inaccurate information.

c. Outdated medium

d. Duplicate copy

4. Weeding is a task which may be integrated into other collection development procedures and conducted on a regular or continuing basis.

5. Professional librarians will be involved in any weeding project.

6. Pertinent faculty, student, and administrative involvement may be sought if weeding is for discard.

B. Replacement

1. Consideration may be given to replacing items lost from the collection, as indentified by inventory taking, patron requests, or otherwise.

2. Materials which are physically damaged due to high usage will be replaced as quickly as possible.

3. Criteria which may be followed include:

a. Level of circulation or usage

b. Age

c. Pending release of a newer or revised edition

d. Relevance to the current curriculum of LSU.

C. Gifts

1. LSU Libraries has an overall gift policy regarding the acceptance, rejection, and handling of gifts.

2. Education Resources gift policy and procedures are compatible with those of the main library.

3. Some stipulations of the Education Resources policy includes:

a. Only gifts which meet selection criteria of the Education Resources collection development policy will be accepted for inclusion.

b. Materials with multiple components will be accepted only if complete.

c. Older materials will be accepted if they support the education program in such areas as research into the development and evolution of curriculum materials.

D. Collection Evaluation

1. All collections need periodic evaluation.

2. Collection development policies also need to be regularly evaluated.

3. Regular evaluation of the collection and collection development policy may position Education Resources to satisfactorily respond to changes in curriculum and education trends, and to participate in cooperative collection development agreements.

4. A conspectus approach is strongly recommended for evaluation

a. The conspectus provides a synopsis of the Education Resources collection.

b. It summarizes collection strengths and collecting intensities.

c. It is arranged by a combination of medium and classification scheme.

d. It applies standardized codes for collection and collecting levels.