Collection Development Policy

Fiction Non-Fiction Other Collections Gifts Collection Maintenance

Purpose and Mission

The primary mission of the Residence Hall Library System (RHLS) is to support the residents, staff, and programs of University Housing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The RHLS provides students with resources that meet their educational, social, and cultural needs. We foster unique learning opportunities through our information resources, collections, and programming. Our collections and programs support all aspects of students’ lives both academically and personally. Our mission complements the missions of University Housing, Residential Life, and works within the framework of the University Library’s mission.

The purpose of this Collection Development Policy is to provide guidelines for building the collection of information resources, literature, media and periodicals to meet the needs of the residents of University Housing and to support its programs.

As the community changes, the RHLS will need to reassess and adapt its collections to reflect new and differing areas of interest and concern. The collection development policy will be periodically evaluated and revised as necessary to provide guidance for implementing changes in the collection.

Responsibility for Selection of Materials

The authority and responsibility for the selection of library materials rests ultimately with the Librarian. Under his/her direction, selection is delegated to library staff by virtue of their position (Graduate Assistants and Library Supervisors) or by virtue of training and expertise (library clerks). All staff members and patrons are encouraged to recommend materials for consideration.

Audience

• The primary audience is the undergraduate residents of University Housing, who are primarily first- and second-year students.
• A secondary audience is the graduate students and families who reside in Family & Graduate Housing, many of whom are international students and their dependents with varying levels of facility with the English language and with academic and cultural needs distinct from those of the undergraduate residents of University Housing.
• Faculty, staff, and students engaged in Living-Learning Community programs, such as Unit One, are supported through the selection of materials supplementing course readings, media and writings authored by Guests-in-Residence, and through course reserves of high-use materials in the LLC curricula. Such materials may provide a deeper focus on specific subject matter otherwise not collected by the RHLS.
• A secondary audience is the professional and paraprofessional staff of University Housing, many of whom use the library for leisure reading, for professional development in the fields of Student Affairs and College Student Development, and for supplementing hall programs with media that facilitate the exploration of social issues.

Scope and Coverage

• The scope of the collection includes two core areas: fiction and non-fiction.
• The scope of the non-fiction area is “Basic Study Level” – not intended as a research collection
• The core collections are supplemented by collections of Cliffs Notes, study guides, career exploration resources, self-help and personal development materials, and other resources that aid the development of academic skills and support the interpersonal, psycho-social, and career development of the primary audience.
• Materials are collected primarily in the English language, with other languages possible as demand occurs.

Scope of the Residence Hall Libraries

The eight residence hall libraries serve specific residence halls or communities of residence halls. The interests and needs of the actual and potential residents of the halls are continually evaluated so that each library has a collection reflecting the community that it serves. While each library serves basic reference needs of its community with a core of reference materials, it does not duplicate the in-depth sources or special collections of UIUC departmental libraries. Space and budget limit the libraries’ collections to materials of high or special interest to its particular patrons.

Formats

• The majority of the collections consist of printed books, DVDs, CDs and periodicals; however, the library recognizes the importance of other resources, such as flash cards or games, and purchases such resources if deemed appropriate.
• Paperback editions of print materials are preferred, whenever possible, especially with items not in their first printing.
• Sound recordings are collected on Compact Discs; audiocassettes and records are not acquired.
• Media is collected on DVDs; VHS and special formats such as BlueRay are not acquired.
• Electronic resources and scholarly journals are managed by UIUC departmental libraries and are generally excluded from the RHLS collection.

Resource Sharing

• The collections are available to faculty, staff, and students of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign through cooperative lending agreements. Access to the library's holdings is available electronically.
• The collections of the RHLS are not available to other I-Share institutions, despite the ability of RHLS users to borrow from I-Share institutions through interlibrary loan.
• As the sole provider of leisure reading material on the UIUC campus, the RHLS recognizes its responsibility to retain unique titles in its collection.

Selection Criteria

All materials, whether purchased or donated, are considered in terms of the criteria listed below. An item need not meet all of these standards in order to be added to the collection.

• Popular interest or anticipated interest
• Bestseller status
• Contemporary significance or permanent value
• Currency of information
• Local emphasis or interest
• Treatment of subject to age and skill of intended audience
• Reputation of author, publisher, producer, artist or illustrator
• Creative, literary or technical quality or merit
• Critical assessments in reputable of journals
• Circulation as monitored through the automated system or number of requests
• Cost and availability
• Relationship to existing materials in collection
• Relationship to materials in other area libraries

The Collections

(approximately 50% of print collection)

The RHLS collection includes a wide variety of contemporary works of fiction representing all genres, international works of fiction, classics and important novels of the past. The RHLS makes every effort to acquire fiction which is representative of the cultural and ethnic community that it serves and to satisfy the diversity of interests and recreational needs of its patrons. A particular emphasis is placed on bestsellers and also on works of fiction that explore, promote or enrich the concepts of identity, diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice. An example of the latter is “Londonstani,” which depicts the lives of Pakistani youths living in London. Acquire paperback editions whenever possible.

Special collections within Fiction:

• Mystery: Not as popular among undergraduate students but moderately popular among graduate students and faculty/staff; focus on bestseller authors such as James Patterson; includes Horror and Spy/Thriller genres.
• Romance: Very popular; collect African-American romance especially; collect younger authors such as Meg Cabot and Carly Phillips; little demand for “older” authors, such as Danielle Steele or Nora Roberts, except from faculty/staff;
• Science-Fiction: Includes Fantasy; try to collect all titles in a series.

(approximately 50% of print collection)

The RHLS aims at acquiring materials which provide a core of basic knowledge and support the curricula of undergraduate course work, particularly of the freshman level courses. The non-fiction collection is adequate to support the course work of undergraduate students in a variety of academic programs. It includes a wide range of basic, current monographs, a broad selection of the works of more important writers, a selection of the most significant works of secondary writers, and current editions of the most significant reference tools.

In addition, the RHLS selects and promotes the use of materials which:

• address contemporary social issues (i.e., “Genetic Engineering – Dream or Nightmare?”)
• present multiple viewpoints on such issues (i.e., Opposing Viewpoints series)
• increase knowledge of affairs of the country, cultures and the world (“China: Rising Power”)
• provide self-help, wellness, or personal improvement information (i.e., diet, exercise, hobbies)
• facilitate continuing education (i.e., GRE and LSAT study guides)
• enhance career-related knowledge and skills (i.e., “What Do I with a Degree In…” series)
• support business, technology, and civic interests in the community (i.e., “Activist’s Handbook”)
• nourish intellectual, creative and spiritual growth (i.e., “The World is Flat”)
• support interest in study abroad and travel (i.e., Lonely Planet travel guide series)

Special Topics of Interest in the Non-fiction Collection

Special Collections within Non-Fiction

Career Guides and Resources

The RHLS acquires works that assist with career exploration and development. Softcover works are preferred due to the necessity of replacing such works frequently due to changing or new information and trends. Emphasis is placed on works written with students as the primary audience and explores career opportunities that require an undergraduate degree or specific skills. Examples include, “What Can I Do with a Social Sciences Degree?,” “Outdoor Careers: Exploring Occupations in Outdoor Fields,” and “The Activist’s Handbook.” Particular attention should be given to the dominance of specific majors by halls, such as ISR with a stronger interest in science and technology related careers. Liaise with Career Center for assistance in selection, if necessary.

Personal Growth

The collection consists of works that provide information on areas of personal growth and development, such as body image, nutrition, exercise, wellness, spirituality, mental health, and other areas that generally fall under the category of Self-Help. However the collection encompasses other areas that explore and foster personal development such as hobbies and crafts, cooking, fashion, relationship and dating advice, and “how to” books that facilitate skills in public speaking, leadership, and adjustment to the college experience. Examples include, “Boyfriend 101: a Gay Boy’s Guide to Dating and Relationships,” and “The Everything College Survival Book.”

Multicultural, Diversity, and Social Identity

The collection consists of non-fiction works that explore the concept of diversity or identity or contribute to a multicultural representation within the library collections. Examples include works that explore the concept of Arab American identity; a Chinese family’s experience immigrating to the United States; African American women’s experiences in sororities; or gay and lesbian soldiers in the military.

Musical Scores

Musical scores are collected principally for Allen Library to supplement the music curricula. Works must be collected in a softcover or hardcover edition and not as individual sheet music. Scores of popular music, recent musicals, and works by significant classical composers are most often desired by audience.

Biographies, Memoirs, and Autobiographies

The RHLS will acquire biographies, memoirs, and autobiographies when the subjects are of popular or current interest, such as Pope Benedict XIV, Jose Canseco, or Benazir Bhutto. The biographies of minor popular figures are not acquired, due to relatively low interest in biographies by our target audience. The RHLS will acquire biographical works of unknown authors when the purpose of the work is to illustrate a social issue, such as “Smashed: Stories of a Drunken Girlhood.” Generally, memoirs and biographical works that illustrate social issues are cataloged with non-fiction rather than biographies and autobiographies. Special emphasis is placed on the biographies of previously under-represented groups, such as Latino/as, African Americans, etc.

Textbooks and Course Readings

The RHLS acquires specific textbooks only by request of LLC instructors and only to be kept on reserve at the circulation desk of the library most closely associated with the specific LLC. Textbooks must be the most recent edition and in use by the instructor. Other course material may be placed on reserve and/or added to the RHLS collection at the Librarian’s discretion.

Cliffs Notes and Spark Notes

The RHLS acquires Cliff’s Notes and Spark Notes of classic and contemporary literature, but popular demand has waned in recent years. The RHLS replaces copies of most frequently used titles, but encourages students to explore the free, full-text versions at www.cliffsnotes.com.

Graphic Novels, Comic Books, and Manga

Graphic novels and comic books are becoming two of the most pervasive and influential media forms of popular culture. Graphic novels and comic books entertain and educate, but they have also been instrumental in documenting and interpreting social, historical, and current events. The RHLS acquires graphic novels widely, especially those that touch upon pressing social issues or are drawn by well regarded artists, such Art Spiegelman’s “Maus,” Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” series and Marjane Satrapi’s “Persepolis.”

The RHLS acquires comic books only when the comic is released as serial issues collected together in softcover or hardcover editions. Single issue comic books are not collected, due to fragility of the format. Examples include, DC Comics, “52, Vol. 1-3” and the popular Batman series. DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and Vertigo are the imprints most frequently requested by the primary audience.

Manga is not collected, except under special circumstances, due to cataloging difficulty, fragility of the media, and its nature as a serial publication.

Spanish Language Materials

The RHLS maintains a collection of foreign language print materials aimed at meeting the recreational and informational needs of the Spanish-speaking and Spanish-reading community. The RHLS is committed to developing and maintaining additional foreign language collections which meet the needs of a changing population. Foreign language needs are assessed through language needs assessments, patron requests, circulation statistics, community awareness, and support of student organizations. The information gathered is used to determine the size and scope of the collection at each library. Availability of materials and language expertise of the selectors may impact the development of the foreign language collections. The collection includes both fiction and non-fiction works.

Videos

The RHLS collects videos to meet the educational and recreational needs of its patrons. Because of space and budget constraints, approximately 100 new titles are added per year. The RHLS does not attempt to offer a wide selection of current videos, which are readily available elsewhere in the community.  Emphasis is placed on videos with the potential for use in parapro programming and educational and documentary videos on a variety of subjects.  Whenever possible, the RHLS purchases videos with public performance rights.* Videos of feature films include film classics, such as those named to the National Films Registry, and highly rated current films of broad family appeal or potential cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance.

The Resource Center DVD Collection consists primarily of privately produced videos of a documentary nature on social issues, generally purchased at the request of Housing professional staff.

Music

The music collection consists of popular music and works by major classical and contemporary composers on compact discs.   Other genres of music are also collected, such as musicals, film soundtracks, jazz, folk, international or world, and holiday music.   Spoken word artistry, storytelling, nursery songs, and instructional topics are generally not collected except when meeting the needs of Living-Learning Communities curricula.

Resource Center

The RHLS will acquire popular and significant works in the fields of Student Affairs, College Student Development, Higher Education Administration, Leadership Studies, Social Justice, and Training & Development for the use of the professional and paraprofessional staff of University Housing.  The RHLS will develop a collection that provides broad, current, and in-depth coverage.   Weeding will be based on significance of title, usage, complementing and reflecting changing departmental priorities, and maintaining existing strengths of the collection.  

Reference Materials

Resources are selected for the reference collection in accordance with the general collection development policy. The major considerations for resources in this collection are the currency of the content and the convenience for ready reference.

Types of Resources Included in the Reference Collection

• English language dictionaries, abridged and unabridged
• Foreign language dictionaries
• Books of quotations
• Atlases (national and international)
• Style manuals
• Almanacs
• General trivia and sports trivia (i.e., Guinness Book of World Records)

Reviewing the Reference Collection

The reference collection will be reviewed every other year for currency.  Generally, the most recent resources will be transferred to the circulating collection as new resources are available.  Older editions or resources will be withdrawn.

Materials Excluded from the RHLS Collections

The following are excluded from the RHLS collections based on their cost, availability at other libraries, technology or space requirements, or inappropriateness for the intended audience:

• Scholarly and trade journals
• Electronic Resources
• Business, Legal, & Phone Directories
• Encyclopedias
• Government Documents
• Genealogy Resources
• Maps
• Children's and Young Adult Literature
• Large Print or Large Type
• Pamphlets and Ephemera
• Computer Software
• Newsletters
• Loose leaf publications
• Catalogs
• Microforms
• Technical manuals
• Conference and Symposia Proceedings
• Bibliographies
• Alumni Bulletins
• Annual Reports
• Archival Materials
• Dissertations
• General Works such as "Who's Who"
  
• Syllabi, Course Outlines, and Course Workbooks
• Materials with a list price more than $75 (except in special circumstances)
• Materials that are collected principally by UIUC departmental libraries
• Works that have been superseded by newer editions or newer information

Recommendations for Purchase

The RHLS strongly encourages input from the Housing community concerning the collections.  All recommendations for purchase are subject to the same selection criteria as other materials and are not automatically added to the collection.  However it is the RHLS' intent that recommendations for purchase help the libraries in developing collections which serve the interests and needs of their community. Patrons may complete a Request for Purchase form, available at the circulation desks of each residence hall library, and submit the form to a library staff member.   If a request is not fulfilled for any reason, a library staff member should contact the patron and explain the reasons for the lack of fulfillment.

Duplication of Copies

Multiple copies of materials are purchased in response to user demand as evidenced by number of requests, anticipated popularity, and monitoring of the collection. For popular fiction and non-fiction titles, the RHLS maintains a ratio of one copy for every six requests placed through the online catalog.

The RHLS appreciates donations made to the collections by individuals and departments. These donations are a valuable source of additional copies for heavily used resources, as well as replacement copies for damaged or missing items. They are also a source of works that fill gaps in the existing collections.

Due to space constraints, the RHLS will accept only gifts that are considered valuable additions to the collection or are less than 5 years old.

The RHLS reserves the right to exchange, sell, or discard items which are not needed. Each item is checked against our holdings and, when appropriate, is added to the collection.

Gifts will be acknowledged by card or letter at the request of the donor or when the Librarian feels it is appropriate.  As a rule, no evaluation of gifts for tax purposes will be provided by the RHLS. Donors may arrange to have their gifts evaluated before bringing them to the RHLS. Donors may be referred to second-hand book dealers for appraisals.

Response to Challenges

Persons from the Housing community wishing to recommend the removal of a particular item in the RHLS collection must submit in writing or e-mail such a request to the Librarian.  The Librarian, in consultation with other library and Housing staff, will review the RHLS mission statement and the selection criteria of this collection development policy.  After evaluating journal reviews and position statements, if any exist, from the American Library Association and other library-related professional associations, a decision will be made by the Librarian and respond to the person within 30 days of receiving the formal objection.

Maintenance of the RHLS collection is the responsibility of the Librarian, Graduate Assistants, Library Supervisors, and Library support staff.  The constant evaluation of the collection ensures its usefulness and relevancy to the community. This evaluation depends heavily on the staff's professional expertise in assessing the needs of the community and the content and physical condition of the collection. Those materials determined to no longer be of value are withdrawn from the collection.

Weeding Policy

Replacement Policy

Discarding