Collection Development Policy

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Mission Statement 

The Galveston College Library, named in honor of David Glenn Hunt, is committed to advancing engaged scholarship, fostering excellence in student success, teaching, learning, and research, and serving as a hub for intellectual exploration. Our mission is to provide innovative resources, collaborative spaces, and support for academic and creative endeavors while preserving and sharing the knowledge and cultural heritage of our institution and community. The library embraces the digital age by facilitating digital scholarship, supporting data management, and promoting the creation and dissemination of digital resources. 

We are dedicated to ensuring equitable access to our resources and services for all members of the college community, irrespective of their background or status. Our collection reflects the diversity of our community, encompassing a wide range of subjects from authors and researchers of diverse backgrounds. 

Intellectual Freedom and Copyright Compliance 

The Galveston College Library upholds the principles enshrined in the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and its interpretations.

Additionally, we are committed to full compliance with United States copyright law. All library services; including Reserve materials procedures, Interlibrary Loan, photocopying, and acquisition procedures, adhere to the copyright principles outlined by the ALA. 

Acquisition of Materials 

The responsibility for the development of our collection rests with the Director of Library and Learning Resources, who oversees final approval and selection.

We encourage active participation from faculty, staff, administration, and students in recommending materials for acquisition. In cases where recommended materials do not align with the library's selection criteria, we will make every effort to obtain them through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). 

Selection Process 

The Galveston College Library places a strong emphasis on supporting the college's curriculum and the needs of our students, faculty, and staff. Curriculum requirements are paramount in our resource selection process, receiving top priority in collection development. 

Our selection criteria include: 

• Level of Material: Is the resource suitable for general educational purposes at the college level or for workforce programs? 
• Scope of Material: Does the resource offer high-quality content and presentation? Is it current within its field of study, and does the author or creator possess expertise in the field? 
• Contribution to Depth of Collection: Does the resource augment the current collection, providing valuable information or diverse viewpoints? 
• Format: Is the resource in a format that aligns with the library's needs and does it support course requirements at Galveston College? Will it accommodate the educational needs of students with diverse abilities? 
• Availability and Cost: Is the resource readily obtainable and cost-efficient within the library's budget? 

We also consider special materials on a case-by-case basis: 

• Textbooks: The library typically does not purchase textbooks, lab manuals, or workbooks for Galveston College classes. Exceptions are rare and subject to approval. Faculty and departments are encouraged to submit Course Reserves for textbooks, lab manuals, or workbooks.  

• Replacement Materials: Materials that are lost, damaged beyond use, or no longer relevant to the collection will be evaluated using selection criteria to determine the need for replacement. 

• Americans with Disabilities Act: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), we acquire resources in alternative formats to ensure equal access to information for students with diverse abilities, as requested by library workers, college staff, and faculty. 

Collection Maintenance 

Our library is committed to ongoing collection maintenance, which includes evaluating the suitability and effectiveness of our catalog in accordance with circulation standards and college course development. Weeding and deselection of materials are essential aspects of this process. Materials identified as no longer appropriate, useful, or valuable to the library collection will be weeded, with final approval from the Director of Library and Learning Resources.  

At the Galveston College Library, we ensure that our weeded books find new life through sustainable practices. We partner with Sustainable Shelves and Better World Books, in addition to utilizing local auctions, as part of our responsible weeding process. 

• Sustainable Shelves: Collaborating with Baker & Taylor and collectionHQ, Sustainable Shelves empowers libraries to remove books they no longer need conscientiously. This straightforward and adaptable process allows libraries to receive credit for their weeded books. Books that are not suitable for resale are responsibly recycled. 
• Better World Books: Our library supports non-profit literacy programs by entrusting unwanted textbooks and discarded library materials to Better World Books. Each book sold through this platform generates funds to bolster libraries and promote literacy initiatives. Books that do not find buyers or a direct purpose within our literacy programs are recycled, contributing to our commitment to sustainability. 

Through these initiatives, we ensure that our weeded books continue to make a positive impact on readers, libraries, and the environment. 

Gifts 

We welcome gifts of materials that align with our current collection development policy and do not carry any restrictions on their disposition. We are particularly interested in scholarly, current, and rare items in good physical condition that align with the college's curriculum. 

However, we reserve the right to accept, reject, or dispose of any gift at our discretion once it is given. Gifts will be evaluated for inclusion in the collection based on our selection guidelines. Please note that library staff are prohibited by federal law from appraising gifts for tax deduction purposes. 

Challenged Materials 

The Galveston College Library is committed to intellectual freedom and free access to information. Consequently, we do not add or withdraw materials at the request of individuals or groups if these actions conflict with our collection development policy. We align with the American Library Association's stance, condemning censorship and striving to ensure unrestricted access to information. 

Policy Evaluation 

The Collection Development Policy is reviewed by the Library and Learning Resources Committee annually, or as necessary. We commit to periodically reviewing this policy to ensure it remains up-to-date and responsive to the evolving needs of our community. Our aim is to provide the public with the most current and relevant information.