Purpose:
The Collection Development policy of Middlebury College Library furnishes general written guidelines that relate the Library's collection development efforts to the needs and interests of the Middlebury College community. Because it is the College's chief provider of books, maps, serials, government documents, microforms, bibliographic databases, and other materials, the Library’s central purpose is to support first the teaching and learning activities that uphold the curriculum and second the research and service responsibilities of the College.
Middlebury Community Profile:
Middlebury College is principally an undergraduate, liberal arts institution of higher learning; its mission is to ensure that student educational experiences in the liberal arts are both broad and deep. The College offers students a curriculum that exhibits wide representation of academic disciplines, and privileges classroom teaching over scholarly research, although it supports both endeavors aggressively.
Selection Responsibilities:
The Library has responsibility for developing the collection, with final authority for the selection of materials belonging to the Dean of Library and Information Services. The library assigns liaisons to each academic department and program, giving them collection development responsibilities in various subject areas. As the academic faculty is an important source of requests for the purchase of library materials, the Library strongly encourages faculty members to participate in this process by recommending acquisitions to Library liaisons.
Types of Materials:
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Monographs. For print, hardbound editions usually are purchased for the humanities and paperbound for the sciences and social sciences. The library also acquires electronic books.
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Journals/Serials. The Library subscribes to journals and newspapers as well as other serials in appropriate subject fields. Duplicate subscriptions are avoided whenever possible. The electronic format is preferred. Requests for new subscriptions and periodical backfiles are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Selection Committee.
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Electronic Resources. The library provides access to a variety of electronic information resources available locally and over the internet. Requests for new purchases or subscriptions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Selection Committee.
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Dissertations and Theses. Dissertations and theses are treated as specialized research materials and are acquired only to support senior thesis research. Requests must have the support of a faculty member.
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Textbooks. The purchase of textbooks by the Library is discouraged as much as possible. Library funds are limited, and the purchase of textbooks may preclude the purchase of important monographs not otherwise available. Textbooks may, however, be acquired if they represent significant contributions to the presentation of a subject or if there is a scarcity of other material in the field.
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Duplicates. The purchase of multiple copies is discouraged, as the Library is not a direct provider of books required for classes. A later edition of a monograph already in the collection is acquired only when the new or revised material justifies its purchase.
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Government Documents. The Library is a depository for United States documents and collects State of Vermont documents. Government documents are housed in the main library and are available to the general public. Read the Government Documents Collection Development Policy for more information.
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Software. Software usually is not purchased by the Library, but by individual departments and by Academic Computing. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, as when a software package accompanies a book or when a software package supports an academic program but does not qualify for departmental or Academic Computing support.
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Film/Video/DVD. These materials are selected for research or instructional purposes. The library does not rent films, nor does it purchase exhibition rights to material unless such a purchase is unavoidable.
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Audio. Musical recordings are purchased according to the needs of teaching and research.
De-selection and Withdrawal:
De-selection is a consultative endeavor between librarians and members of the faculty aimed at enhancing the value, utility and relevance of the holdings. Liaisons routinely undertake weeding to allow space for new and needed materials. We understand that in some subject areas, material has historical significance for great lengths of time. The process of de-selecting or canceling journals is done collaboratively by librarians and members of the faculty. Titles no longer relevant to current needs, unused, or appropriately accessible by electronic transmission will be identified as candidates for cancellation.
Gifts:
The library accepts all gift materials with the understanding that the College becomes the owner of the materials and reserves the right to determine retention, location and disposition. See the gift policy for further details.
J.Toth -- 12/07