Policies
Collection Development
This policy is intended to serve as a statement of the guidelines used for acquiring and maintaining materials for the library collections of the Donald B. Watt Library. The primary objective of collection development activities at the library is to build and maintain a library collection that supports the curriculum of SIT Study Abroad and the SIT Graduate Institute.
All librarians, faculty, staff and students are encouraged to submit requests for both print and non-print materials that fall within their areas of expertise and that conform to the collection development policy. Such requests can be emailed to library@sit.edu
An Overview by Format
Books & Multimedia (DVDs, CDs, Software, etc)
Selection is based on the needs of the specific programs, faculty and students. The library bases many of its selection decisions on the requests and recommendations of faculty. Certain criteria must be met when selecting materials for the general collection:
- Relevance of the subject matter to the curricula.
- Timeliness and/or relative permanence of the materials.
- Current weakness in the collection in a particular subject area.
- Quality of materials in content, format and literary merit judged by the reputation of the authors and publishers, and assessments of reviewers.
- Special program needs, e.g. materials for the Language Resource Room.
The library purchases books in electronic format whenever possible in order to provide access to the greatest number of patrons, many of who are not campus to use print resources.
It is generally the policy that multiple copies of a single title will not be purchased for the collection unless demand will be high as in the case of required readings for a course.
Replacements will not be made automatically when materials are missing, lost, or withdrawn because of wear. The merit of the item will be taken into consideration using the same criteria as for a new purchase (above).
Periodicals
Periodical titles are added at the request of faculty members and/or when the library’s Interlibrary Loan statistics indicate a great need for a particular title.
Periodicals are not added to the collection unless they are available in electronic format and are indexed in a database that is subscribed to by the library or by a publicly available search engine.
Periodical titles that the library subscribes to are easily searched by going to the library’s Search Our Journals page.
Because periodicals require an annual commitment of funds, selection of periodicals is the joint responsibility of the program faculty and library staff. When new serial titles are recommended for subscription by a program, others may be revaluated and cancelled where there is duplication of information or if material is deemed no longer relevant.
Electronic Databases
Electronic databases are added to the library collection based on the needs of the specific programs, faculty, and students. Full-text databases are added whenever possible but the library also subscribes to a number of abstract only databases that are supplemented by our Interlibrary Loan service. Electronic databases require an annual commitment of funds so the selection of databases is often done in consultation with faculty via a trial of a particular database. Usage statistics are checked annually to aid in evaluation of a renewal decision.
Newspapers
The Library maintains a collection of major newspapers for patron use. Most of these newspapers are available electronically in the library’s database and can be searched for by going to the library’s Search Our Journals page. A small collection of print newspapers can be found in the library and are retained for two weeks.
Student Research (Capstones, IPPs, and ISPs)
Capstones and IPPs (Independent Professional Project) are required to be handed in to the library in both a hard copy paper and an electronic copy. Students can choose to share their electronic copy via the Internet with World Learning faculty, staff, and students by indicating as such on their copyright form. All Capstones and IPP abstracts are added to DigitalCollections at SIT, World Learning’s digital repository, and those that have given copyright permission to share them electronically have the full-text available there as well.
DigitalCollections at SIT also contains the three best ISPs (Independent Study Project) from the SIT Study Abroad programs. Copyright permissions have been granted by all contributors to this collection.
Language Collection
The goal of the collection is to increase all language teaching materials, including ESL, as well as to update the collection on a continuing basis with newer items that reflect changes in both language instruction methods and culture. Print items include readers, dictionaries and textbooks. Audio, video, and computer-based media are collected as well.
Gifts
The library welcomes gifts and donations, which are subject to the same criteria as materials acquired through budgeted funds. The library retains the right to dispose of all gifts as the staff sees fit. Items not added to the collection may be discarded, sold, or exchanged with other libraries.
Collection Maintenance
Weeding Policy
Materials that are no longer appropriate to the collection are subject to weeding. The library staff reserves the right to discard items which have become too old to be useful, or which have not had sufficient use to warrant their retention. There is currently no timetable set up for the periodic review of the collection for weeding. Library staff will, if appropriate, consult faculty members in weeding decisions.
Inventory
Portions of the collection are inventoried regularly to determine the losses of particular items. After a reasonable amount of time, the information about lost books will be evaluated and decisions will be made about replacement.
Binding
Books may be re-bound professionally if they cannot be repaired in-house. If the book is out of print it will be re-bound; otherwise a cost comparison will be made of re-binding versus buying a new copy.
Phone:
802.258.3354
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3248
SMS:
802.277.3204
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Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA