Library Policies

Print resources are defined as books, periodicals, maps, pamphlets, government documents, newspapers, and microfilm copies of materials. Reviews in professionally recognized book review periodicals such as Choice and Library Journal, as well as reviews in reputable online sources, are used for selection of many of the print resources. Selection of resources in areas relating to the professional technical classes is often made from advertisements and reviews in trade and professional journals. Often only a direct mail advertisement announces the publication of a title and reviews are rarely available. When adding books, the librarian and/or faculty members exercise a great deal of judgment and evaluate the existing library resources.

Non-print media resources are defined as DVDs, videos, CDs, slides, computer software, CD-ROMs, or combinations of any of these. Non-print media resources, purchased by Media Services, are usually added as direct support to class or course instruction on the recommendation of the faculty.

Online resources are defined as items or sites requiring computerized access, resources such as eBooks, periodical databases, and websites. Internet resources may be selected for inclusion in the Library Information Lab or the Library sites to provide organized access to a selection of academically relevant sources.

These resources, selected mainly by the librarians, the Manager of Media Services, the library computer lab specialist, and interested faculty are included based on criteria comparable to those used when considering the addition of resources to the traditional collection. The primary criteria for the selection of these resources is the extent to which it is relevant to the curriculum, improves the overall library collection and/or enhances the library's access to information. Guidelines for selecting information sources address general considerations, product considerations, vendor considerations, and technical considerations. Specific quality indicators are sought, such as: reliable, accurate, peer-reviewed, reputable authorship, consistently available, well-organized, regularly- maintained (i.e. current), and freely accessible to the LBCC community. Also, responsibility for the resources is identified in the resources and the integrity of any original source is reasonably preserved. Some of the resources (e.g. databases) may be restricted to members of the LBCC community because of agreements with database vendors.

Materials are purchased and added to support ENG221.

Only print catalogs from selected Oregon colleges and universities are available in the library.

These are acquired within consortial agreements (i.e., a collection) or as single-item purchases. General collection-related criteria are considered when acquiring individual titles.

Purchase of new or different editions is done with the understanding that significant revisions must have been made in the content to justify the purchase. Decisions concerning retention of the earlier editions already in the collection are made on an individual title basis by the librarians and/or faculty.

Fiction is purchased selectively, emphasizing those works that relate directly to literature classes taught at LBCC. Light popular reading materials are purchased only when they are needed for direct classroom support. No attempt is made to develop a separate group of "popular" library books. Bestsellers are purchased only when they meet the general selection criteria.

Foreign language materials are usually limited to dictionaries, grammars, GED guides, and other primary materials. General fiction and non-fiction titles are added in support of credit language classes and ESOL classes and students.

No attempt is made to develop a collection of genealogy. Donations and gifts of genealogical materials are given to the local public libraries with a need and interest in those materials, rather than the LBCC Library.

Gifts to the library are accepted with the understanding that they shall be added to the collection only after they have met the same evaluation requirements as materials which are purchased. Gifts not appropriate to the collection may be sold at library sales, given to other departments or area libraries for their use, sold to used book or magazine dealers (with the proceeds used to buy other resources), or recycled.

Government documents are selectively purchased or received as gifts, and are added to the reference or circulating collections.

Large-print books are not added to the collection; they are available from local public libraries.

Law resources may be added which deal with the philosophy of law and particular types of law such as real estate, taxes, marriage and divorce for the lay reader. (Oregon laws and statutes are online.) Resources are purchased to support the Criminal Justice program.

LBCC publications The library attempts to gather copies of appropriate publications issued and published by LBCC. For those items regularly issued, a copy is cataloged in the reference collection. Examples are: The Commuter, the budget document, and the general catalog.

Generally only one copy of a resource is purchased. However, multiple copies may be purchased when the need for such copies can be demonstrated by use. Multiple copies are not normally purchased with library funds for reserve book use.

Print: The library subscribes to three local papers - Corvallis Gazette-Times, Albany Democrat-Herald, and The Statesman Journal - and subscribes to three papers from outside the local area: The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Oregonian.

Online: The Library provides a wide range of resources and media through it's online database subscriptions, made available on the Library website and accessible via proxy server from off-campus. The Library uses the following factors to decide upon subscriptions:

• Student research needs - The Library selects database vendors based upon scope and breadth of collection with regards to student research topics. 

• Department need - In the case of specific departments, database subscriptions are required both for the program curriculum and to maintain accreditation standards.

• Added value - In the case of online materials and media, the Library generally prefers a collection subscription as opposed to individual titles

• Access - When selecting individual titles, the Library chooses those which work with its existing subscription platforms. All online subscriptions must be accessible from off-campus.

The Library regularly reviews its online subscriptions for usage, relevance, and cost.

Paperbound vs. hardbound books: A hardbound title is purchased if it is important enough to be a permanent part of the collection or if it will receive hard use for a short period of time. A paperbound title is purchased if it is available only in paper, if only one copy is needed and its use will not be heavy, if it is considered to be ephemeral material, if it is in high demand and duplicate copies are needed to supplement the hardbound copy, or if it is significantly less expensive than the hardbound edition.

Periodicals are purchased for any of the following reasons:

• to supplement the book collection.

• to keep the library's collection up-to-date with current thinking in various fields.

• to provide information not yet available in a book because of its currency.

• to satisfy recreational reading needs.

• to serve the staff as book selection aids and professional reading.

The selection criteria for periodical titles follows the print resources selection policy in terms of scope and depth of subject coverage, with the following special considerations:

• actual or potential use by the community

• accuracy and objectivity of content

• accessibility of content through available databases

• contribution to the balance of the collection

• availability of the title in other area libraries

• price

Resources added should attempt to reflect various political and other controversial viewpoints. The aim is for a balanced collection offering the library user information from various viewpoints on a variety of political and other controversial issues.

Rare books are not appropriate to the collection and will not be added. The library does not have the resources or staff to protect and care for rare and valuable material.

In support of its role as a research center, the library actively builds a balanced collection of reference materials. Areas of emphasis are the same as found in the collection as a whole. The following types of resources may be included:

• encyclopedias, general and specialized - NOTE: New editions of print encyclopedias will be purchased not more frequently than every five years, unless significant changes occur in the encyclopedias that justify purchase sooner.

• handbooks and dictionaries in all fields of knowledge

• directories of people, institutions, firms and official books

• atlases and gazetteers

• statistical compendia

• indexes as appropriate

• biographical dictionaries of general, national, or regional, professional or occupational types, with both retrospective and current coverage

These resources are chosen for:

• usefulness to quality reference service

• accuracy

• scope and depth of coverage

• historical perspective as well as currency of information

• ease of use

• special features

Regional resources dealing with various geographical areas are acquired. However, requests for items dealing with local history of Linn or Benton Counties, Oregon or the Pacific Northwest are purchased before materials relating to other individual counties, states, or regions.

Religious resources added reflect a broad spectrum of religious attitudes and not one specific religion. The philosophy and beliefs of the major religions of the world, and the study of the Bible and other sacred works as literature, are among the kinds of resources added.

Reprints are added only if the title is otherwise out-of-print and the title is an important addition to the collection. Generally, reprints are so expensive that they must be carefully evaluated to be certain they are necessary for the core collection

Telephone directories for selected Oregon communities are available in the library.

Textbooks may be purchased when the titles represent the best source of information in the field(s). At the request of the instructor, one copy may be purchased to be placed on Reserve in the library. Library funds are not available for the purchase of multiple copies of textbooks for a specific course. No attempt is made to have copies of all textbooks or other classroom related materials used in classes at LBCC available in the library.

In general, expensive resources are carefully evaluated by the librarians and additional justification made for their purchase.