This compilation of Collection Development Policies is a work in progress. Some policies are in finished form and have been ratified through appropriate channels. Other policies or policy sections are in preliminary or draft form, remain subject to imminent revision, and await ratification. And some sections await future development, or are in draft versions or revisions too early to post. Look for an indication of current status accompanying each policy or, in some cases, specific policy sections or sub-sections.
Definition of "Collection": As used in these policies, "collection" and "collections" encompass both physical media collected and housed in the library building and "virtual collections" of online resources (databases, ebooks and e-journals, streaming services, etc.) to which the library provides access for its clientele through licensing, subscription, or purchase.
Ratifications and Endorsements: Unless noted otherwise, adoption or ratification of specific policies refers to their adoption or ratification by the Library Faculty (the Whitworth Library's staff of professional librarians), based on consultation with others as appropriate. Ratifications or endorsements of policies by other entities, such as the Library & Information Resources Committee, apply only to those sections where they are noted.
Restricted Use Material: The ALA takes seriously the ability for users to equitably access information (https://www.ala.org/rusa/strategic-priorities/access); we too take this charge seriously. The Whitworth Library will make every effort to collect and subscribe to materials that can be accessed by all users regardless of what undergraduate or graduate program they are in. For example, in cases where digital textbook use is restricted to limited users, the library may defer the collection or subscription of those items to the requesting department or division. Similarly the library is not responsible to Copyright Clearance Center costs. In general, the library is not in the business of collecting or managing restricted use material.
Revised 10/13/08; 6/27/2017; 9/26/2023 ACRC