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Collection Development Policy

  1. OVERVIEW
    1. Purpose
    2. Library mission and values
    3. Intellectual freedom
    4. Description of the institution
  2. GENERAL COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
    1. Introduction
    2. Formats
    3. Access to electronic resources
    4. Languages and translations
    5. Housing library resources
    6. Multiple copies
    7. Deselection
    8. Gifts
    9. Virtual Reality(VR)
    10. Reconsideration Policy
  3. SPECIALIZED COLLECTIONS
    1. Maps
    2. Curriculum materials
    3. Special Collections
    4. Digital collections
    5. Reference
    6. Leisure reading
    7. Government documents
    8. Periodicals
    9. Databases
    10. Theses, dissertations, and disquisitions

 

    1. OVERVIEW
      1. Purpose

        The Collection Development Policy documents the guiding principles by which Hunter Library provides and cultivates a collection of quality intellectual resources. The Collection Development Librarian updates it every five years or as needed.

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      2. Library mission and values

        Hunter Library is integral to the mission of Western Carolina University. We provide scholarly information resources and tools, expert instructional and advisory services, inclusive physical and virtual spaces, and employees dedicated to helping users explore, discover, learn, and produce new scholarly and creative works. The library supports WCU’s regional engagement mission through local partnerships and other activities to collect, preserve, and make available the rich intellectual, cultural, and environmental heritage of the region.


        Core values


        Our values are shaped by the American Library Association, the Association of College and Research Libraries, and related professions:

        1. Provide excellent service to every library user;
        2. User-centered approaches to service design and delivery in both physical and virtual environments;
        3. Intellectual freedom and freedom of inquiry;
        4. Protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality;
        5. Freedom of equitable access to information and information services;
        6. Respect intellectual property rights and advocate for balance between the interests of nformation users and those of rights holders through policy and educational programming;
        7. Resistance to all efforts to censor library resources;
        8. Support academic integrity and deterring plagiarism through policy and education;
        9. Treat both library users and co-workers with fairness and respect;
        10. Advocate for the rights, safety, and welfare of members of our community; and
        11. Provide an environment that is welcoming and safe for all those who wish to use the library, regardless of identity or differences.

        We support Western Carolina University’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence to “prepare our students for the diverse world in which they live”. Our library offers support to help all members of the WCU community develop intercultural knowledge and skills that are critical for effective citizenship in the 21st century. In support of these goals, we strive to eliminate barriers to information access, foster increased community with our underrepresented and underserved populations, and build our capacity for cross-cultural and intergenerational engagement. We value the well-being of our community and visitors, and invite you to join us in creating an environment that embraces our values.

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      3. Intellectual freedom

        Intellectual freedom is a core value of Hunter Library. As such, this collection development policy is guided by the first four articles of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights:

        1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
        2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
        3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
        4. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

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      4. Description of the institution

        One of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina, Western Carolina University is a comprehensive university, offering programs of study at the baccalaureate, master’s, doctoral, and intermediate levels, with instruction programs housed in six colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Allied Professions, Fine and Performing Arts, Health and Human Sciences, and Engineering and Technology. The university offers courses and programs on the main campus in Cullowhee; at the instructional site at Biltmore Park Town Square in Asheville; and through distance learning.

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    2. GENERAL COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
      1. Introduction

        The Hunter Library collection consists of a general collection and several specialized collections: maps, curriculum materials, special collections, digital collections, reference, leisure reading, government documents, periodicals, and databases. Collection development is a collaborative effort involving many parties, including library liaisons, teaching faculty, the Collection Development Librarian, the Acquisitions Librarian, and the Collections Advisory Committee. These parties strive to build and maintain a collection of quality intellectual resources that reflect inclusive excellence.

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      2. Formats

        The library collects resources in a variety of formats to meet the changing needs of users as technology and publishing models evolve. These include established media, such as print books and microfilm, as well as newer and emerging technologies, such as e-books, e-journals, databases, and streaming media. The library generally does not purchase identical content across multiple formats. For monographs, library liaisons decide whether to purchase books in print or digital format. When purchasing e-books, the library prefers unlimited access, though more restrictive licenses (typically 3-User or 1-User) are acceptable, if finances or publisher-supplied Digital Rights Management (DRM) prevent the purchase of unlimited access. For journals, databases, and movies, the library prefers electronic access.

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      3. Access to electronic resources

        Hunter Library subscribes to electronic resources (such as databases and e-journals) at the institutional level, so that everyone in the WCU community—including distance education students—may access them. However, departments, units, and individuals may choose to administer and pay for resources that fall outside the scope of the library’s collection at their own discretion. In general, the library does not subscribe to electronic resources that restrict simultaneous use. Exceptions may be made for electronic resources that impose partial limits, such as e-books that may only be accessed by one person at a time, or databases with seat restrictions. However, all resources must be accessible as institutional-level subscriptions that are open to all people in the WCU community, including distance education students. The library strongly prefers to provide access to electronic resources via proxy technology, with users authenticated by IP address (for on-campus access) or by WCU login credentials (for off-campus access). In some cases, the library may provide access to electronic resources that use alternative means of authentication, typically user-created username and password—but only for resources that are available at the institutional level, and only for resources that may be accessed on and off campus.

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      4. Languages and translations

        The library gives preference to resources in English or to resources translated to English. Exceptions include, but are not limited to, works intended for the World Language program.

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      5. Housing library resources

        The library generally does not purchase resources to be housed offsite. Exceptions may be made for remote instructional sites. Resources stored at remote locations remain the property of Hunter Library.

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      6. Multiple copies

        Due to limited funds, the library acquires multiple copies selectively.

        1. High use. The library collects multiple copies primarily to serve high demand. Except for selected resources maintained for archival purposes in Special Collections, the library does not acquire multiple copies for the sake of preservation.
        2. Multiple formats. Duplication involving multiple formats, such as print and electronic books, may be warranted.

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      7. Deselection

        When resources no longer serve the needs of the university community, the library removes them from the collection. Factors for weeding include, but are not limited to, obsolescence, redundancy, and poor condition.

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      8. Gifts

        The library accepts donations of library resources and monetary gifts according to the following criteria:

        1. Selection criteria. Publications received as gifts or designated to be acquired with monetary gifts are evaluated by the same standards that apply to new purchases.
        2. Retention of donations. The library decides whether or not to add donations to the collection. The library does not accept gifts with conditions as to their disposition or location. Donated materials not added to the collection are included in a library book sale or discarded according to the surplus property procedures of the State of North Carolina.
        3. Appraisal. Donors are responsible for appraising gifts. The library does not appraise gifts.

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      9. Virtual Reality (VR)

        The VR Room is intended to support the curricular and educational needs of the university by providing VR resources, including VR media, computers and gaming consoles capable of running VR media, and VR accessories such as headsets and gaming chairs. The VR Room also supports curricular and educational needs with non-VR media by request.

        1. Selection criteria. The library collects VR media that may be used on one or more of the computers or consoles in the VR Room. Selection factors include:
          1. Requests from teaching faculty and media with clear curricular ties
          2. Educational value
          3. Positive reviews and industry awards
          4. Price
          5. Requests from parties other than teaching faculty, e.g., students, librarians, and staff
        2. Accessibility. The library endeavors to collect resources that are accessible to all users. Priority is given to media with accommodations for visual, hearing, mobility, and manual impairments, along with other impairments not listed here, as well as sensitivity to flashing lights. The library will strive to provide information about titles that may pose barriers to access. When available, the library will share a title’s Comfort Rating (comfortable, moderate, intense, or unrated), a standard used for Oculus Rift content.
        3. Inclusivity. The library strives to collect VR resources with content created by and about diverse people with regard to (but not limited to) dimensions such as sex and gender, race and ethnicity, age, religion, and national origin.
        4. Format. The library acquires media in both physical and electronic formats. When multiple formats are available, the choice of format is at the discretion of the library.
        5. One-time purchase vs. subscription. The library generally prefers to purchase media outright, rather than committing to ongoing subscription costs. However, exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis, particularly for media requests from teaching faculty. The Collections Advisory Committee meets to consider all proposed subscriptions.
        6. Library-friendly purchasing and licensing. Though the library prefers to acquire media from vendors that can accommodate institutional purchasing and licensing, reasonable efforts will be made to work with vendors unaccustomed to selling to public universities. However, the Business Officer, as the administrator in charge of acquiring VR media, may recommend against collecting a resource if it does not align with state and university licensing and purchasing requirements.
        7. Leisure and recreation. The library prioritizes VR media that support the curricular and educational needs of the university. However, the library may choose to acquire selected resources strictly for leisure and recreation.
        8. Deselection. The library will deaccession media as necessary. Reasons can include (but are not limited to) poor condition, lack of use, ongoing subscription costs, and falling out of currency.

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      10. Request for Reconsideration

        Hunter Library welcomes expressions of opinions from the WCU (Western Carolina University) affiliates concerning materials selected or not selected for inclusion in its collections. Materials in the library reflect diverse scholarly perspectives and are selected to support the instructional and research needs of the University community. The library does not impose beliefs, methods, or ideologies. Requests to add or remove library materials will be considered within the contexts of the principles affirmed in this document and the standards described in Association of College and Research Libraries' Intellectual Freedom Principles. WCU affiliates who wish to request the reconsideration of library materials must complete and sign a "Request for Reconsideration" form, which is available online or at the library's circulation desk. The form must be filled out completely and submitted to the library, assuring the library staff is able to follow up for clarification and that the patron's concern will be addressed by the appropriate library staff. Incomplete reconsideration request forms, anonymous phone calls, rumors, or voiced concern will not be addressed. Once a completed "Request for Reconsideration" form is returned to the library, a task force will be convened to review the challenge and a formal investigation will be undertaken. For materials already in the collection, the material in question will remain in the library's collection while under review.

          Procedures
        1. Once a complaint is received, a task force comprising the appropriate subject librarian, a member of the Collections Advisory Committee, the Collections Strategist Librarian, and a staff volunteer reviews the item based on the Collection Development Policy.
        2. The task force creates a written report that includes their determination, the rationale for the decision, and any sources consulted during their review.
        3. The report will be reviewed by the Dean of Library Services and forwarded to the complainant’s WCU email address within 30 days of receipt of the request for reconsideration.
        4. The Task Force’s decision is final, and further complaints on the same item will not be considered for a period of 3 years.
        5. Challenges will be reported to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom. Copies of the challenge documents will be stored in the Dean’s offices.

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    3. SPECIALIZED COLLECTIONS
      1. Maps

        To serve the cartographic information needs of the university community, the maps collection includes worldwide maps and atlases, geospatial data, and related reference resources, with an emphasis on post-1900 North Carolina and the southeastern United States.

        1. Regional priorities. Regional priorities are, in order, North Carolina; Southeastern United States; United States; Canada and Mexico; North America; Central and South America and the Caribbean; Europe; Africa, Asia, and Australia; World, Polar Regions, Oceans, Ocean Islands; Moon, Planets, and Space.
        2. Travel/Recreational collections. Recreational guides for North Carolina, especially western North Carolina, are acquired.
        3. Multiple copies. A minimum of one duplicate copy of all North Carolina topographic maps is acquired. Otherwise, duplicate copies are acquired only for resources that have extremely heavy use.
        4. Deselection. So that a historical perspective can be maintained, some older materials pertaining to North Carolina and the Southeast will not be withdrawn.

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      2. Curriculum materials

        The Curriculum Materials Center collection supports elementary and secondary education courses, field placements, and children’s and young adult literature courses.

        1. Textbooks. Teacher’s editions of textbooks adopted by the State of North Carolina Department of Instruction are acquired comprehensively for the subjects and grade levels for which the College of Education and Allied Professions prepares teachers. Student editions and other support material is acquired very selectively.
        2. Professional materials. Professional materials that support teachers in the classroom are collected. Examples include idea and activity books, unit and lesson plans, teaching methods books, and guides to classroom management. Books about educational research, theory, or history are located in the general collection.
        3. Children’s collection. Resources appropriate for infants through grade twelve, including fiction, nonfiction, picture books, folk and fairy tales, plays, and poetry, are collected. The collection reflects the recommendations of standard reviewing tools and includes annual acquisition of award books such as Caldecott, Newbery, and Coretta Scott King.
        4. Journals. Magazines intended for use by P-12 students, as well as professional education periodicals that provide teaching ideas and reviews of curriculum materials, educational media, and children’s and young adult literature, are selectively collected.
        5. Instructional materials. A representative sample of instructional materials is acquired for demonstration purposes and to provide resources that students use in lesson preparation. Examples include curriculum guides, charts, science kits, puppets, study prints, games, audio-visual materials, manipulatives, models, realia, and educational toys.

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      3. Special Collections

        The mission of Special Collections is to select and acquire primary research materials and ancillary documentation that support the academic community’s teaching, research activities, and service programs; to arrange and describe the holdings; to provide physical access to the holdings and reference service for patrons; and to work towards preservation of the items. A shared goal of Special Collections and the Mountain Heritage Center is the preservation of the regional heritage of western North Carolina and the southern Appalachian area. Special Collections and the Mountain Heritage Center work cooperatively and are non-competitive in their missions. Special Collections acquires materials such as manuscripts, photographs, and rare books that document the history of the region. The Mountain Heritage Center collects artifacts, primarily three-dimensional, for the same purpose.

        1. Principles of collection developmentSpecial Collections seeks to develop its collection guided by a strategy informed by the following principles:
          1. Support.Special Collections materials support the research goals of students, faculty, staff, and the wider community. Collection decisions should include a consideration of the historical, evidentiary, and documentary value of materials and how that material could benefit researchers and patrons.
          2. Access.Special Collections collects materials to be used. Materials should be available and accessible to researchers regardless of background or capability. Collection decisions should include a consideration of Special Collections ability to make the material available and accessible to the widest possible audience.
          3. Stewardship.The careful stewardship of collected materials is a significant responsibility of Special Collections. Collection decisions should take into account the capacity of Special Collections to collect and steward materials indefinitely.
          4. Preservation.Continued access to and stewardship of collections depends on the ability of Special Collections to preserve the materials. Special Collections will make a reasonable effort to preserve materials for future use and consider preservation requirements when making collecting decisions.
          5. Inclusion.A variety of voices, with an aim towards inclusivity and representation, makes a stronger network of collections for our researchers. Special Collections is committed to actively increasing the variety of voices within the collection.
        2. Areas of collecting interest. Based upon the identified curricular, research, and administrative needs of the university, Special Collections primarily collects in the following areas:
          1. Southern Appalachia. The natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachia region, particularly western North Carolina.
          2. Cherokee Indian history and culture. Particular attention is given to documenting the history of the Cherokee Nation east of the Mississippi River and to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
          3. Regional authors. Works and papers of regional authors, defined as authors who by birth, residency, or the content of their writings, are associated with the Southern Appalachian region.
          4. Western Carolina University. Materials documenting the history of the university.
        3. Limitations.
          1. Location. The unit does not accept donations with conditions as to their disposition or location.
          2. Artifacts. Artifacts are not acquired. Offers of artifacts are referred to the Mountain Heritage Center. For collections that have both manuscripts and artifacts, a joint donation may be arranged with both Special Collections and the Mountain Heritage Center based upon each unit’s policies.
          3. Multiple copies. The unit does not retain multiple copies of publications, and retains the right to dispose of unneeded publications.
          4. Oral history. All oral history interviews and support documentation, both audio and video as well as transcripts, must have release forms signed by the interviewees indicating their informed consent and indicating that the interview will be placed in Special Collections and open to the public. Individuals or organizations contemplating an oral history project with the desire of placing materials in Special Collections should first consult with Special Collections staff.
          5. Offers outside the primary collecting interest. The unit does not actively collect books, manuscripts, photographs, or other items that do not support the areas of interest specified above. Where conditions warrant, a donation may be accepted based upon the age, intrinsic value, uniqueness, and research value of the materials.
          6. Donations based on faculty expertise.. The unit does not collect in areas of faculty expertise unless there is a long-term commitment from the appropriate college to have faculty with expertise in the area.
          7. Photocopies. Special Collections encourages the donation of original materials rather than photocopies or other reproductions. Photocopies and reproductions are considered on a case-by-case basis. In instances where photocopies or reproductions are accepted, the donation requires the same documentation as with a collection of original materials.
          8. Formats. Special Collections encourages donation of materials within the areas of collecting interest regardless of format. Some formats, notably older electronic records and older audio and video media, may have special requirements for their ongoing preservation and use. Decisions about acquiring these materials will take into consideration unit resource constraints.
        4. Donations with restrictions. Special Collections does not accept materials that are closed to the public in perpetuity. Prior to the donation all restricted materials must be designated with an opening date. No book collection will be acquired as a gift with the stipulation that it remain intact. No collection will be acquired as a gift with the stipulation that it be placed on public display, or that it be digitized in its entirety for online publication.
        5. Loans. Special Collections does not accept manuscript collections on indefinite loan. No manuscript collection will be acquired on loan unless it requires little or no processing time, has no restrictions placed upon its access or use, and has clearly defined guidelines on its future return to the owner or designated heir. No book collection will be acquired on loan.
        6. Multiple copies. Special collections does not endeavor to duplicate the library’s general or reference holdings on regional history, Cherokee history, or other subject areas within it collecting interest. Duplicate copies are acquired only for preservation purposes or where they support reference assistance or aid in research use of the manuscript collections and other unit holdings.
        7. Reformatting and replacement. Materials that have become brittle or fragile may be reformatted into another medium to help with preservation. Materials that are damaged or lost, and for which a replacement copy exists, will be replaced if appropriate.
        8. Deselection. Items may be considered for deaccessioning when they are no longer relevant to the University’s activities and programs as defined in the subject statements, when they are redundant in the collection, or when their physical condition makes them unusable.
        9. Appraisals for tax purposes. Donors are responsible for appraising gifts. Special Collections staff cannot assist donors with tax advice on a donation or provide an appraisal. The staff can assist in locating a source for an appraisal.

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      4. Digital collections

        The library is committed to sustaining a strong digital infrastructure and to extending access to unique resource materials via the web. The library uses digitization to create online collections that include primary source materials that are then organized into a searchable database.

        To enhance their use, digital collections are often augmented with contextual material to assist the public audience with understanding and integrating their content for greater meaning. To accomplish this objective, the library engages content experts from within the university faculty to add interpretive meaning to its online offerings. In a manner similar to its Special Collections, the library’s Digital Collections support the learning and research needs of the university community. A primary area of interest includes the natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachian region.

        1. Special considerations. Special considerations for digital collections include whether the content is original and of intellectual or cultural value; whether it is useful in the short and/or long term for research and instruction; whether it matches the mission of WCU and/or library collecting interests; whether the investment of time and resources is in line with the anticipated value; whether the work is in the public domain and whether WCU holds copyright or has obtained permissions; and whether it has substantial metadata or other existing descriptive documentation.
        2. Scope. The digital collections focus on unique and rare materials from WCU Special Collections and partner organizations and scholarly articles and data sets produced by WCU faculty and staff.
        3. Collecting priorities. The collection priorities are the natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachian region; the institutional history of Western Carolina University; library or Special Collections materials that receive heavy use or about which library staff have preservation concerns; and the scholarly work produced by the faculty, staff, and students of WCU.
        4. Resources not collected. Resources not collected include those that cannot be shared due to copyright or donor restrictions; those that duplicate digitized collections elsewhere, so long as the digital objects are broadly accessible; and those that do not follow best practices for facilitating use and access.

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      5. Reference

        The Research & Instruction Services department maintains an up-to-date collection of reference sources—such as general and subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, citation guides, statistical sources, atlases, bibliographies, and indexes—to provide background information or quick facts on informational topics.

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      6. Leisure reading

        The library maintains a leisure reading collection to encourage reading and lifelong learning. The collection consists of selectively-acquired popular fiction and nonfiction books and magazines.

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      7. Government documents

        The purpose of being a depository library for federal and state documents is to provide access to, and service for, government information as needed by students, faculty, and staff of Western Carolina University and the 11th Congressional District. The library also collects and provides access to regional documents, specifically those related to environmental concerns and local or regional economic development. Preference is given to documents in electronic format. Care is given to avoid duplication of resources in Special Collections.

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      8. Periodicals

        The periodical collection supports the information needs of students and faculty with both print and electronic resources. The collection reflects the long-term emphases of the curriculum, with funding priority given to those areas identified as priorities of the university. It is a dynamic collection, responding readily to the changing needs of the university.

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      9. Databases

        The database collection supports all levels of scholarship across all disciplines. Because of the high cost and interdisciplinary nature of databases, decisions to subscribe to new databases are made by the Collections Advisory Committee, with input from liaison librarians and teaching faculty. The committee considers whether to renew or cancel subscriptions annually. Additionally, the library has access to those databases provided through the NC LIVE consortium.

        1. Collecting priorities. The library prioritizes databases that support, in order, undergraduate studies; graduate studies; faculty teaching; faculty research; and staff and general interests.
        2. Special considerations. Criteria for selection include, but are not limited to, demand, cost effectiveness, user experience, breadth of appeal, and accreditation. Criteria for renewals additionally include cost-per-use statistics.
      10. Theses, dissertations, and disquisitions In accordance with Series 12.25 of the University of North Carolina System General Records Retention and Disposition Schedule, Hunter Library is responsible for the permanent retention of record copies, in print or digital form, of theses, dissertations, and disquisitions completed by Western Carolina University students. These materials may not be deaccessioned from the collection.


      11. Rev. January 2022


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    Revised May 2017; Amended September 2019
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