Collection Development and Management

Collection Goals & Principles
UWF Libraries provide:

• Current, diverse, and balanced collections in a variety of formats that support the teaching, learning, and research needs of the entire UWF community.
• Funding centrally to serve colleges and programs at all locations. We also focus on developing collections in areas in which new and expanded university courses and programs are anticipated and perpetual ownership of electronic acquisitions.
• Carefully selected resources on topics of high current interest and in subject areas not presently covered by UWF instructional and research programs in order to contribute to a general, well-rounded education. UWF Libraries also offers a robust document delivery (DL) system and interlibrary loan (ILL) service to ensure UWF users at all locations have access to library resources at all locations and beyond.
• Collections that represent the diversity of the human experience. Contents meet the diverse needs of UWF users and reflecting a broad spectrum of perspectives in cultures, heritages, societies, countries, abilities, and technologies shall be represented in all collections.
• Resources that meet the evolving accessibility standards and are available to all UWF users. We ensure that library collections are accessible to users of different abilities through the provision of various formats, assistive technologies, and other accommodations.

Collection Arrangement
The majority of materials are organized according to the Library of Congress Classification System. Exceptions include government documents, juvenile monographs, Education Research Library curriculum materials, archival manuscripts, and other unpublished collections.

Responsibility
Ultimate responsibility for the development and maintenance of the Libraries’ collection rests with the Dean of the University Libraries. The Collection Development Committee makes recommendations to the Dean regarding collection development policies, allocation of the library materials budget, and planned collection development efforts. The Chair of the Collection Development Committee is responsible for coordinating collection development, and subject-specialist librarians and heads of library units, such as the Archives & West Florida History Center and branch libraries, are responsible for selection activities related to their assigned disciplines and areas. The majority of monograph funds are allocated to university academic departments, under the purview of subject specialists and their respective faculty, while some is allocated in support of library units (e.g., Archives & West Florida History Center) and distinct collections (e.g., reference materials).

University faculty play a vital role in selection efforts, and the materials budget prioritizes faculty requests and recommendations as appropriate within allocated funds. Subject specialists are expected to be alert to developments in their subject areas, aware of suitable resources in all formats, anticipate demands of resources in their areas, and proactively collaborate with the faculty in each academic department to recommend resources in their disciplines. Suggestions from students, staff, and administrators will also be considered.

Collecting Levels
As an essential part of the University’s educational mission, the Libraries provide appropriate and accessible information resources in various formats to support the instructional and research needs of students and faculty at all levels. The selection of materials is a continuous process affected by the content and needs of a changing curriculum and the development of new courses and programs. The collecting intensity levels within each subject area are determined by the depth of materials needed to support the various programs and level of degrees offered, as well as any accreditation or academic recognition requirements.

Basic/Core: Core collection of general reference tools, standard works, and current materials that serves to introduce and define a subject and to support the needs of general library users.

Undergraduate: Academic resources to support instruction and basic research needs of the undergraduate curricula.

Graduate: Advanced level academic resources to support instruction, independent study, and extensive research needs of graduate students and faculty conducting scholarly research.

Selection Criteria
General collection decisions will be made based on the following criteria:

• support for the teaching and research mission of the University
• depth of coverage required for the discipline
• appropriate scholarly and intellectual level
• quality of scholarship
• authority and reputation of author, publisher, or vendor
• support of high impact practices
• cost
• strength of current holdings within subject area or related subject areas
• format availability and accessibility
• positive reviews from credible sources and selection aids
• lack of duplication, or demonstrated or anticipated demand by multiple users
• multidisciplinary nature
• documented demand (i.e.Interlibrary Loan/UBorrow requests)
• currency
• comparison to regional and consortial university library holdings relative to applicable resource sharing options

In addition to those stated above, the following criteria will also be considered in the selection and evaluation of electronic resources:

• cost (one-time, continual, maintenance)
• availability of consortium pricing and purchasing
• update frequency and archiving (and associated costs)
• uniqueness of content (little overlap with existing e-resources)
• amount of full-text content/coverage
• potential number of users or overall general usage
• multiple or unlimited user options (broad availability to primary patrons)
• usability of interface and technical functionality
• remote access capability
• compatibility with discovery platforms and link resolvers
• accessibility compliance
• Interlibrary Loan allowance
• vendor reliability and support
• licensing terms (must meet Library, University, and state legal requirements)

Additional criteria may apply for other formats and individual/specialized collections, as noted.

Selection Aids
The librarians rely upon several selection aids when reviewing material for acquisition. These include, but are not limited to:

• Bowker Book Analysis System
• reviews from library and other professional/specialized journals and publications (i.e. CHOICE)
• publisher catalogs and websites
• subject specific bibliographies, standard lists, and literature guides
• book award winners
• comparison of the Library’s holdings to peer institutions
• faculty requests and syllabi

Open Access Principles
UWF Libraries are committed to the principles of Open Access (OA). By making resources freely available on the public internet, Open Access publishing supports free exchange of information and ideas vital to scholarly discourse. UWF Libraries provide access to selected open access materials in our collections and support open access initiatives within publishing which benefit the greater scholarly community.

Primary responsibility for selection of open access materials rests with the subject liaison librarians, and UWF Faculty are encouraged to recommend any open access resources in their fields of expertise. Open Access materials may be reviewed for accessibility and ongoing appropriateness to ensure continued functionality, suitability, and continued relevance to the curriculum of the university. Materials may be considered for withdrawal if they have become obsolete, are no longer freely available, or no longer meet the selection criteria.

Formats/Types of Materials Collected
The UWF Libraries is committed to collecting and maintaining a hybrid collection of physical and electronic materials that supports the informational and research needs of both campus users and online learners. If costs permit, electronic format with multiple simultaneous access is preferred to reach more users. However, in certain fields of scholarship, the physical format, such as print books and DVDs, may represent the primary publications and/or the only viable option for acquisitions and user experience. Consequently, resources are collected in the most appropriate format for their discipline and intended use.

Physical and electronic formats include: monographs, serials, audio-visual materials, theses and dissertations, reference works, musical scores, archival materials, microforms, government documents, and cartographic materials. Duplication between physical and electronic formats should be avoided as much as possible. Audiobooks, commercial datasets, and other materials intended for one individual’s use are not actively collected.

Languages
English is the language of choice for materials acquired for the UWF collections with the following exceptions:

• works ordered in support of foreign language courses offered by the university
• works of particular relevance to the West Florida region
• works acquired to meet instructional needs of international students enrolled at UWF
• reference works such as foreign language dictionaries
• works recognized as being of particular significance to a discipline where the work is not available in English or when the original language is particularly preferred by scholars and researchers

Multiple Copies
In general, no more than two copies of an item will be purchased for a single library location. Library faculty, in consultation with the Collection Development Committee, may determine whether additional copies are necessary to meet short-term or long-term user needs.

Out-of-Print Materials
Primary collecting emphasis is placed on acquisition of in-print material. Normally, materials that are no longer in print are not purchased except for such specific purposes as to fill gaps in sets or serial holdings, complete the library’s holdings of works by significant authors, strengthen the collection in selected areas as part of collection analysis projects, replace titles that are missing or withdrawn, or for other justifiable reasons. Price consideration is an important factor. Expensive out-of-print materials of special significance to the collection may be purchased if funding can be allocated.

Gifts & Donations
Materials donated to the UWF Libraries are accepted in the name of the University of West Florida Foundation, Inc. They are reviewed for addition to the collections according to the UWF Libraries general selection criteria. The UWF Libraries reserve the right to accept or reject gifts, and the right to dispose of unwanted gift material. The library can accept textbooks; however, review copies of textbooks cannot be accepted and will not be added to the collection. Donated books not added to the collection may be included in the library’s book sale(s).

See the UWF Libraries Gifts & Donations policy for more information.

See Appendix III regarding gifts to the University Archives and West Florida History Center.

Library materials are divided into distinct collections to facilitate maintenance and provide efficient access for library users. Physical collections are housed in the Pace Library unless noted otherwise.

General Collection
Primary circulating collection of books/monographs across all subjects and disciplines. Monographs are acquired through firm orders and gifts with highest priority given to supporting the curriculum, but also current events and materials of broad/general interest as funding allows. Sets may be acquired in support of the curriculum and based on availability of funds.

Electronic Resources
The Libraries purchase material supporting academic programs in electronic format whenever practical and affordable. These include e-books, e-journals, e-newspapers, databases, and streaming media. Electronic books are available online through the library catalog, databases, and via e-readers, such as Kindles and iPads. Traditional selection criteria apply to electronic resources.

Media
The media collection primarily includes titles which support the university curriculum, such as educational and documentary films for various disciplines and influential movies/television series in film and cultural studies. As funds allow, popular titles are sometimes purchased for entertainment purposes. Audio-Visual materials include DVDs, CDs, and streaming media. Digital formats are preferable to analog, whenever possible. Considerations of suitability of format, quality of production, availability of equipment, and facilities assist in the selection. Visual resources are acquired through firm orders and gifts. Audio-books are not actively collected but added as gifts.

Course Reserves
The course reserves collection provides restricted ready access to materials which faculty have specifically assigned to students in their classes. This can include supplemental materials belonging to the professor or items from the library general collection in print, electronic, or streaming video format. The course reserve collection may include supplemental textbooks and materials, but does not include required textbook materials that exist in the textbook reserve collection.

Textbook Reserves
In an effort to aid in student retention and assist with textbook affordability, the library purchases all required physical textbooks for undergraduate classes each semester. E-books are purchased as they are available. Lab manuals, consumable workbooks, access codes, and rental-only textbooks are not purchased.

Permanent Reserves
The permanent reserve collection provides a secure location for materials which require special handling because of the multimedia nature or physical condition of the item. Items also include materials in high demand, such as citation style manuals and commercial test preparation guides.

Serials
The serials collection consists of journals, periodicals, newspapers, and monographic series in the main library as well as those in the Emerald Coast and Education Research Libraries and University Archives. Serials cover all disciplines offered in UWF academic programs and appear in all formats, including print, electronic, and microfilm. Electronic journals are given priority purchase.

The general selection criteria for UWF Libraries govern selection and continuation decisions related to serial subscriptions. Additional criteria which may be considered include: support for new programs, curriculum or status changes in existing programs, inclusion in indexing or abstracting sources available at UWF, support for instructional programs rather than a specialized research interest, repeated interlibrary loan or content not available or duplicated by other titles in any format, use of related serials in the same discipline as identified through use statistics, availability of full text, or SUS holdings.

Microform
Materials include serials, newspapers, and historical collections. Safety base, negative microfilm with silver halide emulsion is the preferred medium because of its better reproduction and preservation qualities.

Government Documents
The University of West Florida serves as a selective depository for both United States government publications and Florida state publications. The collection includes print and electronic resources and is designed to support the research needs of the university community and the general public. Weeding and deselection are subject to Federal Depository Library rules and standards and undertaken in coordination with the State Depository Library of Florida. The collection contains materials published by the U.S. government and the State of Florida. Additionally, local government publications of significant historic interest to Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, and the West Florida region are preserved in the University Archives.

Dissertations & Theses
The library will receive notification from the Graduate School Thesis & Dissertation Coordinator that the final electronic copies have been published in ProQuest. These will be automatically ingested into the Argo Scholar Commons and searchable via the libraries' online catalog. Print theses and dissertations from other universities are acquired very selectively with emphasis given to titles related to the West Florida region. The Argo Scholar Commons also hosts selected collections of undergraduate work, such as the Kugelman Honor theses.

Reference
General and subject-specific non-circulating reference materials of all types and formats are selected in accordance with the criteria established for the selection of library materials.

University Archives and West Florida History Center
The University Archives and West Florida History Center preserves the history of the West Florida region by collecting, cataloging, and preserving research materials about the region, its people, and development from earliest settlement to the present. Geographically this encompasses the land areas of the Spanish and British Colonies of West Florida, and since 1821, the ten counties of the Florida Panhandle. In addition, the University Archives collects and preserves the history of the University of West Florida including student life, campus events, faculty contributions, buildings, and other special collections.

To support its collections, research materials include, but are not limited to, books, newspapers, manuscripts, archives, personal papers, pamphlets, brochures, regional and pre-1950 maps, photographs, audio and video recordings, digital and analog media, databases, electronic records, artifacts, and other materials. The rare books collection includes autographed and inscribed materials, incunabula, miniature books, fragile materials, and other genre where preservation and care are tantamount. A major component of rare books consists of publications about West Florida and by West Florida authors.

See Appendix III for complete Archives policy.

Education Research Library
The Education Research Library provides information resources in all formats to meet the curriculum-based needs of the students, faculty, and staff of the School of Education.

See Appendix II for complete ERL policy.

Emerald Coast Library
The Emerald Coast Library provides information resources in all formats to meet the curriculum-based needs of the students, faculty, and staff enrolled at or assigned to the University of West Florida/Northwest Florida State College (UWF/NWFSC) joint-use branch campus and UWF Emerald Coast satellite locations, including Eglin Air Force Base and the Research and Engineering Education Facility (REEF). The ECL is designed to assure ready access to those materials regularly required by EC-based students, recognizing that in-depth collection support is available through the parent campuses. Primary emphasis is placed on purchasing materials to support programs leading to degrees that may be completed on the EC campus and satellite locations. Secondary emphasis is placed on supporting those courses offered regularly on the EC campus.

The Emerald Coast Librarian has primary responsibility for coordinating collection development. Each parent campus is responsible for providing a materials budget to purchase those resources needed for the courses/programs being taught by its institution. Faculty teaching at Emerald Coast locations are responsible for making recommendations for materials to be purchased for the EC library in support of those courses and programs.

New Books
The collection includes print monograph acquisitions published within the last two to three years.

Juvenile
The library selectively acquires print materials for children and young adults that support the instructional needs of undergraduate and graduate students, especially those in teacher education programs. Special emphasis is placed on acquiring subject-specific literature, outstanding examples of each genre and subject area, and notable award winners and honorable mention titles of the Caldecott, Newbery, and Coretta Scott King awards. Juvenile collections are located at the Education Research and Emerald Coast Libraries..

Popular Reading
Recreational reading needs are served by a small Leisure Reading collection made up of leased materials and gift books. Popular fiction for recreational reading is generally not purchased for the general collection, except for winners of prestigious awards (National Book Award, Pulitzer Prize, etc.) and popular fiction that overlaps with literary study. Titles may also be requested through the Libraries’ Kindle program. Titles are loaded onto library Kindles (not personal/individual devices) and are available for check-out at all libraries.

Faculty Publications
The library attempts to acquire at least two print copies (one for the general collection, one for University Archives) of all scholarly or pertinent monographic publications of UWF departments, current faculty, staff, students, and organizations, or individuals affiliated with the University. If an e-book copy is acquired, then only one physical copy is acquired for University Archives. Publication of former faculty, staff, alumni, or other UWF-affiliated individuals may also be acquired.

Zines
Zines are purchased through zine distribution centers and individuals, as well as acquired through donations. Priority for selection is given to zines that support the curriculum and include authors from populations and communities frequently underrepresented in academic collections. Selected local and campus zines are sometimes added to this circulating collection; however, the collection is access-driven rather than preservation-focused and should not act as a substitute for the archive of local materials in the West Florida History Center.

Maritime
This discrete collection of print monographs consists of two sub-collections – the Judy L. Wood collection and the Joe L. Simmons collection. The collection includes over 1340 items and consists primarily of maritime history and maritime archaeology materials. In addition, the Roger C. Smith collection of maritime materials is housed in the UWF Archives and West Florida History Center.

Law
Our print legal collection contains federal and state materials that directly support our legal studies curriculum. Most volumes are also available through our electronic legal resources.

Musical Scores
Musical scores are acquired selectively as needed in support of the curriculum and upon specific request of an instructor. Scores are shelved separately from the general collection.

Digital Music Collection
The donations of compact discs and LPs from the Chester Davis Music Collection (CDMC), WUWF radio station, and UWF music department are cataloged and held in non-circulating storage. When possible, these items are digitized for streaming and made available via the online catalog for UWF students and faculty only. Scores and books from these collections are cataloged and added to the general collection. These are finite collections and will not grow beyond the current donated items.

Theater
A small, browse-able collection of plays and monologues are selected to aid discovery for students specializing in acting. Most plays and other theater materials may be found in the general collection.

Institutional Repository
The UWF Libraries hosts the Argo Scholar Commons, an institutional repository providing a permanent open-access, digital showcase of research, scholarship, and creativity from the UWF community. The Argo Scholar Commons captures, houses, and disseminates the creative and scholarly output of faculty, students, and staff of the University of West Florida community.

See our IR guide for more information.

Challenged Materials
The UWF Libraries offers a forum for information and ideas. We offer free and equal access to those ideas and resist censorship in all its forms. As an academic library committed to the principles of intellectual freedom as articulated in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and its documents on Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries, decisions about what remains in the collection are to be made by library faculty in a way that is consistent with these principles.

ALA defines a challenge to literature as “an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.” Resources in the UWF Libraries may be challenged by UWF students, faculty, and staff, and those persons who are residents of the state of Florida. A challenge to a resource in the UWF Libraries must be based on the failure of that resource to fall within the Libraries’ selection and collection development policies, including the commitment to intellectual freedom. When challenging an item, the patron may request the library take one of two actions: (1) removal of an item because it is inappropriate, or (2) the addition of a source to balance the collection by providing alternative views. The Libraries may agree to take either action or no action at all. Challenged items will remain on the shelf and available to library users during the duration of the challenge.

See Appendix V for the complete Materials Reconsideration Policy.

Deselection
Deselection is undertaken on a systematic basis. Deselection constitutes the removal of outdated, out of scope, superseded, damaged, or duplicated materials from the collection, as warranted under the pertinent established collecting level and library selection criteria. University and library faculty involvement in this process is actively sought to ensure that publications of historical or research significance are not discarded. Weeded materials may be withdrawn from the collection or may be replaced or transferred to a new location.

Physical items may be weeded and withdrawn according to the following general criteria:

• materials are available in a “good enough” electronic format for which we have purchased perpetual access and have secured the means of providing that access to our students and faculty
• materials for which a programmatic commitment is not present (i.e. no degree or certificate granted, no focus enumerated) and for which we have secured online access to relevant content, whether recurring or perpetual
• materials that are clearly superseded, obsolete, or otherwise represent a disservice to our students or faculty, e.g. medical and legal resources
• materials that no longer serve the function for which they were originally acquired
• materials where the condition is below minimal standards
• materials in fields where programs have been discontinued and the field is no longer represented in the curriculum
• items that have multiple copies

Preservation and Conservation
Materials to be repaired, rebound, replaced, transferred, preserved, or withdrawn are reviewed by the appropriate librarian and Technical Services staff.

Preservation is the activity to prevent, eliminate, or halt deterioration of library materials, as well as to improve their condition or to update their format as necessary in order to preserve the intellectual content. The Libraries endeavor to protect the physical integrity of materials in the collection through conservation measures, such as temperature, humidity, and dust control. Where preservation of content is more important than the retention of the physical format, items are preserved by binding, the acquisition of electronic versions or microforms, or the creation of digital surrogates.

Replacements
Materials in various formats that are missing, lost, or withdrawn are not automatically replaced. Potential replacements are evaluated using the same criteria for selection as regularly purchased items. Lost books that have been paid for may be replaced using an alternate funding source.

Resource Sharing
The Libraries actively engage in the development and purchase of collaborative collections due to the tremendous cost savings they provide. The Libraries cooperate in the purchase or subscription to library materials with State University Libraries and other library cooperative arrangements and share in the development of digital library cooperative programs. Additionally, the Libraries partner in shared print initiatives and retainment agreements that guide deselection decisions.

The Libraries participate in national, regional, and statewide resource sharing programs that allow libraries to share their resources free of charge with other member libraries through interlibrary loan and reciprocal borrowing agreements. Advancements in interlibrary loan are continually reviewed to ensure broad, quick access to materials that UWF Libraries does not own. As a member of College & Research Libraries, faculty members may request purchase of archival materials via the Demand Purchase Program by contacting the Interlibrary Loan Unit.

ALA, ARL, & ACRL Documents

• Library Bill of Rights
• Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights
• The Freedom to Read Statement
• Diverse Collections: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
• Evaluating Library Collections: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
• ALA/ARL Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework
• Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights
• First Amendment and Censorship
• ACRL Statement on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and the Print Collecting Imperative

UWF Documents

• UWF Libraries Statement on Cataloging

 

Collection Development Policy

I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Education Research Library (ERL) is to support the professional growth of students in the School of Education, and to provide a wide variety of quality instructional materials for inspection, evaluation, and use in the pre-K through grade twelve classroom.

II. SCOPE
The ERL currently houses collections for Education, Curriculum Materials, Juvenile, and Textbooks/Course Reserves. The Education Collection includes scholarly monographs and journals related to the field of education. The Curriculum Materials collection contains teaching materials for PreK-12th grade, including curriculum guides developed by the State of Florida, textbooks adopted by Escambia County Public Schools, activity guides, lesson plans, workbooks, and other instructional materials. The Juvenile collection includes fiction and non-fiction materials for PreK-12th grade. The Textbooks/Course Reserves collection provides access to required undergraduate textbooks for current Education, Criminal Justice, and Social Work courses.

III. SELECTION
A. Responsibility
Selection of curriculum materials is the primary responsibility of the Education Librarian.  Recommendations for purchase of resources are also solicited from the faculty of the School of Education.

B. Criteria
In addition to the general selection criteria for the UWF Libraries, additional selection criteria for the ERL include:

• suitability of content to audience
• scope
• technical quality of the material under consideration

For the Juvenile and Curriculum Materials Collections:

Grade level - appropriateness for use in K-12 settings
Educational soundness and recency: selections should be timely and relate to current trends in education
Learning/teaching styles: materials should represent a variety of learning and teaching styles
Multi-cultural/diversity: the collection should reflect society in terms of multi-ethnic, racial, religious, social, and sexual characteristics

C. Tools
The Education Librarian examines items first hand when possible. Evaluative bibliographies are also consulted. In addition to using review sources and basic selection tools, School Library Journal, Booklist, Horn Book, and Best Books for Children are used.

IV. COLLECTION AREAS/FORMATS

A. Textbooks
Textbooks in all disciplines, specifically those appropriate to pre-K through grade twelve, are collected. Textbooks approved for use by public schools in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are primary candidates for purchase. Alternate texts may also be considered for purchase, as may other textbooks authorized by the State of Florida. The library will maintain copies of textbooks from at least two adoption cycles prior to the textbooks currently in use. Some older texts may be kept for their research value. The Education Librarian will make every effort to acquire both teacher and student editions of textbooks. If budgetary considerations force a choice between the two editions of a textbook, the library will prioritize acquiring the teacher’s edition.

B. Curriculum Guides
The current curriculum guidelines authorized by the State of Florida are collected. These include The Florida Curriculum Framework: Sunshine State Standards and Instruction Practices for each discipline area. Since additional curriculum guides are widely available through online sources, they are not collected in print.

C. Juvenile Literature

• The Juvenile collection consists of print materials for children and young adults and serves primarily to meet the instructional needs of undergraduate and graduate students in teacher education programs.
• Included in the collection are fiction and non-fiction titles for K-12. Special emphasis is placed on acquiring subject-specific materials related to the K-12 curriculum as defined by the State of Florida and outstanding examples of each genre and subject area.
• Selected examples of fiction and literature are collected to support the integrated curriculum (e.g., folk literature, historical fiction, mythology, children’s classics, beginning-to-read books, picture books, wordless picture books, modern fantasy, and poetry). Notable award books are purchased each year. Winners of the Randolph Caldecott, John Newberry, and Coretta Scott King awards will receive priority consideration. To ensure that books representing all aspects of youth literature are part of the collection, budget permitting, the Education Research Library will also collect winners of the following awards: Michael L. Printz Award, American Indian Youth Literature Award, Asian/Pacific American Literature Award, Mildred L. Batchelder Award, Odyssey Award, Pura Belpré Award, Schneider Family Book Award, Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, Stonewall Book Award, Sydney Taylor Book Award, YALSA’s Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award, Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
• Selection aids used include School Library Journal, Hornbook, Booklist, and Gillespie’s Best Books titles for elementary, junior high, and senior high readers.

D. Scholarly and Professional Literature
The Education Research Library will maintain a limited collection of resources related to the discipline and subdisciplines of education.  Additional materials on these subjects are located in the John C. Pace and Emerald Coast Libraries.

E. Reference Collection
The ERL maintains a basic ready-reference collection that includes manuals of style, dictionaries, thesauri, atlases, and references applicable to the disciplines the ERL supports, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

F. Non-book materials
Audiovisual, multimedia, manipulative materials, and realia are acquired for demonstration purposes and to provide resources that students use in lesson preparation.

G. Tests and Test Preparation Materials
A very selective sampling of standardized tests used in public schools, including some used for special education, is housed in the ERL. The Education Librarian selects study guides for the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations and Florida Educational Leadership Examination, with priority given to new editions of the General Knowledge Examination and Professional Education Examination. The library will also maintain a collection of preparation materials for individual subject tests as budget permits. The Education Librarian will assess the currency of the study guides annually.

H. Gifts
The ERL accepts gifts in accordance with the UWF Libraries’ gift policies and procedures. Items that meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials, enhance the quality and usefulness of the collection, are of current value, and are complete and in good physical condition are welcomed.

V. COLLECTION MANAGEMENT

A. Annual Inventory
A Biennial inventory is conducted to determine the availability and condition of materials, as well as the accuracy of accession information.

B. Deselection
Removal of obsolete materials, replacement or discarding of items in poor condition, and removal of resources which no longer meet the needs of the students and faculty are all part of the deselection process. As needed, expert assistance from faculty is requested. As discipline specific materials are reviewed, knowledgeable faculty are invited to aid in the decision to discard or retain.

C. Evaluation
To assure the collection’s usefulness and currency, it is continually evaluated with regard to curriculum and educational trends. This evaluation is conducted by comparing annual circulation and holdings statistics. Standard lists, catalogs, and bibliographies are consulted and, when holdings gaps are noted, action is taken to remedy the oversights.

Collection Development Policy

I. PURPOSE
The University Archives and West Florida History Center is a regional research collection concerning the West Florida area designed to support the research needs of the University community as well as other interested researchers, scholars, and users. The collections incorporate materials regardless of format which document the history and development of all areas of the West Florida region. Chronologically and historically, West Florida is defined in two ways. Prior to 1821, West Florida encompassed the region between the Mississippi River to the west and the Apalachicola River to the east, bordered by the Gulf of Mexico to the south and the treaty-defined border with the United States to the north. This area included parts of present-day Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. With the creation of the Florida Territory in 1821, West Florida is defined as the area between the Perdido River on the west and the Apalachicola River to the east, covering the present-day 10-county area of the Florida panhandle.

II. SELECTION CRITERIA

a) Materials which support the purpose of University Archives and West Florida History Center and which document any aspect of history, geography, environment, government, culture, development, or people of the West Florida region.

b) Currency of materials as well as historically important materials retrospectively documenting a past aspect of West Florida history.

c) Quality of materials

d) Emphasis on primary resources, balanced by fiscal resources and preservation policies.

The University Librarian/University Archivist is responsible for collection development based on research needs as articulated by users, recommendations of scholars, and development of existing collections.

Donations are received on behalf of the University of West Florida Foundation and accompanied by a signed deed of gift or loan form which may specify transfer of copyright, title, restrictions on the collection, or other stipulations as approved by the University Archivist/University Librarian. As necessary, the Dean of Libraries as well as other University administrators may be consulted in special circumstances. Donations of monies to the Department shall be placed in the Arvie Malone Penton Fund in the University Foundation which is used to support the University Archives and West Florida History Center, formerly named the Special Collections Department.

III. COLLECTION AREAS

(a) Manuscripts including records, papers, correspondence, publications, bulletins, and similar papers.

(b) Maps, with emphasis on southeast United States and Florida and all aspects of West Florida, including gazetteers, atlases, blueprints, topographical, and quadrangle maps.

(c) Photographs, including originals, negatives, slides, motion picture films, as well as audio and video materials including all forms of digital media and objects within any collecting area.

(d) Bibliography of West Florida materials
(d.1) Comprehensive collection of all published materials about West Florida, including journal articles, government documents, monographs, and similar publications. These materials may be located in other library collections with either duplicates or photocopies obtained for Special Collections at the Librarian's discretion.

(e) Telephone Directories and City Directories for towns and areas in West Florida region.

(f) Faculty publications
(f.1) Published monographs written by University of West Florida faculty members.

(g) Newspapers published in the West Florida region.

(h) Periodicals, magazines, and newsletters, published in the West Florida region and about the West Florida region.
(h.1) These may include items printed in West Florida that are not about West Florida as well as items about West Florida that are not printed in the region.

(i) Panton, Leslie & Company Papers
(i.1) Any published or unpublished materials concerning this West Florida company.

(j) Children's Books
(j.1) Historically or visually interesting and representative children's books

(k) Association books; books autographed, owned, or associated with key West Florida individuals, organizations or families.

(l) Rare Books and monographs
(l.1) Eudora Welty collection
(l.2) Langston Hughes collection
(l.3) H.L. Mencken collection
(l.4) West Florida cookbooks
(l.5) Published books about West Florida or by West Florida authors.
(l.6) Books meeting the criteria for Rare Books such as limited editions, fine bindings, autographed by authors or illustrators, age or need for preservation or fragile handling, or other criteria as determined by the University Archivist.

(m) University of West Florida
(m.1) Materials regardless of format which document the history, development, and people of the University of West Florida.

(n) Other collection areas that may be developed through subsequent donations or collection changes after implementation of this policy, within the library, or by actions of other university agencies.

Appendix IV - Institutional Repository

Materials Reconsideration Policy

The University of West Florida (UWF) Libraries adhere to the American Library Association’s (ALA) Library Bill of Rights, endorse ALA’s Freedom to Read statement, and believe in the principles of Intellectual Freedom and Diverse Collections. 

• Article 1 of the Library Bill of Rights asserts: "Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation."
• Article 2 of the Library Bill of Rights asserts: "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval."

Resources acquired for the UWF Libraries are selected in accordance with our Collection Development & Management policy, which is designed to meet the university’s teaching, research, and service missions. It is the responsibility of the Libraries to ensure that different points of view are represented in the collection and we resist censorship in all its forms. The appearance of any resource does not mean the Libraries advocate or endorse the ideas found in that resource.

Resources in the UWF Libraries may be challenged by current UWF students, faculty, and staff. A challenge to a resource must be based on the failure of that resource to fall within the Libraries' Collection Development & Management Policy, including the commitment to intellectual freedom. Challenged items will remain accessible to library users for the duration of the challenge.

Any current UWF student, faculty, or staff member wishing to challenge a resource in the UWF Libraries will be asked to complete a Materials Reconsideration Request form. Contact the Library Administration Office (850-474-2492) to request a form. The completed form will be submitted to the Dean of Libraries, who will acknowledge receipt of the form to the challenger. In consultation with the Collection Development Coordinator, the relevant subject specialist librarian(s), and the University Library Committee, the Dean will consider the request and make a disposition decision. The person making the challenge will be notified in writing by the Dean of Libraries within three months of that decision and any action to be taken. The Dean reserves the right to extend the time period for decisions as necessary, and the complainant will be notified accordingly. All decisions are final. Once validated by the process, materials shall not be eligible for further reevaluation as each challenged item has been through a rigorous review.

Adopted: July 2023

Appendix VI - Gifts & Donations