Library Policies

Carmichael Library Collection Development Policies

Purpose: Carmichael Library endeavors to support the mission of the University of Montevallo.

Responsibility for Collection Development: The Faculty Library Committee and the Library Director jointly determine the proportion of the library's budget allocated to departments. It is the joint responsibility of the teaching faculty and the library faculty to select materials for the collection. If a particular department is not active in book selection, it is the library's responsibility to ensure that that area of the curriculum is not neglected.  

General Collection Statement: Selection will be based primarily on reviews in recognized sources, in professional journals, and in subject bibliographies, core lists, catalogs, and faculty and librarian recommendations. Scholarly materials that support the undergraduate and graduate curricular needs are given the highest priority in the selection process. Materials that will help create a well-rounded collection will be acquired.

Materials Generally not Collected 

• Textbooks: The library will not purchase textbooks, except when experts in the field consider it to be a classic or when other books in a particular field are scarce. 
• Pamphlets: Pamphlets and ephemeral materials (except for reserve items, archives, etc.) will not be collected.
• Computer software: The library will not purchase computer software. Computer Services maintains the computer lab in the library with appropriate software for student use
• Maps: The library will not collect maps, but will occasionally collect atlases.
• Art work: The library will not collect art work. The library does, however, collect monographs about art works and/or collections.
• Materials for high school or young children: The library will generally not collect materials for high school or young children, except for materials included in the Children’s Collection.
• Narrow appeal: Titles or subject areas with a narrow appeal will not be collected,
• Religious materials: Practical theology, popular devotional, inspirational, instructional materials and religious textbooks will not be collected.
• Dissertations: The Library does not normally collect other university dissertations. 
• Foreign Languages: Resources will primarily be purchased in the English language, but the library will collect foreign language materials needed to support the curriculum.
• Multiple Copies: The library will usually buy only one copy of a given item, unless great demand is anticipated. 
• Out-of-Print Materials: Because of the time and cost, generally the library will not acquire out-of-print materials. However, we will consider OP materials on a case by case basis as requested by the faculty or librarian selector.

Deselection Policy: To remain useful and relevant, the library’s collection should be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Weeding is a healthy, continual process that helps to ensure that the collection is meeting the current curriculum, research, and informational needs of faculty and students. Materials that no longer meet the needs of the university community may be removed from the collection. Deselection decisions are based on one or more criteria that can found here.

Intellectual Freedom: The library fully supports the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read Statement and is committed to the free exchange of ideas. To meet the curricular needs of the university, materials will be purchased which reflect a wide variety of viewpoints and modes of expression.

Reconsideration Policy: Carmichael Library strives to provide equitable access to relevant collections.  The library selects materials to purchase in three ways: by disciplinary faculty request, by library faculty request, and by student recommendations. Donated materials are sometimes added to the collection after evaluation based on the library’s mission and collection development policy. More information, including a reconsideration request form, can be found here.