The University Libraries have a central, established role "...to provide collection and staff resources in support of teaching, research, service and public outreach..." (University of Iowa Strategic Plan, October 1, 1989, p.1). The University Libraries' top priorities in collection development are curriculum support, standard source availability, faculty research, and graduate student research, as stated in the 1986 "Collection Priorities" document. The Collection Management Committee is responsible for recommending collection policy to the University Libraries' administration and coordinating collection management activities throughout the University Libraries system.
II. Purpose of this Policy
The University Libraries collect or provide access to appropriate materials in print and non-print media. Currently, electronic formats present libraries with management issues that more traditional formats do not. They may be significantly more expensive to acquire and maintain. They may be physically located in a library or they may be housed elsewhere on campus or at remote locations. They may require additional hardware and software to operate or to access. Because these concerns complicate the selection and the accessibility of such materials within the University Libraries, a policy specifically for electronic formats is needed.
This "Policy for Electronic Resources Management" provides context and guidelines for the University Libraries in the selection, acquisition, provision of access to, and maintenance of electronic resources. It does not address specific procedural issues such as where a particular resource will be located or funding options. These are discussed in related University Libraries documents such as the "Information Arcade Selection Criteria" document produced by the Database Task Force and the "Expensive Purchase Recommendation" guidelines.
III. Relationships with Related Groups and Concerns
Providing access to electronic resources may involve funding, equipment, data storage, location, and remote access decisions affecting many units both within the University Libraries administrative structure and outside of it. These might include Information Technology Services, departmental reading rooms on campus, and other libraries outside the University. The University Libraries seek to work cooperatively with the above and other concerned groups on such issues as they arise.
IV. Scope of this Policy
A. This policy addresses the selection for acquisition or access of the following types of electronic materials:
1. Numeric data files.B. This policy does not cover general purpose applications software such as authoring programs, gateways programs, reference management programs, productivity programs, and integrated library management programs (e.g., NOTIS).2. Textual files.
3. Bibliographic files.
4. Graphic and multimedia files.
5. Courseware/Instructional files.
6. World Wide Web resources that fall under categories 1-5.
7. Specific applications software needed to utilize the resources listed above.
8. The University Libraries will consider the purchase of other types of electronic resources as they are developed, in light of their relevance, appropriateness, and contribution to the Libraries' mission.
C. This policy does not cover any resources purchased primarily for staff use.
V. Selection and Acquisition Responsibilities of the Library
A. General Guidelines
1. The Libraries will select, fund, and make available appropriate electronic resources.B. Additional Criteria2. The Libraries will provide monies from its materials budget for the purchase of electronic materials meeting the criteria specified below in sections V.A.6 and V.B.
3. The collection management librarians will have the primary responsibility for identifying, selecting, and funding through the individual subject fund lines the electronic resources they wish to add to the library collection.
4. The collection management librarians will have the primary responsibility for negotiating and coordinating funding for applications programs needed to operate specific electronic resources they have selected.
5. The collection management librarians will have the primary responsibility for selecting for the Gateway to the Internet resources falling under the categories listed in IV.A above.
6. Very expensive electronic resources of campus-wide utility, such as the Wilson databases, may be purchased with general materials monies. The Collection Management Committee will review such recommendations.
7. The fundamental and primary criteria used for measuring the appropriateness of adding a particular electronic resource to the Libraries' collection will not differ essentially from those criteria used to measure books or any other format. These primary criteria are:
a. The resource contributes to the Libraries' mission of providing support for instruction and research.8. If significant additional expenditures or extraordinary arrangements would be required to make the resource available, such as special hardware, a different operating system, or unusual space or maintenance requirements, its acquisition should be justifiable with the strongest possible arguments from Section V.B. below. A mechanism exists for collection management librarians to use individual materials funds to purchase needed equipment, if no other means of obtaining the equipment is available.b. There is demonstrated demand or a potential audience for the resource.
9. The public services support required to make a resource available should be given early consideration in the selection process. Collection management librarians should consult with staff of other library departments that may be affected. Aspects of public services support to be considered are:
a. The need for staff and user training.If substantial amounts of staff time and effort would be required to make a resource available, its acquisition should be justifiable with the strongest possible arguments based on the criteria in Section B below.b. The availability and usefulness of manuals, guides, and tutorials from the producer.
c. The ease of production of a brief guide, if necessary, by University Libraries staff.
In addition to the primary criteria in section V.A.6 above, the following criteria specific to electronic resources should be considered. They are not listed in priority order. Not all of the suggested criteria will be applicable in every case.
1. The resource offers some value-added enhancement to make it preferable over, or a significant addition to, other print or non-print equivalents. Examples of such enhancements include wider access and greater flexibility in searching.VI. Implementation Responsibilities of the Library2. If the item is an electronic version of a resource in another format, it contains or covers the equivalent information to the extent appropriate and desirable.
3. The resource meets usual and customary technical standards in the industry.
4. If currency is important, the resource is updated often enough to be useful.
5. The production quality is satisfactory for the proposed use.
6. The resource is "user-friendly". Some measures of "friendliness" are:
a. The existence of introductory screens7. Vendor-related issues, such as:b. The availability of on-screen tutorials
c. Prompts and menus
d. Function-specific help
e. Novice and expert searching levels
f. Helpful error messages
g. Ease of exiting from one point in database to another
h. Index browsing
i. Searching on index terms without re-typing
j. Software allows for both printing and downloading
a. Vendor reliability and business record suggests continued support for the product via updates or new versions.8. The resource is potentially networkable.b. Vendor-produced documentation is thorough and clear.
c. Customer support is available from the vendor during library working hours.
d. Price penalties, if any, for different formats have been investigated.
9. Textual resources are in the most commonly used and appropriate language for the subject matter.
10. Published reviews of the resource have been taken into account.
11. A trial period is available for examining the utility and value of the resource before a final commitment is made with the vendor.
12. Access-related issues, such as:
a. The physical location of the resource, if applicable.b. Vendor-required limitations to access.
c. The resource can be made available in agreement with the Intellectual Freedom statement of the American Library Association, which the University Libraries fully support.
A. The library will comply with the copyright law and will take measures to promote copyright law compliance among its users.
B. The library will optimize access to and utility of electronic resources through the following activities:
1. Bibliographic control through the cataloging or inventorying of each resource.C. The Libraries will negotiate and comply with vendor licensing agreements.2. Storage for the item, if needed.
3. Appropriate circulation procedures.
4. The purchase, maintenance, preparation, and loading of software and hardware necessary to use the resource.
5. Appropriate staff support and training.
6. Appropriate user support and training.
1. In general, it will be the responsibility of the University Libraries acquisitions staff and the Director for Collections and Information Resources to negotiate and sign licensing agreements, in consultation with the appropriate collection management librarian. In cases where an agreement is appropriately negotiated by other staff, it should be reviewed by the Director for Collection Management and Development. In some cases the University Purchasing Department may negotiate and sign agreements. Monographic Acquisitions will maintain a file containing copies of all licensing agreements.VII. Duplicate Copies, Copies in Multiple Formats, and Networking2. The department or unit which houses or provides access to an electronic resource is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of licensing requirements.
3. Final responsibility for compliance with licensing agreements rests with the Director for Collection Management and Development, in consultation with the University Purchasing Department and the University Attorney, as may be necessary.
A. Duplicate copies of electronic resources will be purchased only in cases of clearly demonstrated need when networking or other alternatives are not available or practicable.
B. The Libraries may protect access to selected resources by making them available in more than one format, for example, both on CD-ROM and in print. Such resources are primarily those which have significant historic value or are critical to a university program. Multiple format access to such resources may be provided when:
1. The electronic version is poorly supported by the vendor.C. The Libraries purchase licenses that permit networking or "multiple launches" of an electronic product whenever resources permit.2. One format is unstable.
3. Hardware or software necessary to use the resource in a particular format is limited or unreliable.
4. There is a cost benefit to providing access in multiple formats.
5. Different formats are necessary to meet the differing needs of user groups.
6. The resource is not archived in a format accessible by current technology.
VIII. Replacements
The criteria used in deciding whether an electronic resource should be replaced will not differ essentially from those used when considering the replacement of books or other materials. These criteria include demonstrated
demand for the resource, cost of replacement, and availability through other campus or remote sources.
IX. Gifts
The Library will accept, evaluate, and process gifts of electronic resources consistent with the criteria stated above. All other issues regarding electronic materials received as gifts shall be handled in accordance with the University Libraries' general Gift Policy.
X. Preservation
The preservation of electronic materials shall be consistent with the Libraries' overall preservation policy. This shall be overseen by the Preservation Librarian, in consultation with library automation personnel or others the Preservation Librarian deems appropriate.
XI. Deselection
Electronic resources will be reviewed periodically by the selector to assess their continuing value. It shall be the prerogative of the selectors to weed from the collection electronic materials which are determined to be no longer of value.
XII. Policy Review
The University Libraries Collection Management Committee will review this policy at least every three years, or as needed.
XIII. Location and Dissemination of Policy
In order to ensure a wide knowledge of and adherence to this policy, a copy resides with each collection management librarian within the University Libraries system. A copy is available for public view in the office of the Director, Collection Management and Development.
XIV. Administrative Acknowledgment
The revised version of this policy was approved by the Libraries' Executive Committee on June 6, 1996.
_______________________________________
Edward Shreeves
Director, Collections and Information Resources
Drafted by Melanie Wilson and Chris Africa
Reviewed and amended by the Collection Management Committee:
Chris Africa
John Howell
Dottie Persson
Tim Shipe
Edward Shreeves
Kathy Wachel
Janice Simmons-Welburn
William Welburn
Melanie Wilson
Assistance in developing this draft policy was derived from the following sources, and is gratefully acknowledged:
SantaVicca, E. Personal correspondence, March, 1992.
Foulds, M. S., and Foulds, L. R. "CD-ROM Disk Selection and Evaluation". Reference Services Review, Summer 1990, pp. 27-38, 44.
"Collection Policy for Electronic Information", Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
"Collection Development Guidelines for Electronic Library Resources", Medical Center Library, Loyola University, Chicago.
Louise Darling Biomedical Library, University of California, Los Angeles. "Collection Development Policy for Computer Software". In Hannigan, G. G. and Brown, J. F. Managing Public Access Microcomputers in Health Sciences Libraries. Chicago, Medical Library Association, 1990, pp. 91-93. February 1994
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