INTRODUCTION
The Griffith Memorial Library is an integral part of the
college's instructional program. The purpose of the
library, and the mission of the collection development and
management program, is to serve the academic community by
providing access to resources that support the college
curriculum, by stimulating the intellectual development of
students and faculty, by motivating students to acquire
life-long learning and reading skills, and by assisting
faculty to maintain awareness of current scholarship.
The Library strives also to provide continuing education
opportunities that will enrich the community by making
resources and facilities available to area residents.
Materials will not be specifically acquired for community
residents or groups, except for links to Internet
resources and government publications which meet the
collection development policies for that collection.
The Griffith Memorial Library supports with its
acquisitions the educational goals of Sheridan
College/Northern Wyoming Community College District.
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Preparation for upper-level education (transfer to
four-year programs)
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Preparation for immediate job entry (career or
technical)
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Continuing education and professional development.
The primary responsibility of the library is to provide
academic resources to support students and faculty; materials
or publications related to Sheridan College are required to
maintain the history as well as to preserve resources for
future researchers.
The Library Director makes the final decision for
selecting new materials for acquisition and is responsible
for maintaining the overall quality of the collections.
Expensive reference and online sources are purchased in
balance with materials available at other libraries in the
county. Online reference resources are often purchased as
part of statewide or regional consortial arrangements.
These considerations may sometimes result in compromises
in title selections. Faculty members are encouraged to
participate in the selection process by recommending
materials within their teaching disciplines.
Recommendations from staff and administrators as well as
students are given full consideration. Materials are
selected for inclusion in the library collection based on:
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The author's or publisher's authoritativeness,
reputation and significance
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The relatedness of the subject matter to the curriculum
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The timeliness or permanence of the title
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The appearance of the title in recommended
bibliographies, indexes or reviews
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The anticipated amount of use of the material
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The availability of similar material already in the
collection
The priority for acquisition shall be assigned as follows:
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Materials which support student academic work
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Materials which provide faculty support related to
instruction
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Materials which provide research support for faculty
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Materials which relate to general interest or leisure
reading for students or faculty
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Gifts
Materials which strengthen the library collection are
welcomed. Gifts are reviewed on the same basis as items
considered for purchase; most items which are not deemed
appropriate for inclusion in the library are offered to
other libraries in the region through exchange lists.
Materials either not selected for the library collection
or not dispersed to other libraries on exchange are
disposed of at the discretion of the library director.
Donors may place no restriction on the use or retention of
material. The Business Office will receive an annual list
of gift materials (and their values) which have been added
to the library collection.
The library will not be responsible for the appraisal of
gifts (see Appendix B). Under Internal
Revenue Service regulations, this is the obligation of the
donor; in special instances when it is deemed appropriate,
the college may seek an independent appraisal of a gift by
a qualified individual or business. Letters acknowledging
the receipt of gifts are sent to all donors; upon request,
the letter of acknowledgement will include an
acknowledgement of the number of volumes or items
received.
In addition to the gift of an actual item, gifts of money
to purchase library resources are welcomed. The Northern
Wyoming Community College Foundation is the recipient of
any monetary donation to the college; donors may specify
"for library purchases" when donating through
the foundation.
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COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES
The library budget includes allocations for divisional and
departmental book and audiovisual or software purchases as
well as a general line item for periodicals. Those with
library fund allocations are advised on a regular basis of
the balances available for purchases of library resources.
Individual requestors are notified of the availability of
their material via the receipt of an e-mail message. All
newly processed library materials are listed the 'New
Items in the Sheridan College Griffith Memorial
Library' link on the library web pages.
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Books
Individual faculty members, staff and students may request
the acquisition of specific publications. The library book
budget supports the acquisition of general books and
reference materials which have multi-disciplinary content
as well as acquisitions to establish collections for new
programs. Materials requested by administration or
students are charged also against the general library book
budget.
Individuals requesting books are encouraged to use reviews
and standardized bibliographies for their selections. The
use of publishers' announcements, commercial catalogs,
and other non-selective sales-oriented literature is
discouraged. The library generally limits the acquisition
of texts for the book collection; texts are usually a
basic introductory coverage of a topic and the library
prefers to acquire more in-depth publications. Workbook
publications are expendable items and as such should be
acquired through divisional/departmental supply accounts.
Divisions are encouraged to submit final order requests by
the end of January of each fiscal year.
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Periodicals
Individual faculty members, staff and students may request
the acquisition of new subscriptions. The periodical
budget is a general library line item which supports all divisions and departments. New subscription requests are
reviewed annually along with a review of all existing
subscriptions. Each title is evaluated according to the
general library material selection guidelines. Proposed
subscription changes are reviewed with appropriate faculty
and/or divisions. To facilitate management of the
periodicals collections, an attempt is made to enter each
subscription on a calendar year basis with subscriptions
starting in January. The major percentage of periodical
content is made available in online periodical database
purchases; the library avoids duplication of
paper and online periodical content.
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Audiovisual Materials and Computer Software
The library orders audiovisual and computer software in these digital formats: computer
software for single personal computers or network level access, maps, models,
realia, CD-ROMs, DVDs and VHS videocassettes. Some resources require a license and an annual payment. Formats
acquired must be compatible with existing campus hardware
and audiovisual equipment and must be reviewed by the college Information Technology Department before orders are placed.
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Special Collections
Materials related to campus, local, Wyoming or western
history which are already owned by the library have been
housed in the Gordon Ward Special Collections Room.
Materials were selected for inclusion in the collection
based on their historical or literary merit, the
author's reputation or significance (with special
emphasis on authors who reside in Wyoming or who write
about Wyoming), the condition of the materials
(temperature and humidity controls in the special
Collections Room foster the preservation of fragile or
older materials); special features such as autographs, or
value.
Primary source materials such as letters, manuscripts and
diaries will not be acquired except as loans or donations.
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WEEDING
Weeding is an on-going necessary systematic evaluation of
the library collection with the purpose of withdrawing
damaged or obsolete materials. Considerations used during
the weeding process include:
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Physical appearance or condition (worn or badly marked
items).
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Duplication (multiple copies of seldom used titles).
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Outdated or inaccurate information.
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Frequency of use (titles not circulated within the last
ten years).
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Overall value to the collection.
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Listing in standardized recommended bibliographies.
Faculty members are consulted during the weeding process
when their subject background is helpful in determining
the value of the material.
Titles weeded from the collection are de-accessioned
(records deleted from the online catalog, check-out cards
and pockets and labels removed, and property marks stamped
with a "Withdrawn from the Library" stamp).
Weeded materials are made available to other libraries on
exchange, are disbursed to employees who might find them
useful or are disposed of at the discretion of the Library
Director. The Business Office is advised annually, at the
end of the fiscal year, of the number of volumes and their
total value, which have been removed from the collection.
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RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS
The Griffith Memorial Library adheres to the principles of
intellectual freedom and thus subscribes to the
philosophies expressed in the Library Bill of Rights (see
attached). Any challenge to materials in the library must
be made in writing; the complainant must complete the
formal "Request for Reconsideration of Library
Material." The Library Director, in consultation with
the Vice President of Instruction and Student Affairs and
the IRC committee will have final authority in determining
what materials will be removed from the library.
Attachments:
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Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries
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IRS Gift Substantiation Regulations
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Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials
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Appendix A
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic
Libraries
An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
A strong intellectual freedom perspective is critical
to the development of academic library collections and
services that dispassionately meet the education and
research needs of a college or university community. The
purpose of this statement is to provide an interpretation
of general intellectual freedom principles in an academic
library setting and, in the process, raise consciousness
of the intellectual freedom context within which academic
librarians work. These principles should be reflected in
all relevant library policy documents.
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The general principles set forth in the Library Bill of
Rights form an indispensable framework for building
collections, services, and policies that serve the
entire academic community.
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The privacy of library users is and must be inviolable.
Policies should be in place that maintain
confidentiality of library borrowing records and of
other information relating to personal use of library
information and services.
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The development of library collections in support of an
institution's instruction and research programs
should transcend the personal values of the selector.
In the interests of research and learning, it is
essential that collections contain materials
representing a variety of perspectives on subjects that
may be considered controversial.
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Preservation and replacement efforts should ensure that
balance in library materials is maintained and that
controversial materials are not removed from the
collections through theft, loss, mutilation, or normal
wear and tear. There should be alertness to efforts by
special interest groups to bias a collection through
systematic theft or mutilation.
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Licensing agreements should be consistent with the
Library Bill of Rights, and should maximize access.
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Open and unfiltered access to the Internet should be
conveniently available to the academic community in a
college or university library. Content filtering
devices and content-based restrictions are a
contradiction of the academic library mission to
further research and learning through exposure to the
broadest possible range of ideas and information. Such
restrictions are a fundamental violation of
intellectual freedom in academic libraries.
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Freedom of information and of creative expression
should be reflected in library exhibits and in all
relevant library policy documents.
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Library meeting rooms, research carrels, exhibit
spaces, and other facilities should be available to the
academic community regardless of research being pursued
or subject being discussed. Any restrictions made
necessary because of limited availability of space
should be based on need, as reflected in library
policy, rather than on content of research or
discussion.
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Whenever possible, library services should be available
without charge in order to encourage inquiry. Where
charges are necessary, a free or low-cost alternative
(e.g., downloading to disc rather than printing) should
be available when possible.
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A service philosophy should be promoted that affords
equal acces to information for all in the academic
community with no discrimination on the basis of race,
values, gender, sexual orientation, cultural or ethnic
background, physical or learning disability, economic
status, religious beliefs, or views.
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A procedure ensuring due process should be in place to
deal with requests by those within and outside the
academic community for removal or addition of library
resources, exhibits, or services.
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It is recommended that this statement of principle be
endorsed by appropriate institutional governing bodies,
including the faculty senate or similar instrument of
faculty governance.
Adopted by ACRL Intellectual Freedom Committee: June
28, 1999
Approved by ACRL Board of Directors: June 29, 1999
Adopted by ALA Council July 12, 2000
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Appendix B
IRS Gift Substantiation Regulations
Under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, a
donor must obtain written substantiation of each single
contribution of $250 or more in order to claim the gift as
a charitable tax deduction. The substantiation must be
obtained no later than the donor actually files his or her
tax return for the year the donation was made, and must
set out:
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The amount of any cash the taxpayer paid and a
description (but not necessarily the value) of any
property other than cash the taxpayer transferred to
the donee organization;
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A statement of whether or not the donee organization
provides any goods or services in consideration, in
whole or in part, for any of the cash or other property
transferred to the donee organization;
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If the donee organization provides any goods or
services other than intangible religious benefits (as
described in section 170(f)(8) of the Internal Revenue
Code), a description and good faith estimate of the
value of those goods or services; and
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If the donee organization provides any intangible
religious benefits, a statement to that effect.
Although the responsibility of obtaining this
substantiation lies with the donor, it is advisable (from
both a management and goodwill perspective) for the
charity to acknowledge such donations without waiting for
a request.
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Appendix C
Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials
The Library selects and acquires a wide variety of
materials for access by library patrons. The library seeks
to provide information on all sides of every issue, even
if that issue is a controversial one. Librarians do not
serve as censors for materials or for any age group, since
we believe that everyone, regardless of age, should be
free to form his own opinion. Therefore we support equal
access to all materials in our library collections.
The Library values your opinion. If you have an objection
to any library material(s), please complete this entire
form, outlining your concerns as concisely as possible. A
librarian will respond to your inquiry in the near future.
Thank you.
Author: _________________________
Title: __________________________________________________
Format:
Book
Video
Audio Ct. or CD
Periodical
After completing the questions on this form, please return
the form to any library staff member. Please answer the
following questions concisely: (Use the back side of form
or additional paper if necessary.)
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How did you learn about this material?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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Did you finish the entire work? If not, what parts were
not completed?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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What are your objections to this material? Please be
specific in citing pages or passages.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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What do you believe might be the result or harm in
viewing this work?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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Is there anything worthwhile in this material?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
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Do you have recommendations for other materials to use
in place of this?
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
(For library response to your suggestion)
Your Name:
__________________________________________________
Date: _________________________
Address:
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
Telephone: Home____________________
Work____________________
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Revised and approved by IRC Committee 3/6/03
Revised and approved by IRC Committee 5/23/97
1994 version approved by IRC Committee 3/15/94
Updated May 2007
