This policy provides a written statement of the collection development policy of Western New England University’s D’Amour Library. It serves to describe and clarify the emphases and scope of the library along with the purposes and procedures of collection development. It provides transparency around our professional practices, decision-making responsibilities, and approach to management of the library’s collection.
Faculty are encouraged to suggest additions to the collection via the Book Purchase request form on the library’s website. All purchases are at the discretion of the library, and requests will be reviewed based on the Material Selection Criteria described in this document. If approved, book recommendations are purchased as funds allow.
Faculty members are encouraged to participate in collection development through regular conversation with their subject liaison librarian. Faculty members have in-depth knowledge of their specific subject areas and broad discipline, as well as their curriculum needs.
Journal or database recommendations should be sent to the appropriate subject liaison librarian. Journals and databases are evaluated, trialed, and considered in accordance with the Electronic Resource and Subscriptions criteria described in this document.
Faculty who require research materials for individual use which lack a broader value to the collection are encouraged to use D’Amour Library’s interlibrary loan (ILL) service.
D’Amour Library utilizes multiple acquisitions criteria, including best practices in the field of library science, to shape the collection. These considerations include, but are not limited to the following:
Available funds
Relevance to the University curricula
The material’s scholarly importance
The material’s subject and relevance to existing collections
Currency/timeliness of the source
Cost, especially for materials over $100 which may be subject to further scrutiny
Priority is given to English language materials
D’Amour Library generally acquires a single copy of each title
Materials selected by subject liaison librarians
Materials recommended by WNE faculty, staff, and students
Various selection aids are utilized in selecting quality resources for the collection. These selection aids include but are not limited to library journals, other journal and newspaper reviews, professional association reviews, publisher catalogs, subject specific bibliographies, standard lists, and literature guides.
The library provides the best resources and the widest access to materials that our budget can support. Database and journal subscriptions require significant ongoing financial commitment by the University. Due to continuous cost increases, the library’s electronic resources must reflect a high degree of selectivity.
Electronic resources include databases, e-journals, e-books, and other resources provided electronically through the library.
Electronic resources are subject to the same selection criteria as other library resources. Additional criteria specific to electronic resources include:
Cost considerations, including startup and maintenance costs, ongoing cost projections and projected price increases over time, and added value over alternative options (including interlibrary loan).
Contract and licensing considerations, including necessary authorized users, availability for off-campus access, length of the agreement, and early termination clauses.
Technical considerations, including compatibility with existing library systems (such as the ILS, full-text finder, discovery layer, and library’s authentication method), and COUNTER compliance.
User needs, including the ability to easily use the resource, and compliance with accessibility standards.
License agreements and renewals will be reviewed by the Library Director or Associate Director, and by the University administration as appropriate.
When reviewing renewals, the library will apply material selection criteria and examine both usage statistics and accreditation requirements (if applicable). Electronic resources and subscriptions determined to not be cost effective may be terminated.
The library purchases a small number of books on an approval plan, namely bestsellers, which fall outside academic research needs but support faculty, staff, and student wellness or leisure needs.
It is the general policy of D’Amour Library to not purchase or acquire resources that have been published as textbooks or e-textbooks.
Exceptions to this policy will be considered on an individual basis by the collection development librarian in consultation with the appropriate subject liaison librarian.
The library may occasionally be asked to purchase items through demand-driven portals or for single use (such as a restricted PDF). In general, the library does not make these sorts of purchases but will consider such purchases should special circumstances arise.
If an article is not available through Interlibrary Loan, the ILL department shall purchase an article on behalf of a faculty member, graduate student, or APPE student if:
The cost of the article does not exceed $50
The patron has not requested multiple articles
D’Amour Library is committed to further developing a diverse, inclusive collection that reflects different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Special consideration is given to materials representing underrepresented groups and global perspectives.
D’Amour Library does not automatically replace all missing, lost, or damaged materials. Such materials are replaced depending on existing coverage in the collection, cost, availability, previous use, projected future use, and availability of better or more up-to-date materials. For items that have been lost or damaged by a library user, a replacement fee and processing fee will be charged, whether the item in question is replaced or not. Appeals to lost or damaged materials fees should be directed to Library Director Elin O’Hara.
Periodic evaluation of library resources is an essential element of collection development that ensures D’Amour Library’s materials remain useful, relevant, and accessible. Weeding by subject liaison librarians occurs on a continuing basis.
The following criteria are considered when evaluating items for deselection in the library collection:
Damaged items or items in poor condition: items that have tears, loose binding, mold, stains, writing, or other markers of misuse that cannot be repaired
Superseded items: items that have been replaced by more recent editions or issues, online or in print
Irrelevant to the collection or curriculum: items that do not meet the needs of the campus or community
Low usage: if an item has consistently had little to no circulation
Outdated: items with outdated information, missing crucial developments in the field since the item’s publication, or a more authoritative treatment of the subject is available (esp. in sciences, technology, health sciences, and business)
Duplicated: items of which the library has more than one print or online copy and low usage between the copies
The disposition of all deselected materials is at the sole discretion of D’Amour Library.
D’Amour Library supports faculty adoption and use of open educational resources (OER) to increase student access to affordable, high-quality learning materials. Faculty are encouraged to contact their subject liaisons in order to learn more about OERs in their discipline to supplement or replace ‘traditional’ print textbooks.
D'Amour Library does not accept donations of books or media, with the exception of special circumstances approved by the Library Director. Previously donated items may be removed from the collection at any time.
D’Amour Library is committed to academic freedom, intellectual freedom, and equitable access to information and adheres to the principles expressed in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights.
It is crucial for an academic library to provide access to materials that contribute to scholarly inquiry, research, and intellectual exploration, even if they challenge prevailing beliefs. It is the responsibility of D’Amour Library to make research available for review, discussion, rebuttal, and further inquiry not to mediate or validate the content acquired.
Many different points of view are represented in the collection, and it is important to consider the context in which potentially objectionable or offensive materials are presented. Materials that include potentially objectionable or offensive content within the context of emerging scholarship, critical analysis, historical perspective, or artistic expression may have legitimate scholarly or educational value.
D’Amour Library opposes the removal of any library material from the shelves through any procedure other than standard deselection as outlined in this policy and will never remove or censor any holding strictly based upon an individual’s or group’s demand or request to do so. Any concerns about materials held in D’Amour Library’s Collections must be addressed in writing to Library Director Elin O’Hara.
D’Amour Library participates in the Digital Commons institutional repository as a means of preserving student and faculty research, including theses. Please see the Digital Commons policy document for more information about including student and/or faculty work.
Access to the Library Archives is closed due to staffing constraints. Please contact Library Director Elin O’Hara to discuss arranging access in the event that an urgent need for archival materials should arise.
This policy will be reviewed biennially by the Library Director and subject liaison librarians, and updated as needed to reflect changing academic needs, budgetary constraints, and best practices in academic librarianship.
