Policies and Procedures

1. The Collection/Database Management Department, formerly Technical Services Department, consist of the Collection Development, Acquisitions and Cataloging Departments.
2. The Collection Development functions (handled by the Acquisitions Department) are responsible for coordinating order requests, administering the Library's book budget, handling donations, and working with faculty and students to make certain the collections meet current research and instructional needs.
3. The Acquisitions Department is a purchasing operation that procures information in all formats, receives gifts, and performs bibliographic verifications.
4. The Cataloging Department is a data management operation that includes creating and maintaining the bibliogra­phic records for the library's catalog. This unit is respon­sible for the integrity of the library's bibliographic files, which includes everything that goes into the catalog.

Acquisistions Department
The Acquisitions Department is charged with the responsibility of purchasing and receiving library materials in all formats, handling gifts, and performing bibliographic verifications.

The Collection Development component is responsible for coordinating order requests, administering the library’s book budget, and working with faculty to ensure that the collections support the academic programs of the college.

Collection Development Policy

Budget Allocation
Moneys are allocated to the Learning Resources Center budget to allow for acquisition of monographs, serials, microforms, audio-visuals, and electronic resources. Once an efficient budget is in place, a budget allocation formula will be used to develop specific budget allocations by academic departments or majors. The budget allocation formula will be based upon the number of majors, teaching faculty, and students. The formula also factors in accreditation reviews and new program and curriculum areas. Budget priorities are given to faculty orders, Collection Development orders, Library staff orders, student orders, etc.

Criteria for Selection of Library Print and Non-Print Materials:

General Collection
Priority for print and non-print materials to be purchased for the Library is given to those materials that meet the curriculum needs of Benedict College. Duplicate copies may be purchased in areas of high circulation. The following criteria will be followed in the selection process:

1. Author’s/Editor’s reputation and significance
2. Importance of the subject matter to the collection
3. Scarcity of materials on the subject
4. Timeliness or permanence of the title
5. Authoritativeness
6. Anticipated future needs
7. Number of interlibrary loans

Reference Collection
Books will be selected in all areas where factual information is desired. A concerted effort is made not to duplicate expensive reference sets.

Serials/Periodicals Collection
It is the policy of the library to maintain a collection of general interest and professional journals. Generally, microform is purchased to represent periodical backfiles.

Textbooks
As a general rule, approved textbooks for current course offerings are not acquired by the library.

Vertical File
Materials of inexpensive pamphlets are purchased to supplement the collection by providing current and often difficult to find information in a concise form.

Non-Print Collection (Audio/Visual, etc.)
The following criteria will be followed in the selection process:

1. Importance of the subject matter to the collection.
2. Scarcity of material
3. Timeliness and permanence of the title
4. Physical quality
5. Technical quality
6. Audience viewing level
7. Favorable preview by faculty members

Selection Aids for Books
Book Review Digest
New York Times Book Review
Booklist
Publisher’s Catalog
Choice
Publishers’ Weekly
Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities
Subject Journals
Library Journal
Wilson Library Bulletin

The following retrospective aids are reviewed when necessary:

1. Books for College Libraries
2. Opening Day Collection
3. Reader’s Advisor

1. American Reference Book Annual
2. General Encyclopedia in Print
3. Winchell’s Guide to Reference Books
4. Reference Sources for Small and Medium-sized Libraries

Cancellations and Returns

1. Cancellations
   • Orders that are outstanding for six months are canceled. This route allows regular reconsideration of orders and avoids a large accumulation of encumbered funds.
   • Mistaken or unintentional duplicate orders may be canceled, but this should be done by agreement with the dealer.
2. Returns
   • If a dealer supplies a book that was not ordered, the book may be returned automatically. When an error is made by the library personnel, permission must be given by the company to return a book
   • Defective books may be returned for replacement when received.
   • Specify the defects and invoice adjustments on the letter to be sent along with the book.
   • Return books unmarked, if possible.

Gifts

1. The Learning Resources Center accepts donations of print, non-print, and electronic materials.
2. Donations should comply with the Learning Resources Center collection development policy to include those materials which support the instructional and research needs of Benedict College.
3. The Learning Resources Center reserves the right to refuse any materials which do not meet its mission and enhance the collection.
4. If donated materials are inappropriate for the collection, the materials will be utilized in our book sales, donated to other institutions, or discarded.
5. The Library can not provide donors with an appraisal of donated materials for tax purposes; however, the Library will provide donors with a formal letter via the Benedict College Institutional Advancement Office to acknowledge receipt of donated materials.

Acquisitions Procedures
Recommendations for the selection of items to the collection must be submitted to the Acquisitions Department. Faculty members are particularly encouraged to support collection development. However, it is the responsibility of the professional library staff to maintain an up-to-date and relevant collection that will support the curriculum of the college.

Once a request or recommendation is received in the library, the following steps are followed:

Receiving Requests

1. Receive requests from requestors (Benedict College faculty, staff and students).
2. Compile order request cards by fund.

Bibliographic Searching

1. Criteria selection applied to determine if an item should be added to the collection.
2. Verify that the book is not already in the library or on order by checking the online catalog and the on-order process and standing order files.
3. Verify whether the bibliographic information given is accurate by using: Books in Print, Publishers Trade List Annual, or the OCLC Database.
4. The book request is processed for ordering if the title is not found in the online catalog or any of the files.
5. The book request is not processed for ordering if the title is located in the online catalog or any of the files.
6. The requestor is sent notification regarding the status of the recommendation if the title is already in the library.
7. The requestor is notified when the book has been received.

Bibliographic Information for Order Cards
Full bibliographic information includes the following: author, title, edition, publisher, date of publication, number of volumes, if any, number of copies and the price.

Verification
Verification is needed to determine whether the bibliographic information given is accurate:

1. Use one or more of the standard tools such as: Books in Print, OCLC Database, Publisher’s Trade List Annual, etc.
2. If the book is out-of-print, information may be found in some of the reprint or out-of-print catalogs

Duplicates
If an order card is marked “duplicate needed”, order another copy. Duplicate copies are ordered when they are specifically requested.

Order Procedures
Once the book recommendation has been received and verification made, the order is ready to be processed:

1. Select the publisher or vendor.
2. Place the order cards alphabetically by the main entry.
3. Type the order on a Benedict College requisition.
4. Give the purchasing requisition to the Director of Library Services for signing.
5. Request a copy be sent back to the Acquisitions Librarian.
6. Stamp date of order on order card and record name of publisher or dealer.
7. File cards in Order File.

Receiving Print and Non-Print Materials
Preliminary Procedures:

1. Pull order cards and place them in the items
2. Pull list from the file for the order
3. Pull invoice, if sent

1. Print and non-print materials are delivered to the Acquisitions Department.
2. Unpack, sort and check in materials.
3. Verify book invoices by placing initials, date and purchase order number on the bottom left side of the invoice. This should be done by the Acquisitions Librarian.
4. Check items with order cards to see if the correct title or edition was sent.
5. Correct any erroneous information on the order card.
6. Stamp date received on order card.
7. Write LC call number in the space provided on the order card.
8. Check off items received on the order list.
9. Stamp date received, if all items are received.
10. Write incomplete, if all items are not received.
11. Record and maintain statistical record of items ordered and received by discipline and material type (microfiche, video, etc.). Include in weekly reports.
12. Send items (to be cataloged) to the Cataloging Department.
13. Notify respective requestors or department of new titles after items are cataloged or processed and sent to collection.

Gift Process

1. eceive gifts.
2. Fill out donor's form for gifts.
3. Get signatures for donor's form and send to Benedict College Institutional Advancement Office (this office will send a letter of acknowledgment to donor).
4. Select gift items to add to collection.
5. Send selected items to the Cataloging Department.

Shipping and Receiving

1. Materials to be shipped out of the library must be sent to the Administrative Specialist’s office.
2. Materials received by the library from the College Post Office or a mail/package delivery service will be sent to the Acquisitions Department for dispersal.