About the Library: Collection Policy

Guidelines:

The Library serves a diverse range of instructional programs and a community of life-long learners with a broad range of interests and prior educational experiences. Therefore, Library resources include a variety of general information resources in subject areas not covered by classroom instruction, but generally supportive of a learning environment. Interlibrary Loan is available for scholarly or research needs beyond the scope of BMCC Library collections.

Within the constraints of available funds, facilities, and staffing, the Library will acquire and make available materials in various formats, evaluate existing collections, and develop procedures to maintain the quality of collections and information resources. The Library is involved in a variety of resource-sharing agreements that expand the range of materials available to the college community.

Selection of materials by the Library does not imply endorsement of the contents or the views expressed in those materials. No material will be excluded from the collection because of the race, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political or social viewpoint, or controversial nature of either the author or of the material.

Library staff use the following guidelines when selecting quality materials for inclusion in the Library collections. General factors considered for all formats:

• Priority to resources which directly support subject areas and vocational emphases currently represented by credit courses offered at Blue Mountain Community College.
• Treatment and presentation of subject content on an appropriate academic level.
• Intellectual content and scholarly worth will be given priority consideration. The prestige of the publisher or sponsoring organization is another important consideration.
• In most subject areas, collection development activities will be directed toward an “initial study level” of collection intensity.
• Current publications will generally be given priority over out-of-print publications.
• Captioned or visually described resources are preferred over non-accessible choices.
• Textbooks adopted for class use will not normally be purchased for the collection. Instructors wishing to place textbooks on reserve for their students to access are responsible for obtaining them.
• The Library will not purchase consumable materials such as workbooks or tests.
• When frequently challenged items are purchased or removed, the Library will notify the Office of Instruction.