Library Policies

1.  Criteria for selecting library materials

This collection policy intentionally includes the libraries/learning centers maintained at the University of Tennessee at Martin’s off-site and distance education centers. The Library cooperates with the administrators at off-site centers to provide stable, useful collections relevant to the courses taught at the center.

Criteria for selecting library materials include:

• • • Appropriateness for undergraduate and/or graduate programs at the University of Tennessee at Martin as stated in the institutional and departmental mission statements and curricular material, particularly if works may be used for multiple courses
    • Identified strengths and weaknesses of the existing collection in a particular subject area
    • High quality content, format, and/or literary merit
    • Authoritativeness of the author or reputation of publisher/producer
    • Stability/permanence of the materials’ form
    • Immediacy and relevance of the material
    • Expected usage (for occasional needs, interlibrary loan may be used as a viable alternative to ownership)
    • Appropriateness of chosen format (printed, electronic, audio, visual) for the subject matter and/or area of use with a preference given to electronic format over physical
    • Cost of the item

Materials that go beyond the academic curricula but meet the cultural, career, recreational and informational needs of the campus community are also given consideration. Federal Government information resources that meet needs of the community at large are collected as well, as a part of the depository library obligation, per 44 USC § 1901–1916.

 

  1.1  Selection Tools

A number of tools are used by selectors for both print and non-print materials.  Examples are:

• • •  
    • Reviews in scholarly and professional journals
    • Popular review sources esp. Choice magazine
    • Standard bibliographies
    • Publishers’ and producers’ catalogs
    • Requests from faculty, students and staff

 

1.2  Other selection considerations

Language - Generally library materials are acquired only in languages in which academic programs are offered.  In subject areas other than foreign languages and literature, the Library emphasizes the acquisition of English-language materials.

Format - The Library will purchase the electronic version of a requested material if the cost difference between the electronic and physical format of the material is not more than one hundred dollars or unless the physical format is specified as the requested format.

Multiple copies - The Library will normally purchase only one copy of a title to allow discretionary spending to provide the greatest number of acquisitions. Requests for multiple copies are considered individually and depend on the substantiated needs and the value of the item as a part of the Library’s permanent collection.  In instances when a decision is made to purchase multiple copies, the additional copies will be acquired in the most economical format.

Out-of-print materials - The Library does not routinely purchase or replace out-of-print materials for the circulating collection. Exceptions are made when a title is considered to be a classic or a standard work in a particular field taught at the University and/or important to the collection as a whole.

Textbooks - Commercial textbooks for specific University of Tennessee at Martin courses are not normally purchased for the Library’s permanent collection.  Exceptions may be made when research material on a particular topic is limited.  Textbook purchase requests by an academic department are allowed with the departmental funds allocated by the Library.  The Library urges instructors to place a copy of their text on reserve in the Library whenever possible.

Theses and papers - Barring exceptional cases considered individually, student writing is not acquired by the Library. As the institution’s archival entity, one printed copy of University of Tennessee at Martin graduate theses and masters’ project papers, and one copy of University Scholar papers are maintained in University Archives as a public, permanent record of acceptable work toward a degree.

Research projects - The University Library does not purchase materials that will be used for short-term research projects of faculty, staff members or graduate students.  Use of Interlibrary Loan is encouraged for this purpose.

Depository status - As a federal depository, the Library is required by law to have physical or electronic access to the titles listed in the Basic Collection, as defined in the current edition of the Federal Depository Library Handbook, chapter 5, accessible for immediate use supporting the public right to know about the essential work and program activity of the federal government.  The current federal regional depository is the University of Memphis.