Library Collection Development Policy

Introduction

TMCC Students in Library

This document is a statement of the guidelines used by the TMCC Libraries for the acquisition and maintenance of materials in the collection. The word "materials" encompasses information sources in print, non-print, electronic and digital formats. These materials are made available to the members of the College's faculty, staff, and student body, as well as to the general public. The collection development policy is implemented in response to the mission statement of Truckee Meadows Community College: Truckee Meadows Community College promotes student success, academic excellence and access to lifelong learning by supporting high-quality education and services within our diverse community.

The mission of the TMCC Libraries: Serve the needs of students, staff, and community members by providing high-quality academic research resources, embracing new and emerging technologies, supporting distance education and lifelong learning, and promoting information literacy across all disciplines.

The primary goals of the TMCC Libraries are as follows:

  • Increase faculty and student awareness and use of library resources and services
  • Increase satisfaction with library services and facilities
  • Increase community outreach, collaborations and library-sponsored events

Selection Responsibility

The selection of materials is a primary duty of library reference staff. Selection aids and tools including but not limited to: standard book review sources, professional journals, and publishers’ catalogs are used to identify materials for consideration. In addition, staff members work closely with faculty to identify items that meet instructional goals and satisfy requirements for accreditation. Student requests are welcome and considered.

Librarians will be responsible for coordinating selection in all subject areas and act as liaison with faculty in respective disciplines. Each staff member takes the lead role in selection for certain subject areas. Materials are purchased throughout the fiscal year. Orders for standard items and faculty requests are routed directly to the Technical Services Department for acquisition processing. Items that are requested with a fiscal concern will be reviewed during librarian staff meetings to ensure fiscal responsibility.

Selection Policy

The TMCC Libraries recognize their responsibility to serve the total instructional program of the college. Selection criteria are used to purchase materials that will provide TMCC students with the information they need to study and complete assignments. Efforts will be made to provide for most of the students' needs for resources in the TMCC Libraries. Materials are selected based on the College curricula with an emphasis on core courses in each program or department. Collections will include materials on subjects of current interest, reflecting a variety of viewpoints and all programs of discipline at TMCC. Special collections include the Nevada Collection, Children’s Literature, Archives, and Genealogy/Family History.

The type of materials purchased includes print, non-print, electronic and digital formats.

Selection Guidelines

The TMCC Libraries are guided by the Library Strategic Plan in the selection process. Selections are made to meet the needs of faculty, staff and students for study and research. TMCC Libraries serve the entire college community by purchasing or accepting as donations some recreational, cultural and general information materials. Specific criteria in choosing materials include some or all of the following:

  • Support of mission statement
  • Appropriate level of treatment
  • Strength of present holdings in subject or related subject areas
  • Cost
  • Suitability of format to content
  • Authority of author or reputation of publisher, vendor or network
  • Timeliness or permanence of the material
  • Classic in its field
  • Curricular requirements
  • Program accreditation requirements
  • Current interests and informational needs of students, faculty and staff

Materials not normally purchased are:

  • Textbooks used in courses at TMCC, with the exception of textbooks for Reserves
  • Books in languages not taught at TMCC
  • Current fiction in hardcover editions
  • Expensive materials available in other area libraries

Suggestions for books and other materials to be added to the library’s collection are welcomed by the director and the librarians of the Truckee Meadows Community College Libraries (TMCC Libraries). Faculty members recommending materials in their subject field should submit requests using the online request form or giving the request directly to the reference staff. Each librarian has been assigned subject areas within the LC classification system for collection development purposes. In addition, each librarian has been assigned to act as a liaison with specific college departments. After considering faculty input, the reference librarians submit their order requests to the Technical Services Department.

Donations

Gifts or donations are encouraged, with the understanding that the library may refuse a donation, or evaluate and dispose of unneeded items without restrictions by the donor. If donations are not added to the collection, they are given away to other libraries or placed on the student free cart. Gift materials will be added based on the same criteria as purchased items. The library assumes no responsibility for the appraisal of gifts. The TMCC Libraries accept monetary donations through the TMCC Foundation. The selection of materials will be made by the appropriate librarian following the expressed wishes of the donor. If the donor does not specify the subject discipline in which to purchase materials, the library staff will determine how best to utilize the gift. If there are any questions on donations, contact TMCC Libraries.

Weeding and Replacement Policy

The Collection will be kept active and viable through a continual program of evaluation and removal of items. The collection will emphasize quality rather than quantity of materials. Criteria for replacement or withdrawal of an item will be based on the following:

  • Suggestion from faculty member
  • Appearance or condition
  • Duplicate volumes
  • Older or superseded editions
  • Obsolete materials
  • Superfluous materials
  • Appropriateness of content
  • Utilization

An item will not be weeded if it meets any of the following criteria:

  • Supports the mission and institutional goals of the college
  • Supports the collection development process
  • Supports the current curriculum
  • Contains information which is in demand
  • Provides historical background