Introduction
The Oregon Institute of Technology Libraries support the instructional programs of the university. To provide this support, the library collects or maintains defined access* to materials and information in multiple formats. The collection development policy articulates the principles and guidelines, which govern the development of the library's onsite collections, as well as its access to information resources that are not site-specific. This document indicates a course of action that enables the Library to respond to the changing information needs and priorities of the academic community, as well as the changing environment of information delivery. It is understood that as the programs and the information needs and priorities of the University change, this policy will change to meet those needs.
*Defined access refers to cataloged online resources with menu options on the Library's web interface which link the user to owned or remotely accessed electronic resources selected by the Libraries with the needs of its community in mind.
Purpose
The purpose of the collection development policy is:
- To clarify the process by which materials are selected, acquired or accessed, maintained, and withdrawn and thus to facilitate the consistency of that process.
- To describe the current collection and provide a base from which to plan future development.
- To communicate the library's goals to the administration, faculty, students, staff, and other interested persons.
- To inform budget decision-making.
- To facilitate cooperative collection development with other libraries.
The Collection Development Policy supports the mission and goals of the Oregon Institute of Technology.
The Libraries
The libraries collect monographs, serials, government publications and maps in print, electronic and microform format, as well as audio and video resources. Electronic journals and licensed subscription databases (indices and full-text) comprise a large part of the libraries collections. These resources have become central to the collection as we make every effort to support learning wherever it occurs. The collections are housed in the Wilsonville campus library on the 4th floor and the Klamath Falls campus library in the Learning Resources Center (LRC) building.
As the University continues to revise and create new degree programs the libraries have been adept at responding appropriately within the arena of collection development. We remain focused on the demands of these curricular developments, and the broader intellectual and cultural development of the Oregon Tech community, with the careful selection of new materials and a continuing review of the collection's effectiveness. Space considerations will continue to be addressed as the University builds and adds programs.
Partnerships and Agreement with other libraries
The Library is an active partner in the Orbis Cascade Alliance consortium, which allows it to extend access to information and materials, and enables it to participate in beneficial group purchases. In the current environment of increasing costs, technological development and new opportunities, such consortial arrangements are critical. The Libraries are committed to the continued development of their role in the Orbis Cascade Alliance and strongly endorse its cooperative collection development and resource sharing policies.
More on the Orbis Cascade Alliance
The Orbis Cascade Alliance is a library consortium composed of academic public and private institutions of higher education in the Northwest.
The Alliance provides a range of services to member libraries. Among these are the Summit union catalog, Summit Borrowing, consortial evaluation and purchase of electronic resources, and cooperative collection assessment and development.
1. The Summit Union Catalog and Summit Borrowing
Summit Borrowing is a patron-initiated borrowing service that provides courier delivery of materials from the Summit union catalog. Through Summit Borrowing, faculty, students, and staff at member institutions have on-site and automated borrowing privileges at any Orbis Cascade library.
2. Consortial Resources
The Shared Content Team provides broad oversight and leadership in the sharing of library-selected content. As experts for the consortium, the team continually assesses, manages, and develops initiatives that broaden access by providing cost-effective sharing, licensing, and description of such content.
Electronic Resources Program
The Orbis Cascade Alliance licenses digital resources such as electronic journals, electronic books, commercial databases, and reference tools. Licensing through a consortium allows the Orbis Cascade Alliance to pool technical and licensing expertise and uses the advantage of a large group for negotiating low prices and favorable terms.
Shared Collections Program
The Orbis Cascade Alliance has a rich history of cooperative collection development and supporting one-shared collection. Some notable accomplishments to that end include:
- Creation of a shared Demand Driven Acquisition (DDA) program
- Establishment of policies that advise limits on the number of monograph copies purchased in the consortium (threshold policy) and requirements for notification to Alliance libraries when a last copy is withdrawn (last copy guidelines)