Include:

•  

A. Binding

In general, Cowles Library binds the following materials:

• Most periodicals.
• Some new paperback monographs and serials.
• Some music scores.

In general, Cowles Library does not bind:

• Newspapers.
• Excessively brittle materials.
• Reference serials.
• Materials whose content rapidly becomes out-of-date.

Exceptions may be made, and will typically be laminated or bound in "pam" binders in-house.

B. Conservation and Preservation

Staff and student workers (primarily in technical services and circulation) are trained to identify conservation and preservation issues and determine the type and level of treatment needed in both new and existing circulating collections. Depending on the nature of the preservation treatment, materials are treated in-house, sent to an appropriate service vendor (e.g., a bindery), or withdrawn and replaced if possible. If a replacement is unavailable or not cost effective, the Library will provide an enclosure to prevent degradation and to keep the item complete. Special collections do not circulate and are not subject to the same assessments and treatments of circulating collections.

Sound collection maintenance techniques (such as evaluating usage of resources, monitoring pricing trends, and tying the collection to the curriculum) will be applied to electronic materials in the same manner as print, whenever possible. However, we should remain aware that print and electronic materials may have significant differences in the area of archiving. Thus, as stated above, preference should be given to those electronic resources whose publishers demonstrate a commitment to digital archiving.

C. Replacements

Cowles Library will acquire replacement copies for monographs or media designated as missing, lost and paid, or unable to be repaired; AND when it is determined that the title should not be withdrawn and other copies or editions are available for purchase. Replacements will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
 

D. Usage Statistics

The Library will collect and analyze meaningful statistics on the usage of print and electronic resources, especially those commercial resources which the Library licenses. For print collections, usage will be determined by examining a combination of checkouts, renewals and in-house uses. In the case of electronic resources, a combination of full-text retrievals and abstract views will be considered (for full text resources), or abstract views alone (for Abstract & Index resources). Usage statistics will be used to inform purchasing and renewal decisions in conjunction with the Library's overall assessment of its services and collections. Whenever possible, only COUNTER (Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources) compliant statistics will be collected. Statistics may be used to inform collecting and deselecting of electronic resources.

E. Deselection

Cowles Library participates in a collaborative partnership with the following libraries: Central College, Grand View University, Grinnell College and Simpson College. This partnership is called Central Iowa-Collaborative Collections Initiative. (See also the CI-CCI Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)and related Acquisitionsand Interlibrary Loanaddenda.)

One of the tenets of the agreement is that each Library will agree to identify and retain certain titles in its collection for preservation and sharing purposes. These titles are known as "retention list titles." 

The first step in considering an item for potential withdrawal is to ascertain whether or not it is a "CI-CCI Retention List" title. It if is not, proceed with the criteria listed below.

If the item being considered for withdrawal is a "CI-CCI Retention List" title, the library must carefully consider whether or not to proceed with the withdrawal process, since we have agreed to keep the item in our collection.  If we still wish to proceed with the withdrawal, we will need to keep track of the item(s) and follow the discard procedure outlined in the MOU. We would then make the item(s) available to other libraries in CI-CCI for retention in one of their collections.

In accordance with the process recommended in the ALA Standards for Libraries in Higher Educationfor discarding materials, Cowles Library deselects items to maintain a current, active and useful collection that reflects its goals and the curriculum. Materials should not be withdrawn due to controversial subject matter or solely because they have not been heavily used. Some subject areas call for more frequent deselection of outdated material than others, with the principal areas being in the physical sciences and social sciences.

1. Books - The following factors are taken into consideration when deselecting books from the collection:

• superseded editions
• duplicate copies
• age and physical condition of the book
• frequency of circulation
• obsolescence of content
• presence of other books on the subject matter
• removal of a program from the curriculum
• inclusion of titles in recognized bibliographic sources

2. Periodicals - Cowles Library considers deselecting periodicals if:

• subject materials are duplicated (especially if in a digital format);
• titles have a few scattered issues or broken files and cannot be filled in and completed;
• or a title is in poor physical condition and can be replaced by microfilm or an electronic alternative;
• a title has value for the current year or a few years only, back issues are usually deselected.

No periodical still identified as a core title in its field should automatically be discarded because it is not indexed, contains controversial or unpopular opinions, or has not been heavily used.

3. Serials - Cowles Library withdraws serials/continuations following the same criteria stated above for monographs and periodicals. When a title has value in only the most recent edition (e.g., directories), older volumes are usually withdrawn.

4. Media - Cowles Library considers media for deselection if:

• the subject matter is excluded from the Collection Development Policy;
• it uses obsolete technology (such as phonograph albums);
• the library lacks the necessary equipment to view or use the item;
• it is in questionable physical condition;
• or it is available in another format.

5. Government Documents - Cowles Library withdraws government publications according to the rules stated in Guidelines for the Depository Library System.
 

6. Electronic resources - Like print resources, electronic resources can go out of date. The vendor may add new features, functionality and/or content. Librarians will periodically review electronic materials to determine their use, relevance, currency, and value to the collection. Electronic resources that are no longer supported by the vendor, are not regularly updated, have low usage levels, or no longer have relevance and value to the collection may become candidates for deselection.

If low usage indicates possible cancellation of a database, the following issues will also be examined before a final decision is made:

Library Liaisons will determine the following:

• Is there continued curriculum support for the database in question?
• Are specific assignments made using the database?
• Is there a preferred resource over the current database?
• Have faculty and students been trained? Is vendor training (in person or online) warranted?
• Are Research Guides (Databases by Subject) up-to-date and accurate?
• Has the database been sufficiently promoted and/or marketed?

Library Technical Services staff will determine or assist with the following:

• Are access points working correctly? (A-Z, Database List and Research Guides)
• If additional promotion and/or marketing is warranted, are posters available for distribution to departments?
• Are additional/updated slides (Ask Here desk, Lower Commons and Cowles banner) warranted?