The SJSU Library Policy is meant to provide guidance on procedures for safeguarding the collections.
SJSU Library accepts donations at the discretion of the subject librarians and the Dean. Donations will be subject to the same criteria used for new purchases and should be within the scope of current teaching and research at SJSU or have long-term cultural value.
Collections of substantial size may require accompanying funds allocated for processing, maintenance, and preservation. An acknowledgement letter will be provided to the donor upon request. The Library will not provide or arrange for appraisals of the donated items for income tax purposes.
Donations become the property of the Library without stipulations.
Monetary donations to the Library are always welcome and there are several ways to give.
SJSU Library does not generally purchase textbooks as standard academic policy and practice. Faculty may choose to place on reserve a personal copy or donate a textbook for students’ use.
In accordance with CSU’s Affordable Learning Solutions (AL$) initiative, AL$ coordinators may work with faculty and their assigned library liaisons to identify library materials that may be used in their courses. For more information on AL$, please visit our webpage: library.sjsu.edu/als.
The collection levels below have been adopted from Library of Congress Collecting Levels and defined for SJSU Library purposes as follows:
A. Comprehensive Level. The only items collected at this level are (1) publications about SJSU and (2) publications by SJSU organizations. Collections in a specifically defined field of knowledge that strive to be exhaustive as far as is reasonably possible (i.e., “special collections”), in all applicable languages include:
● Exhaustive collections of published materials
● Very extensive manuscript collections
● Very extensive collections in all other pertinent formats
Older material is retained and systematically preserved to serve the needs of historical research. A comprehensive-level collection may serve as a national or international resource.
B. Research Level. This is basically designed to support doctoral level programs and not appropriate for the SJSU Library, with the exception of joint doctoral programs. Collections that contain the major published source materials required for doctoral study and independent research include:
● A very extensive collection of general and specialized monographs and reference works
● A very extensive collection of general and specialized periodicals
● Extensive collections of appropriate materials in languages other than the primary language of the country and collection
● Extensive collections of the works of both well-known and lesser-known authors
● Defined access to a very extensive collection of owned or remotely accessed electronic resources, including bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
Older materials is retained and systematically preserved to serve the needs of historical research.
C. Study or Instructional Support Level. Collections that provide information about a subject in a systematic way, but at a level of less than research intensity and support the needs of general library users through college and beginning graduate instruction include:
● An extensive collection of general monographs and reference works and selective specialized monographs and reference works
● An extensive collection of general periodicals and representative collection of specialized periodicals
● Limited collections of appropriate materials in languages other than the primary language of the collection and the country, for example, materials to aid in learning a language for non-native speakers or literature in the original language, such as German poetry in German or Spanish history in Spanish
● Extensive collections of the works of well-known authors and selections from the works of lesser-known authors
● Defined access to a broad collection of owned or remotely-accessed electronic resources, including bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
The collection should be systematically reviewed for currency of information and for assurance that essential and important information is retained, including significant numbers of retrospective materials.
1. Advanced Study Level. Resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about all aspects of the topic which are more extensive than the initial study level but less than those needed for doctoral and independent research that include:
● An almost complete collection of core works including significant numbers of retrospective materials and resources
● A broader collection of the specialized works by lesser-known, as well as well-known authors
● An extensive collection of general and specialized periodicals and indexes/abstracts
● A selection of resources in other languages, including well-known authors in the original language and a selection of subject-specific materials in appropriate languages
● Defined access to a broad range of specialized electronic resources
This collection supports master’s degree level programs as well as other specialized inquiries.
2. Initial Study Level. Resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about the primary topics of a subject area that include:
● A high percentage of the most important literature or core works in the field
● An extensive collection of general monographs and reference works
● An extensive collection of general periodicals and a representative collection of specialized periodicals and indexes/abstracts
● Other than those in the primary collection language, materials are limited to learning materials for non-native speakers and representative well-known authors in the original language, primarily for language education
● Defined access to appropriate electronic resources
This collection supports undergraduate courses, as well as the independent study needs of the lifelong learner.
D. Basic Level. A collection that includes a representative survey of materials for subjects in which the University offers no academic program. Collections that introduce and define a subject, indicate the varieties of information available elsewhere, and support the needs of general library users through the first two years of college instruction include:
● A limited collection of general monographs and reference tools
● A limited collection of representative general periodicals
● Defined access to a limited collection of owned or remotely-accessed electronic bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
E. Minimal Level. A collection for a subject in which the University offers no instruction. Collections that support minimal inquiries about this subject and include a very limited collection of general resources, including monographs and reference works. Periodicals directly dealing with this topic and in-depth electronic information resources are not collected.
The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has adopted Guidelines for University Library Services to Undergraduate Students. In the section "Services" are statements of standards for collections.
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions created the Conspectus model (in 2001) for developing collection Development Policies.
The Conspectus Guidelines are meant to assist in developing collections that meet the needs of the community.
The American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) has developed the Guidelines for Liaison Work in Managing Collections and Services.