Guidelines for selection and evaluation of materials

The quality of content and fulfillment of academic curricular needs are the first criteria against which any item is evaluated. Further considerations include some or all of the following for all areas of the collection:

a. Lasting value of the content.

b. Potential use by students and faculty.

c. Appropriateness of treatment for college use.

d. Strength of holdings in the same or similar subject area.

e. Cost.

f. Publication date (current or recent is preferred).

g. Suitability of format to content.

h. Balance in presenting all sides of a controversial issue.

i. Published reviews or appearance of the title in standard bibliographies or indexes.

j. Authoritative or outstanding items in fields outside the curriculum, of permanent or timely value to the North Metro Technical College community.

Other guidelines to consider:

1. Textbooks adopted for class use will not be purchased for the Library. Instructors may place textbooks on Reserve. Instead, the Library will add books that amplify this material.

2. Duplicates will be purchased only under unusual circumstances, or to meet the needs of the extended campus classes.

3. In instances where the cost of an item is high and demand is low, the holdings of other Georgia libraries will be considered in determining whether to order the item.

4. When there is a choice between paper or hard cover, hard will be preferred.

5. Lost or stolen materials will be replaced after one year (or immediately if needed), if they are still available and meet selection criteria.

6. Except for foreign language dictionaries, the Library will acquire primarily English language reference and research sources. Literature and language materials used heavily in the teaching or learning of foreign languages, especially Spanish, will be collected.

7. Librarians will use the following as primary selection tools, with additional sources as needed:

Booklist, Choice, College and Research Libraries, Library Journal, New York Review of Books, New York Times Book Review, Atlanta Journal Constitution, publishers' catalogs and prepublication literature, previews, American Reference Books Annual, and Books for College Libraries.

The process of evaluating materials for inclusion in collections is continuous and systematic. It is preferable to examine materials before purchasing them. However, this is often impractical if not impossible. In such cases, selection is based upon bibliographic reference sources, selected lists and reviews in reputable professional journals and publications.

First consideration is given to the needs of the school based on knowledge of the curriculum, of the existing collection and of the needs of patrons. Requests from users of the collection (administrators, faculty, students) are given high priority. Materials are selected so as to provide a wide range of levels of difficulty.

Materials for purchase are considered on the basis of overall purpose, timeliness, importance of the subject matter, quality of writing or production, readability and popular appeal, authoritativeness, reputation of the author, artists, publisher, producer, format and cost.