NSCC Library Policies

Collection Development Policy

The content and character of the North Shore Community College (NSCC) Library collections reflect the enduring values and current priorities of NSCC. Information resources available through the NSCC Library support the current research, teaching, and learning needs of the College. The main priority of the Library collections and resources is to enable academic success, and career and transfer preparation of NSCC students.

Guiding Principles

Excellence, Equity, Accessibility

Academic innovation, holistic student support, social justice, and future-focused transformation are values that are foundational to the Library’s collection strategies.

The Library

• Provides the best possible resources to support the curricular needs of the College.
• Strives to match or exceed the quality of resources available at comparable colleges and universities.
• Collects high-quality learning materials that represent diverse experiences and perspectives.
• Offers information resources in formats and modalities by considering the learning and access needs of the NSCC community, both on campus and remotely.

Resource Management

The Library recognizes that breadth of materials utilized by NSCC students are more sustainably available by leveraging access over ownership models, including:

• partnerships with HELM consortial partners
• interlibrary loan sharing with statewide libraries
• integration of state-funded databases
• leasing versus purchasing e-resources
• demand-driven acquisitions strategies

Scope

Collections and resources access

• Support current College programs and curricula.
• Emphasize equitable access to and affordability of required course and learning materials.
• Reflect the current research, teaching and learning, and career and transfer preparation needs of College students, faculty, and staff.
• Include materials produced by College faculty, staff, and students (North Shore Community College Authors).

Language

The Library collections present materials in the languages used in teaching and learning. General knowledge and subject content is English-language, as well as Spanish-language materials that support content courses taught in Spanish. As recommended by the faculty, language instruction and English as a Second Language (ESL) support materials are available in the languages required for pedagogical purposes.

Format

In most cases, the Library will favor digital access over print/physical media, as it enables both on-campus and remote usage.

However, the Library shall acquire items in print format for the following reasons:

• Format is optimal for the learning goals of our community
  • Early College
  • ESL
  • Course Support Collection
  • Narrative film DVD’s
• Format is an integral part of the item
  • Children’s Books
  • Graphic Novels
  • Art Books
• Print format as required by accreditation bodies
• Per request of faculty or students for the teaching and learning of program, department, or course student learning outcomes
• Course Reserves/Textbook Collection to support the digital reserves and streaming DVD programs

In addition to these print acquisition considerations, the Library will retain existing print materials for the following reasons:

• Item is part of a Consortial Permanent Retention Agreement

Maintenance

Librarians are primarily responsible for curating collections and resource access for the Library, utilizing the principles outlined in this policy and honoring the values of the College as expressed in the Strategic Plan.

Acquisition is largely be user-driven:

• Required and supplemental course materials
• Faculty, staff, and student recommendation
• Accreditation requirements
• Formal demand-driven acquisition programs
• Librarian recommendation, based on evidence of curricular and community needs

The Library shall review print collections regularly and remove items/access for the following reasons:

• Outside the collecting scope of the the Library
• Format
• Obsolescence
• Low Usage

Additional consideration shall be given to print and physical items:

• Poor Physical Condition
• Number of copies of item exceeds need

Final authority and ultimate responsibility for materials selection and deselection lies with the Director of Learning Commons Services.

Gifts

The library welcomes gifts and accepts them with the understanding that the materials will be evaluated according to the same standards as items that the library purchases. The donor will be informed at the time of donation that materials will be evaluated, and those deemed not appropriate for the collection will be placed on the free book truck. Inappropriate materials are those that are either duplicates, out-of-date, not relevant to the curriculum, not in the preferred format, or in such disrepair that it would not survive circulation. The library reserves the right to refuse a donation if the donor requires specific conditions, including retrieval from a donor's home, or special shelving requirements. Appraisal of gifts to the Library is the responsibility of the donor. The Library will acknowledge receipt of the gift, but will not provide a monetary valuation statement to the donor for tax or other purposes: IRS rules prohibit NSCC from providing such statements.