Introduction: Millikin University and its library

Millikin University, founded in 1901, is a small comprehensive co-educational four-year university with a curriculum that includes Liberal Arts & Sciences as well as schools of Business, Fine Arts and Nursing. Slightly more than 2,400 students are enrolled, almost all undergraduates, and they are taught by 160 full-time and 86 part-time faculty members (academic year 2001-2002). Millikin is located in Decatur, Illinois, a metropolitan area of just under 100,000 residents situated within an hour's drive of the state university towns of Springfield, Bloomington/Normal and Champaign/Urbana, west, north and east respectively.

The University recently (2001) adopted the following mission and vision for itself.

Millikin University MISSION:
At Millikin, we prepare students for:

• professional success;

• democratic citizenship in a diverse and dynamic global environment; and

• a personal life of meaning and value.

Millikin University VISION:
Millikin University aspires to be a premier small university, recognized nationally for four hallmarks of its education:

• integrated learning that connects liberal and professional education and life experiences;

• experiential learning that connects theory, practice and reflection;

• collaborative learning that connects students, faculty and staff; and

• engaged learning that connects the classroom, campus, and the community.

Staley Library must be understood in the light of Millikin University's dedication to education in both liberal arts and vocational/professional skills areas. The library's holdings and services exist primarily as a means to promote the University's broader educational objectives. The University has traditionally prided itself upon the excellence of its instruction and continues to emphasize teaching rather than research. The Staley Library collection reflects that emphasis.

Research needs of students and faculty will be supported by Staley Library where these needs relate directly to classroom teaching and instruction. This principle recognizes that good teaching and serious learning depend upon active scholarship, but distinguishes these informational needs from the more specialized, advanced faculty research interests addressed in more scholarly, graduate resources found in major research collections. This latter need will be addressed through electronic access and interlibrary loans.

Consistent with the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights ( http://www.ala.org/work/freedom/lbr.html#rights), the Staley Library collection seeks to represent a broad range of viewpoints on current and historical issues, without regard for the origin, background, or views of those contributing to the creation of the materials. At the same time, as a relatively small library, we make no claim to represent all perspectives. Primary documents are emphasized over interpretive or exhortative materials.

Staley Library is a member of a number of Illinois state-wide library consortia, prime of which is ILCSO (Illinois Library Computer Systems Organization) which manages the state-wide academic library catalog and shared borrowing system (ILLINET) and provides access to electronic resources that Staley Library could not afford except at the consortially subsidized prices.

The mission of Staley Library is:

• To enhance students' ability to understand, pursue and satisfy their own research needs, by stimulating their critical thinking and problem solving capabilities, both for their academic careers and for life-long learning. 

• To advance the University's academic programs and scholarly processes through instruction and collaboration.

• To provide the physical and virtual resources and learning spaces that support the academic research needs of students, faculty & staff.

This mission was revised by the library's Administrative Team (the librarians as a group chaired by the University Librarian) on January 12, 2000.

Who does collection development

The principal responsibility for collection development (collection creation, growth and management) rests with the library faculty, although input in the form of suggestions for specific titles is actively encouraged from all Millikin constituencies.

• The faculty in the academic departments remain the content experts in their disciplines. Hence, suggestions from academic faculty are strongly encouraged for library materials that will support classes and other teaching situations in the faculty member's own discipline.

• The academic faculty too will be the most knowledgeable about new programs, majors or courses within or related to their disciplines. Here, too, suggestions for library materials will be invaluable to the development and maintenance of a strong and appropriate library collection.

• The academic faculty further, again because they are the subject experts, should contribute also to collection management decisions, including collection weeding and the replacement of damaged, missing or lost items.

• Students too should be encouraged to submit suggestions for library materials that will support their learning within the bounds of the University's mission.

Final decisions in all collection development matters rest with the library faculty.

General selection criteria

• Languages
  Primary emphasis will be given to English language materials; exceptions to this rule will be made to support the regular instructional needs in the non-English study programs.

• Currency of Publication
  Major emphasis will be given to current scholarship and modern editions of works pertaining to the various fields. As Staley Library is not a research library, retrospective collecting will as a rule be avoided.

• More than one copy of a title (Duplicates)
  As a general rule, duplicate copies of titles will not be purchased. Exceptions are at the discretion of the University Librarian.

• Consortial collection development (sharing the responsibility)
  Particularly for print monograph titles, availability of a title in other Illinois academic libraries (ILCSO) is taken into account when making a collection development decision. That is, unless a title is core for the Millikin University curriculum, a title that is broadly available in ILCSO is less likely to be purchased or retained for Staley Library.

Selection criteria by physical format

Books

• Monographs: books that are published one-time (usually print but can be electronic). These have been selected almost exclusively by academic faculty for many years to support the teaching of the Millikin University curriculum.

• Standing orders: multi-volume sets published indefinitely, without announced ending date. These usually come on a timetable determined by the publisher. Selection criteria identical to those for monographs, except that additional weight must be given to the fact that standing orders become an ongoing obligation unless specifically cancelled.

• Annuals such as yearbooks are a sub-set of standing orders. Increasingly we are looking at these titles in terms of how current a particular title must be to remain useful, with an eye towards not buying every new edition.

• Textbooks:

• College-level texts of a survey nature and intended for classroom use will not be purchased for the collection, as these are the responsibility of the individual student.

• Elementary and secondary school textsmay be purchased if intended as illustrative for the education student. Such materials will be housed in the Curriculum Collection.

Periodicals

• Print subscriptions held in library: For calendar year 2002, we purchased 799 print periodicals, down by 128 titles cancelled from calendar 2001. We expect to cancel still more for calendar 2003, to keep up with inflation of periodicals prices. We do occasionally buy a new print title, but we cancel more titles in any given time periodn now than we buy new, see comments below under Full text electronic subscriptions.

• Full-text electronic subscriptions licensed to Staley Library (almost exclusively through consortial arrangements)

• If periodical title is a standard title primarily consisting of well-indexed research articles, prefer electronic format. Students will rarely if ever seek out a Staley Library print title that is also available electronically through the index used to find the article, and thus the added print price becomes an additional library expense of questionable research value to the student.

• If the title is an unevenly indexed and/or short-article title better suited for physical browsing, print is preferred even when electronic version available.

• Print subscriptions in other libraries. For non-electronic low-use and/or non-standard and/or unusually expensive titles where copies of articles can be obtained via interlibrary loans, subscriptions will not be initiated or maintained.
• Microfilm/fiche: format for some older periodicals and newspapers. For backfiles (not current year) only, for preservation reasons (newspapers) and shelving space. (As more backfiles become affordably available electronically, microformats are being purchased for Staley Library less and less.)

Audio-visual materials such as videos and CD's

We will buy formats supported by playing equipment owned by library. (Thus, we have not yet begun buying DVD's.)

Computer software, primarily CD-ROM's

We do not deliberately buy, though a few of our print titles come with software. Software is not to be used on library computers.

Selection criteria for special categories

Reference, including indexes:Reference collection materials often serve as the starting point for students as they begin their research and are intended for consultation purposes rather than extended reading. As such, it is important that the materials in the reference collection be as up to date as possible.

Although the scope of the Reference collection is broad, selection of new materials for the collection will support the current curriculum and research needs of Millikin University students, the library's primary user population. Reference materials are non-circulating.

Juvenile books. To support the education curriculum, the library will automatically purchase the following award-winning books every year. Occasional controversial or other non-award titles may also be purchased for their research value, in addition to academic faculty recommendations.

• Caldecott Medal (best picture books): all medal winners and honorable mentions. (http://www.ala.org/alsc/caldecott.html)

• Newbery Medal (best children's books): all medal winners and honorable mentions. (http://www.ala.org/alsc/newbery.html)

• Coretta Scott King Award (best books for children about the black experience): all medal winners. (http://www.ala.org/srrt/csking/index.html)

• Pura Belpré Award (best books for children about the Latino experience): all medal winners. (http://www.ala.org/alsc/belpre.html)

• Mildred L. Batchelder Award (best translations of a children's book published overseas): all medal winners. (http://www.ala.org/alsc/batch.html)

Archival materials: The University Archives of Staley Library collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes available to the public all forms of documentation of the history and development of Millikin University.

Included in the University Archives are collections and individual items including scrapbooks, printed materials, photographs, notes, minutes and other easily stored memorabilia of current and former students, faculty, administrators, staff, committees and departments of Millikin University.

Gifts to the University Archives are always gratefully considered.

Special/Rare materials are part of the archives and include both printed and manuscript materials that support the existing collections in the University Archives, including local history, Lincoln memorabilia, and the Alice in Wonderland collection. The library does not seek to purchase such materials, but will gratefully accept relevant gifts.

Leisure reading: Except as required by the Millikin University curriculum, the library will add some non-academic gift titles of general interest to the Leisure Reading collection rather than disposing of them by offering them for sale.

Library office collections: The librarians purchase and keep up to date a small core of titles necessary for the planning, management and day-to-day tasks of providing excellent library services to the Millikin University community.

Subject-specific selection criteria

Within each subject specialty, the following criteria are to be addressed:

• Scope of subject being taught in the curriculum, including geographic constraints and time periods, as applicable.

• Relative percentage of monographs to periodicals preferred in the discipline, regardless of physical format.

• What does "current" mean for the discipline?

• When do materials become outdated to the point that it is it more damaging to have them in the collection as opposed to not having them at all?

• Is the discipline format-neutral, or are traditional or electronic formats preferred?

The following are the academic areas in the Millikin University curriculum, as reflected by the departmental structures and majors offered.

• College of Arts and Sciences

Division of Humanities

English

• Literature
• Writing
• Secondary School teaching: English

History

• Global History
• Ancient History
• European History
• East Asian History
• American History

Modern Languages

• French
  • Secondary School teaching: French
• German
• Italian
• Spanish
  • Secondary School teaching: Spanish

Philosophy

Religion

Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Biology

• General biology
• Molecular/Cell biology
• Environmental biology
• Pre-professional Program in Health Sciences: Pre-Medicine
• Pre Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy
• Secondary School teaching: Biology
• Medical technology

Chemistry

• Biochemistry
• Secondary School teaching: Chemistry
• Chemical business
• Pre-professional Program in Health Sciences: Pre-Pharmacy

Mathematics and Computer Science

• Mathematics
• Applied mathematics
• Secondary School teaching: Mathematics
• Computer Science

Physics and Astronomy

• Physics
• Pre-professional Engineering Program
• Astronomy

Division of Social Sciences

Behavioral Sciences

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Secondary School teaching: Social Sciences (includes history)

Communication

Education

• Elementary Education (through grade 9)
• Secondary Education(grades 6-12)
• Specialist (grades K-12)
  • physical education
  • art
  • music
  • school nursing

Exercise Science and Sport

Political Science

• College of Fine Arts

Art

• Overviews: Ancient and Medieval Art History: European Art (14^th through 18^th Century); Modern Art (19th and 20th Century); Non-Western Art History
• Studio: figure drawing, printmaking, painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, ceramic sculpture, and commercial art/computer design
• Art Therapy
• Art Management
• Commercial Art/Computer Design

Music

• Individual Performance Scores: voice, keyboard, string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments
• Commercial Music: writing/arranging, recording studio technology, performance
• Music Business & Industry
• Music Education: K-12

Theatre and Dance

• Acting
• Directing
• Design: costume history, scene design & construction, lighting design
• Musical Theatre
• Dance: jazz, modern, ballet, tap, choreography

Global Studies (inter-disciplinary minor)

• School of Nursing (baccalaureate)



• Tabor School of Business & MBA Program
  • Accounting
  • Business Management
  • Finance and Economics
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing

Preservation and de-selection (weeding)

With the exception of extended treatment some archival materials, Staley Library's preservation techniques are two-fold:

Binding (sent to commercial bindery):

• Periodicals into volumes in order to protect individual issues from loss

• Preventive binding of paperback monographs, to extend their useful life

• Repair binding of older volumes that have deteriorated

For all binding, individual decisions are made balancing cost of binding versus potential reduction in life or usefulness without binding.

Mending (by Staley Library staff) includes:

• Stiffen and/or repair book spines and covers

• Re-attach loose pages

• Reinforce ripped or brittle pages

• Mend or replace video boxes

As for binding, individual decisions are made balancing cost of repairs (materials and labor) versus potential reduction in life or usefulness without mending.

De-selection, or weeding, occurs for three principal reasons:

• Material is too damaged/worn out to be usable any more

  Material is withdrawn. Eventual replacement decisions are made individually and in terms of the overall collection development policy. Replacement costs are drawn from the replacement fund (from fines and fees paid by patrons with overdue or lost materials).

• Material is out-of-date

  The library is developing a procedure for a five-year cycle of reviewing the entire library collection for currency and coverage.

  Out-of-date material is withdrawn.

• Unintentional de-selection occurs when materials are lost.

  Lost material is withdrawn from the library's records. Eventual replacement decisions are made individually and in terms of the overall collection development policy. Replacement costs are drawn from the replacement fund (from fines and fees paid by patrons with overdue or lost materials). Click here for Staley Library's procedure for replacing missing and lost items.

   

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  Introduction | Library Mission | Who does collection development | General criteria | By physical format | Special categories | Subject-specific | Preservation and de-selection (weeding) | Gifts
  
  

  Gifts

  By and large, the same selection criteria as apply to materials to be purchased apply also to materials to be accepted as gifts. Some additional stipulations apply.

  • The library appreciates all offers of gifts, even though we cannot always accept a gift because it does not fit within our collection development parameters or for some other reason.

  • We particularly appreciate gifts of recent monographs.

  • Gift subscriptions to periodicals may be accepted if they come directly to the library, not as a personal subscription for someone outside of the library. However, factors such as longer-term commitment to that periodical will be taken into consideration.

  • Single, scattered and/or older issues of periodicals are generally not accepted.

  • We cannot accept any materials that have significant mold or mildew, as these will infect the existing collection.

  • The library will acknowledge every gift received with a sincere letter of appreciation from the University Librarian. This letter will serve as the official receipt.

  • The IRS stipulates that we cannot provide appraisals for a gift, and no indication of any kind of possible monetary value of a gift. We WILL provide a number of titles and volumes received.

  • If a donor wishes to declare a gift to the IRS, the donor is required by the IRS to get an independent appraisal for any collection valued at $5,000 or over. The donor needs to give us a copy of such an appraisal before we accept the gift, as we cannot promise to store it unprocessed once we have received it.

  • Gifts in kind become the property of Staley Library

  • The library reserves the right to dispose of gift materials as library staff deems appropriate. This may mean inclusion in our collection, making some or all of it available on our "for sale" shelf, or outright disposal if necessary.

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  Work on this revised policy was begun on May 6, 2002. Major writing concluded July 17, 2002; most recent update occurred on Thursday, July 18, 2002.

  

  Karin Borei, University Librarian.