Collection+Development



** Collection Development Our Lady of Mercy College Library **


 * Purpose and Context **

The library at Our Lady of Mercy College serves the college population of 1100 students and 100 staff. The library is housed on the lower floor of a building which is easily accessible to the community.

A policy for the development of the library collection is essential to ensure that the collections reflect the needs and interests of staff and students and remain relevant in the educational setting. The collection is primarily built to support the teaching and learning needs of the College, however the recreational and wider reading interests of students and staff are also catered for.

A dynamic and evolving collection is one that is well-used and responsive to changes in curriculum requirements. The collection does not aim to be comprehensive and will largely reflect the curriculum content of the College. To this end, regular weeding of the collection is undertaken to maintain relevance and currency.

This policy provides guidelines for the selection of resources, where the responsibilities for development of the collection lie, coverage of the collection, procedures for dealing with challenged materials, bequests and donations, decision making about stocktaking and weeding of the collection and how and where the collections should be stored. Guidelines for sensitive materials and challenged materials are also included.


 * OLMC Library Collection **

The collection comprises:
 * Print resources ** – books (reference, non fiction and fiction), periodicals and daily newspapers
 * Non print resources ** – posters, kits, some realia, slides and maps
 * Electronic resources ** – online databases and indexes, DVD, Clickview recordings, CD Rom and CD resources, www based resources

The responsibility for coordinating and purchasing materials rests with the Head of Library. Members of the College community will contribute to the selection process. Domain leaders will recommend the purchase of items in their subject areas, particularly text books and teacher reference materials. Staff and students are encouraged to make suggestions for recommendations for fiction and non fiction titles. A book is kept at the circulation desk to record these recommendations.

All requests for resources must be made through the library and on the official College order form. Books requested by staff or students will be issued to them once processed. A form for ordering resources can also be found on the Portal. Resources for purchase are considered on the following basis:
 * Selection of Resources **

Selection aids include:
 * Authority
 * Physical format and quality
 * Arrangement of material – accessibility, index etc.
 * Appropriateness to the student/staff interest and understanding
 * Cost
 * Relevance to the curriculum
 * Currency
 * Content
 * Context of the collection – what else is available in the collection already
 * Professional journals such as Scan, Viewpoints, Magpies, Synergy, FYI and reviews in newspapers such as The Age and The Australian.
 * Staff and student recommendations
 * Publisher and bookseller catalogues and websites
 * Educational journals

The collection predominantly contains current material and is being weeded to ensure this currency. Materials older than ten years and that have not been loaned in five years are generally discarded. The exception would be in areas of the collection where older and out of print titles, such as in the art and history collections, are retained because similar, newer resources are not available. VHS holdings are being discarded and where possible downloaded to the Clickview database. DVD is the only video format now being purchased.
 * Coverage of the Collection **

The holding of class sets is being discouraged. This is an expensive way to buy resources. It is preferable to have a variety of resources so that students can use a selection of resources in their research work. Class sets of English novels are maintained, however, discussion about the need to retain these should be had at a department level. It may be preferable to maintain smaller sets for Literature circles and place set texts on the book list for students to purchase.

Books in the fiction collection tend to be paperback. These are preferred by students, are cheaper to purchase and generally have a lifespan of five-six years. Multiple copies of some popular titles are kept, generally no more than three copies of each fiction title would be purchased, unless for literature circles or class sets. It would seem that the same policy would apply to the purchase of non fiction titles.

The library collection should meet the curriculum needs of all the College community and the recreational reading interests of students and staff.
 * Subjects Collected **


 * Computing and Information Technology ** – a small collection. Computer manuals and master copies of sotware are housed in the Computer Manager’s office. Some computing journals are kept and circulated to the computing staff


 * Religion ** – broad collection, some old resources. Good coverage of comparative religion and ethics. Bible studies concentrate on the New Testament Gospel of Luke. Some teacher reference material and class sets of texts. A range of CD recordings suitable for liturgy and meditation are available for loan. There is a strong collection of periodicals and journals in the area of the teaching of religious education. Some of collection, notably prayer books, is housed in staff offices.


 * Social sciences ** – this section of the collection is being updated. More resources are needed in the area of Aborigines as these are used in a variety of areas of the curriculum including Year 9 History, Year 7 English and Year 11 Religion. Good coverage of video recordings, both commercial and off air recordings. Some old class sets for geography, civics and commerce. These are being weeded as they are no longer used or are being stored in subject areas. Some educational resources on teaching, classroom management, bullying etc. are kept.


 * Language ** – includes some English text books, teacher reference and LOTE materials in Italian, French and Japanese. Italian and French holdings are quite large and need some attention. Materials on the cultures of these countries are also held in the collection. Class set materials include novels for Years 7-10, dictionaries. There are some fiction and picture book titles in French, Italian and Japanese and a small collection of periodicals in languages other than English.


 * Mathematics ** – predominantly text books such as alternative texts and some teacher reference material.


 * Science ** – a small collection of reference materials in astronomy, physics and chemistry. There are larger holdings in biology, including animals, human biology, evolution and genetics. Some re-cataloguing of the biology section is needed. A fair collection of psychology texts and references, though this is in need of updating. AV resources in the sciences are generally good, with VHS material gradually moving to Clickview. A range of general science textbooks for Years 7-10 and a smaller collection of senior science texts is available.


 * Technology ** – not a large collection is held. Some cooking books, though most are kept in the Food Technology area and the general holdings need updating. Textiles, crafts need updating and refining.


 * Physical education ** – resources on human body, nutrition, sports injuries, issues to do with sport, individual sports and some biographies.


 * Art ** – a large collection covering general art, painting, drawing, different art periods and individual artists. This collection is not well used by students or staff. It includes some photography resources, graphics and design, including recent purchases. Resources that were previously stored in the Art Department have been relocated to the library.


 * Literature ** – small collection of Australian literature, some criticism and copies of text books. More resources are needed in this area, particularly poetry and criticism of texts being studied in VCE classes.


 * Geography ** – good coverage of countries, especially those represented in the LOTE department. A range of teaching resources and AV resources are held including Clickview holdings. Geography is only studied at junior level, however some of the topics covered by texts will have relevance for junior science classes as well.


 * History ** – coverage of broad historical periods from ancient times to twenty-first century. Some weeding needed. There is a good range of material for Australian history. More resources are needed in modern 20th century, particularly Korean War and Cold War, which has been addressed in 2009. Variety of class sets in Ancient, Asian, Australian and American history.

Regular weeding and stocktaking of the collection are conducted each semester to maintain the integrity of the collection. Future building in this collection includes the need for more biographies and memoirs and true to life fiction.
 * Fiction collection ** – The importance of a good, interesting and current fiction collection cannot be underestimated. There is a good range of material for Years 7 – 9, with Australian bias. This supports the English program in wide reading and the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge. Some picture books and graphic novels. The graphic novels and amine section is very popular and will need to grow to support this area of student interest. Building the range of titles for senior readers, including cross over novels, has been a priority in 2009.


 * Related Procedures/Protocols **

While all care will be taken in the selection of resources, it is recognised that material may on occasion be viewed by a member of the College community as controversial or undesirable. In the case of challenged material, the complainant will be required to complete a form outlining the nature of the objection. This information will be reviewed by the Principal, Head of the Library and others to determine the fate of the resource based on the educational merits or otherwise of the material. Reference will be made to the selection criteria aforementioned as well as the School Library Bill of Rights and the Statement on free access to information. Cooperation will be given to the complainant regarding his/her own child/ren and desired borrowing restrictions at this time, and if the resource is to be retained. If the material is retained, after this evaluation, free access will remain for other students. If information is not available from the Library collection endeavours will be made to procure it from other sources. Users are encouraged to make use of the local public library and to become members of the State Library of Victoria so that access is available to the resources of that library.
 * Challenged Materials **
 * Form for Challenged Materials see Appendix 1 **
 * Access to other Information Resources **

Donations will be accepted on the condition that they are to be subject to the same selection criteria as new resources, and judged by the teacher librarian according to these. Items of archival value will be duly noted with their source of origin. Donated items will be acknowledged by a label placed inside the front cover. In order to maintain a viable and complete library collection lost items require replacement. To recoup losses, any student who loses an item will be expected to pay the following charges The replacement cost (book cost + processing cost) for an item less than 2 years old. The book cost + 1/3 + processing if the item is more than 2 and less than 5 years old. A negotiable cost if the item is more than 5 years old, dependent on its value to the collection. Student accounts will be charged with the cost of the lost item/s.
 * Donations **
 * Lost items **


 * Appendix 1 **


 * Appendix 2 **

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. I. 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. II. 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. III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfilment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment. IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. // Adopted June 18, 1948, by the ALA Council; amended February 2, 1961; amended June 28, 1967; amended January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 24, 1996. //
 * ALA **** Library Bill of Rights **


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