The following principles establish priorities:
The Director of Library Services develops goals and objectives with the library faculty and/or staff. Goals and objectives are assessed annually. The Director, with advice from library faculty and/or feedback from faculty, students, or administrators, initiates changes in priorities and establishes policies and procedures to implement them.
Desktop computers are for the use of LSUA students, faculty, and staff.
Laptop computers with wireless access to the campus network are available for LSUA students to use on campus for 1 week.
THE JAMES C. BOLTON LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY
The purpose of the LSUA library’s collection development policy is to guide the library staff when selecting and deselecting library materials. It is also designed to meet the information needs of LSUA stakeholders through the acquisition and maintenance of resources in a variety of formats that are appropriate for the teaching mission of the university and the library. In addition to selecting and deselecting materials, the collection development policy establishes a solid foundation for future planning, which determines priorities, especially when budgetary restraints are present. Finally, the collection development policy is a critical public relations document that states the library’s objectives to all stakeholders.
SCOPE
Louisiana State University of Alexandria is a publicly supported institution that provides undergraduate level college education to the citizens of Central Louisiana. LSUA is a unit of Louisiana State University (LSU) and operates under the auspices of the Louisiana Board of Regents. As Louisiana’s only undergraduate baccalaureate institution, LSUA’s primary focus is on undergraduate teaching and learning. The University Archives has its own stated policies.
UNIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT
LSU of Alexandria is committed to providing undergraduate students the education, skills, development and other resources needed to establish the foundation for their future success. We create a welcoming environment that includes critical thinking, experiential learning, civic engagement and community partnerships.
LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT
The Bolton Library is uniquely positioned to contribute to the quality of both academic programs and the campus experience at LSUA. As a central department in the University, we provide the resources, services, and spaces to foster a community of learners while helping individual users find unique paths to success.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The primary user groups for the Bolton Library are LSUA students, faculty, and staff. The Bolton Library is also open to members of the community.
GOALS
The library’s collection development policy aims to assist the library in meeting current users’ research needs and maintaining a sustainable, holistic, and flexible collection plan within allocated budgets.
Bolton Library staff is committed to evidence-based decision-making to assess the collection and its impact on learning and research.
SELECTION GUIDELINES
The university and library mission statements form the foundation for selection of all library materials. Content quality and campus stakeholders are the primary criterion when library staff consider library purchases. In terms of relevancy, the selected materials should, first and foremost, support the academic curriculum. A librarian serves on the Courses and Curricula committee and advises members about supporting library materials. The library staff analyze relevant library resources for proposed courses and programs and present a report to the C&C committee. If there are gaps in the collection, the library staff will consider acquiring the deficient materials. Usage and demand are important secondary considerations. Using library software, reports can be run detailing usage of specific titles. These numbers inform library decisions when deselecting titles.
The following guidelines apply to physical and electronic resources.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
Electronic resources are the preferred method of access for many students, especially our growing online student population. Bolton Library is part of the LOUIS consortium, and most electronic resources will be selected through the consortium. However, some independent databases not included in the consortium selections may be purchased with library, departmental, or LSUA Foundation funds. These databases will be selected based on usage and curriculum needs. An add on database may be discontinued if costs and/or usage rates change. Electronic Resources shall be selected based on the following characteristics in addition to those stated above:
CONTINUING RESOURCES
Serial selections will be provided through online databases. The library does not maintain a print collection of serials.
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SELECTION
The library staff with input from faculty is responsible for developing the collection. Selection processes are cooperative. Teaching faculty members play a pivotal role in recommending relevant materials for the library collection to support the curriculum, learning, and research needs of the University.
Students are also encouraged to recommend resources to support their study and research.
REPLACEMENTS
If an item is lost, stolen, or damaged, a quick analysis of the title will be run to determine how many times it has been checked out and if there is an electronic copy available. If there have been numerous checkouts and there is no electronic version available, the cost of the replacement will be ascertained. If there is an electronic version available in our collection, the user will be assessed a nominal charge ($25.00 minimum charge).
It is preferable to order as close to an exact copy as possible, but a later edition will certainly be considered. A revised edition of the work may be ordered if has substantially updated the missing work. A hardback version is preferable to a paperback copy. Faculty may be consulted to ascertain if the book is still a standard in the field.
ACT 125
Act 125 is a law created to provide affordable access textbooks to university students. The act (Textbook Adoption Data) requires university bookstores to share a list of textbook selections with LOUIS. With LOUIS funding allocations, the library staff can select a limited number of etextbooks for student use, thus reducing the costs of textbooks for students. To provide LSUA students affordable access to electronic textbooks, the library staff will actively pursue the selection of electronic textbooks through the LOUIS consortium
With the limited budget available, priority will focus on textbooks that will be used for multiple semesters by faculty who will commit to promoting textbook use. Class size will also be considered to assist as many students as possible. Priority will also be given to textbooks with unlimited user options.
DESELECTION GUIDELINES
Deselection is an essential process in the management of the library’s collection. Deselection is the process of removing outdated and obsolete materials from the Bolton Library’s collection. Some criteria are set by departmental guidelines. For example, the nursing department requires that any print titles older than five years be discarded, except titles designated as classics. Age is also a consideration for other disciplines, especially those in the social and hard sciences. Where knowledge is cumulative as in the humanities, age may not be the overriding determining factor. In addition to age, the physical condition of a print title is also a consideration. Usage is crucial when considering a candidate for deselection. Thanks to integrated library system software, these usage statistics can be gathered and analyzed. Studies have shown that the best predictor of future use is past use. Duplication is another criterion to keep in mind when deselecting items. Physical titles that have an electronic version may be considered for discard. Where there are two identical physical copies of a title one may be discarded depending on usage and demand.
Any weeding from the collections will be the joint responsibility of library staff and appropriate teaching faculty. Types of materials that might be considered for deselection include media in obsolete formats, superseded materials, surplus materials, irrelevant materials, or deteriorated materials.
PLACEMENT OF MATERIALS
The default placement of materials should be the location which allows the most access by students and faculty. Materials which will be heavily used by many patrons may be placed on reserve. This may include required or recommended readings for courses.
Materials may be considered for placement in a secured location or reserves for preservation or security. The library staff is responsible for making placement decisions for these purposes. The staff will discuss placement before adding materials to Reserves, Rare Books, or Archives or placing items in those collections.
RETENTION
The library staff focuses on retaining materials that enhance the curriculum and meet the research needs of the University community. We are committed to securing long-term, perpetual access to the print and electronic content that meets the needs of our users.
The library will prioritize retention for the following materials:
GIFTS
The library staff welcomes gifts of books offered to the James C. Bolton Library in support of the teaching and research information needs of university students and faculty, provided they fall within the parameters of the library’s collection development policy.
Library faculty will assess the proposed donated materials to be added to the collection. Items not added to the collection may still support the library though the annual Friends of the Bolton Library book sale. The library retains the right to decline donations entirely if they do not fit curriculum, library holdings, space constraints, conditions requirements, or subject matter needs of the library.
Gifts are accepted with the understanding that there are no conditions attached to their disposition. Personal papers and donations to the Archives and Special Collections are governed by a separate policy administered by that department.
The James C. Bolton Library is available to any and all persons without discrimination or regard to gender identity, disabilities, race, creed, or religion. The library seeks to provide an environment that facilitates research and learning. As such, conduct guidelines and policies exist to ensure access to facilities and materials, the safety and comfort of users, and the protection of collections and materials. Library staff have the right to refuse service to any patron determined to be in violation of these conduct guidelines.
To report a complaint or problem contact a library staff member at the service desk. Staff will take action when a library user causes disruption. A disruption is anything (active or passive) that interferes with student ability to study or staff ability to work. The library expects library users to comply and honor all conduct guidelines immediately and civilly.
Library users who fail to comply with conduct guidelines or University policies, to identify themselves or to leave the building when requested will be reported to Campus Police. Misconduct may result in limited or revoked library privileges for a specified period, and/or a Student Conduct and Discipline Hearing.
COMPUTER USE
The library provides computers for uses that support education and learning at LSUA and priority use is for LSUA students, faculty, and staff. Non-LSUA patrons must request limited access at a service desk. Using computers for business or commercial purposes is prohibited. Priority access is given to library users who require computers with special equipment (e.g., scanners, microfilm readers, etc.) or software. All users are expected to follow LSUA’s policy on computing resources and priorities for use. (PS 237)
COPYRIGHT
Any use that violates copyrights, patent protections, or license agreements is prohibited. Specific examples of violations include unauthorized copying, downloading and using software, systematically downloading or printing entire journal issues or volumes or large portions of electronic resources. (PS 216)
CHILDREN
Library users may not leave children unattended in the libraries. Children under the age of 14 must remain under the continuous supervision of the adult responsible for them and must not detract from the educational environment. If disruptive, staff will ask that children be removed from the building.
DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR
Acting in a way that interferes with, disrupts or obstructs the activities of library users, the respectful research and learning environment or staff performance of their duties is prohibited. Disorderly behavior includes, but is not limited to:
(PS 213) (PS 214) (PS 228) (PS 279) (PM 73)
FILMING, RECORDING OR PHOTOGRAPHING
Making a video recording, audio recording, taking photographs, or streaming audio/video of any person in a location where the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, without that person’s knowledge and express consent is prohibited.
FOOD AND DRINK
Food and drink are allowed in the library. Please place trash in waste cans located throughout the library, and please discard uneaten food and drink in waste containers located outside the library around campus.
NOISE
The library seeks to provide a balance of collaborative and quiet spaces. Signage indicates the level of acceptable noise. Disturbing other library users by loud and unreasonable noise is prohibited and includes loud conversations, snoring or using audio devices in such a manner as to disturb others.
PREVENTION OF THEFT AND PROTECTION OF PERSONAL BELONGINGS
By entering the library, users are agreeing to pass through a security system. To prevent theft of library materials, library users may be asked to present personal belongings for inspection if the detection alarm is activated, or when there is a power failure. Books, laptops, book bags, backpacks, briefcases, or other personal belongings, left unattended are at risk of being stolen. The library is not responsible for any loss or damage to personal property. If library users leave the library, they must take all belongings with them. Library staff retains the right to place unattended belongings in the library “Lost and Found”, located at the Service Desk.
SMOKING/ ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES/ ILLEGAL DRUGS
The LSUA campus is a smoke-free and a drug and alcohol-free environment. This applies to smoking products of any sort including electronic or vapor smoking devices and the possession and/or use of alcohol or drugs of any kind while in the building. Unlawful possession, use, sale, offering to sell, or being under the influence of, any controlled substance, alcoholic beverage, intoxicant, poison or unlawful possession of, or the sale of any drug paraphernalia are prohibited. (PS 227) (PS 272)
WIRELESS ACCESS
Access to LSUA’s wireless internet connection is restricted to LSUA staff, faculty, and currently enrolled students. Library patrons are required to follow LSUA IET policy on network usage and standards.
(LSUA IET Services and Policies)