Kent Library Policies and Forms

I. General Policy Statement

Mission:  Southeast Missouri State University is a four-year public, regional, Carnegie Larger Programs Master’s College and University. Kent Library serves the students, faculty, staff, and community guests as a dynamic, teaching library focused on undergraduate and graduate education. The collection development and management process supports the university and community through the selection, acquisition, replacement, and deselection of materials through purchase or gift.

Goal:  Library resources serve the learning, teaching, research, and informational needs of students, faculty, staff, and community guests.

Responsibility:  Authority for materials selection and budget allocation rests ultimately with the dean of Kent Library. The acquisitions manager administers and coordinates collection development and management activities.

Budget:  Kent Library receives an annual materials budget from the University and donor established endowments. The University funded budget is divided into three separate indexes: monographs, periodicals/databases, and contracts. The monograph index is typically allocated to University academic departments and select library units.

Selection:  Library materials are selected by academic department faculty and librarians. To maintain focus as a teaching university, materials are selected based on currency and relevancy to the university curriculum and areas of study. In addition, materials are selected based on accreditation criteria, selection criteria set by discipline standards, and needs of the university community. The Library does not purchase duplicate copies of any given work. Formats are determined by the academic department faculty and acquisitions manager.

Access:  Electronic materials are made available to authenticated users through the Library’s online catalog and webpages. Electronic formats are prioritized when possible. Tangible materials are housed in the Library. Use of open access and open educational resources is encouraged and supported by the Library. Materials that require the use of playback equipment the Library does not own are not purchased. Librarians and library staff facilitate access to resources.

Deselection:  Periodic evaluation of the items housed in Kent Library is necessary to ensure that the collection meets the needs of the university community.

Missing and Lost Items: Missing items are identified monthly for three months before being labeled lost. At the beginning of each month, a list of missing items is sent to librarians for review and identification of immediate replacements. Other items designated lost are reviewed for currency and usage by the acquisitions manager.

Revised 5/29/2020

II. Main Monograph Policy Statement

Mission: The Main Collection consists of the physical and electronic monograph collections that are not included in a special collection of Kent Library. This collection supports the learning, teaching, and research needs of the University community as well as provides overall enrichment.

Goals: The Main Collection is developed to reflect the educational, instructional, and research interests of the University by academic faculty and librarians.

Responsibilities: Academic faculty request titles in their discipline. Librarians request titles for their subject areas. Requests are reviewed and processed by the Acquisitions manager and purchased by Acquisitions staff.

Budget: As budgeting allows, academic departments receive an annual allocation from the monograph index to be used for one-time purchases in their discipline.

Selection: Each academic department selects one faculty member to serve as the department liaison. This liaison facilitates faculty participation in materials selection. Faculty select materials from various sources.

Kent Library encourages the use of eBooks to support distance, online, and point of need learners, to allow multiple simultaneous users access to material, and to address space constraints. Lists of eBook are provided by vendors organized by Library of Congress classification. These lists are distributed to appropriate departments. Acquisitions staff work with department faculty to obtain eBook titles as specified by the requestor, while working with eBook vendors to promote their usage. When available, unlimited simultaneous user license are purchased. Digital rights management (DRM) free eBooks are preferred.

Access:  The Main Collection can be discovered through Kent Library’s catalog which is available on the Kent Library webpage. The print books are located on the fourth floor. These items are arranged using the Library of Congress Classification System. eBooks can be accessed through the Kent Library catalog.

Kent Library began reclassifying the collection from the Dewey Decimal Classification System to the Library of Congress Classification System in July 2018. Until this process is complete, previously classified titles may be arranged using the Dewey Decimal Classification System

Deselection: Materials are reviewed and deselected by academic department faculty with librarian assistance. Departments collaborate with the director of resource services and liaison librarians to review materials for deselection. Departments are invited to meet with liaison librarians to strategize the best processes for reviewing materials. They review materials using collection information which might include publication date, use, accreditation standards, duplications, currency, relevancy, and condition.

Review of materials is scheduled based on accreditation requirements, currency, relevancy, and library needs. Print items are continuously reviewed by discipline with the goal of the Main Collection being comprehensively evaluated every ten years. eBook titles individually purchased by Southeast are periodically reviewed for deselection using the same criteria applied to print materials.

A. Resource Reviews

As academic courses and programs are created and revised, librarians review available Kent Library materials that support these courses and programs. If librarians identify a deficiency in available resources, a one-time allocation of funds may be provided to the academic department to purchase new materials to support the course or program.

B. Standing Orders

Standing orders are established and maintained by acquisitions staff in collaboration with departments. All standing orders are for physical materials. Academic departments may request new standing orders and review current standing orders upon request. Cost of the standing order(s) will be deducted from their annual allocation. Standing orders are reviewed every other year by the departments and the Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee.

A special category of standing orders is best sellers. These are titles that make commercial best sellers’ lists and are automatically received. The acquisitions manager reviews these items for relevancy. Items are initially displayed on the main floor for two weeks and then moved to the Main Collection.

C. Faculty Publications

When aware of Southeast faculty publications, acquisitions staff will acquire a copy of work for the collection.

Revised 5/29/2020

III. Collection Specific Policy Statements

Special Collections & Archives and Government Documents

A. Special Collections & Archives

Mission:  Special Collections & Archives at Kent Library acquires, preserves and makes accessible research materials that document the historical, literary and cultural experience of southeast Missouri, the Mississippi River Valley region, and the history of Southeast Missouri State University. 

Goal:  Special Collections & Archives holdings are developed in relation to the educational, instructional, and research interests of the University. The holdings are available for use by Southeast faculty and students as well as scholars and the general public.

Scope:  Special Collections & Archives is composed of four major components: the University Archives, the Regional History Collections, the Rare Book Room, and the Special Collections & Archives non-circulating print collection. 

1. The University Archives consists of the non-current records of Southeast Missouri State University that have continuing administrative, fiscal, legal, or historical value to the University. Included are records from campus administrative offices, departments, faculty governing bodies and student-related activities. Additionally, the University Archives contain faculty papers, alumni memorabilia, student publications, artifacts, and photographic collections. The University Archives also maintains some student records of the University High School, which is no longer in operation.

Currently, Southeast Missouri State University does not sponsor a records management program, so records are transferred to the University Archives on an informal basis from campus offices.

Donations of University memorabilia from alumni, former faculty members, and other affiliates of Southeast are welcome. These gifts should follow the acquisition process outlined below in subsection “Selection, Subsection 1.”  

2. The Regional History Collections are the official repository for regional history research materials on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. Special Collections & Archives actively collects and receives materials documenting the history of a fourteen-county region in Missouri, including the Bootheel and the Hill counties to the north and the west of the lowlands. The subject strengths of the collection reflect the most significant historical happenings of the region: European settlement, foreign and domestic wars, river travel, the coming of the railroad’s “iron horse,” the draining of the Southeast Missouri swamps in the early 20^th century, and the subsequent rise of agriculture on these cleared lands. The collection includes personal papers of individuals, the records of organizations and businesses, and vast photographic collections.  

Materials are primarily added to this collection through donation. Donations should follow the acquisition process outlined below in section “Selection, subsection 1.”   

3. Special Collections & Archives administers and maintains the Rare Book Room collections. These include:
   • The Charles Harrison Collection, containing over 800 rare or unusual books reflecting the history of scribal and print culture from the 13^th century to the early 20^th century
   • The Louis Daniel Brodsky Collection of William Faulkner Materials (Brodsky-Faulkner), one of the world’s foremost significant collections of material on Faulkner
   • A collection of Robert Penn Warren first editions

Occasionally, Special Collections & Archives will purchase materials to add to the Rare Book Room. Special Collections & Archives receives an allocation from the Kent Library materials budget. Some materials are added through donation; but the Special Collections & Archives librarian evaluates donated materials for inclusion in the Rare Book Room based on appropriateness, value or rarity. Donations follow the acquisition process outlined below in section “Selection, subsection 1.” 

4. The Print Collection is a cataloged, non-circulating book collection housed in Special Collections & Archives. The collection encompasses print publications in several subject areas: archives, rare book collecting and curation, Southeast Missouri history, local authors, local press publications, University history and publications, and William Faulkner. Since the Cape Girardeau County Archive Center and the Cape Girardeau County Genealogical Society are the region’s genealogical resources, limited genealogical materials are added to the collection.  

Print materials are added through purchase, but also through transfer from the Main Collection and by donation. Titles are purchased for Special Collections using allocated money from the library budget and with grants from the Johnson Endowment. Occasionally, titles in the Main Collection are identified to be moved to Special Collections & Archives. Possible reasons for moving a volume from the Main Collection to Special Collections & Archives include:

• Value  
• Possibility of theft or damage 
• Out-of-print title not held by Special Collections & Archives in one of the subject collecting areas

While recommendations can be made by any member of the University administration, faculty, staff or students, final decisions on the relocation of print titles to Special Collections & Archives will be made by the Special Collections & Archives librarian. The number of titles added from the circulating collection is restricted due to the limited availability of shelf space.  

Responsibilities:  Under the leadership of the Special Collection & Archives librarian, Special Collections & Archives staff have primary responsibility for collection development. The Special Collections & Archives librarian encourages the collaborative involvement of the Southeast administration, faculty and staff; the University Foundation; regional community; and archives patrons in its collection development efforts.  

Budget: Special Collections & Archives may receive an allocation from the Kent Library materials budget.

Selection: Materials are normally acquired in the following manner:

1. Donation – Donation of materials is both an active process of soliciting materials and a passive process of accepting materials brought into Special Collections & Archives. Special Collections & Archives encourages donations of materials that are in keeping with the subject scope of the collections. The Special Collections & Archives librarian will work with the donor(s) to determine:
   • That the donor has the legal right to make the donation
   • That the donation is not encumbered by ethical and legal problems
   • The terms of the donor agreement

The Special Collections & Archives librarian reserves the right to decline donations that carry stringent donor restrictions. All donations must be represented on a legal donor form that includes a description of the materials; the donor’s name, address and phone number; date of donation; signature of the donor; description of any restrictions; and signature of the Special Collections & Archives’ representative accepting the donation.

Special Collections & Archives staff will refer donors or potential donors with materials that do not fit within the collection development guidelines to a more appropriate repository. Special Collections & Archives also will not accept materials unless appropriate care and housing can be provided. 

When donations are sizeable or likely to have monetary value, Special Collections & Archives recommends that donors acquire professional appraisals prior to donation. University employees, including and especially Special Collections & Archives staff, cannot appraise gifts of material, or historical material brought to them for inspection or identification even when not intended as a donation. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regards archives, libraries, and museums as interested parties, and appraisals prepared by them for gifts that they receive are likely to be disputed by the IRS.  Special Collections & Archives staff members are not trained appraisers. Donors are encouraged to contact the American Society of Appraisers (http://www.appraisers.org/) at 11107 Sunset Hills Rd, Suite 310 Reston, VA 20190, or asainfo@appraisers.org. Special Collections & Archives is required to report donations of material with appraised value over $500 to the University Foundation.

2.   Transfer – Transfer is the process by which Special Collections & Archives obtains University records. 

3.   Deposit – Generally, Special Collections & Archives will not accept materials on deposit (materials entrusted for safekeeping with no transfer of ownership), unless circumstances are exceptional. Special Collections & Archives expects ownership be transferred at the time materials are received by the unit. 

4.   Purchase – Kent Library may grant an allocation from the materials budget to be used for one-time purchases. Library funds may be used to acquire new primary materials and secondary materials for the print collection in identified subject areas. 

Access:  The holdings of Special Collections are available to the Southeast Missouri State University community and the general public for research under the following conditions:

• Researchers must complete a “New User Agreement” and provide a current photographic identification card
• Researchers must observe all regulations governing the use of collections provided by Special Collections upon registration

Materials are described in ArchivesSpace by collection and are made freely available online as resources allow. ArchivesSpace can be accessed through the Kent Library webpage and individual ArchivesSpace records can be accessed through the Library’s online catalog.

Deselection:  Special Collections & Archives respects agreements with its donors. Rarely will material be removed from the historical collections. There are some circumstances under which material may be removed from the collection:

• A change in the scope of the collecting policy
• Deterioration of the material beyond usefulness
• The absence of a donor agreement, coupled with one of the above factors

If an item is to be removed from the collection for any reason other than deterioration of the material, then the Special Collections & Archives staff will make every attempt to contact the donor(s) or their heirs prior to removal, or will transfer ownership to a more appropriate repository. When appropriate, Special Collections & Archives will work with the University Foundation to observe established procedures for removing donated items from the collection.

B. Government Documents

Mission:  As one of three congressionally designated depositories in what is now Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District, Kent Library has a legal mandate to collect, maintain, and provide public access to materials that meet the government information needs of the residents of the District. As the University’s library, it also has responsibility for supporting the curriculum.

Background: On December 12, 1916, Congress designated the library of the Third District Normal School as the Federal Depository Library for Missouri’s Fourteenth Congressional District. The following January, Saint Vincent’s College, which had previously held the designation for forty years, transferred its documents collection to the Normal School. A major reason for transferring the collection and the depository designation was to provide better public access to the material, since the College was a private school and the Normal was a public institution. Mr. Louis Houck and Congressman Joseph James Russell were instrumental in bringing about the transfer. Since that time, reapportionment and redistricting have changed the Congressional District designation many times, and the Normal School has evolved into Southeast Missouri State University. Kent Library has remained the congressionally designated selective depository for the southeast region of Missouri. The other Eighth District depositories are located at Jefferson College, in Hillsboro, and at Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla. The University of Missouri, Columbia is the state’s Regional Federal Depository Library.

Scope:  The Federal Depository Library Program (FDPL) is a government program created to make U.S. Federal Government publications available to the public at no cost. Kent Library selects key materials in tangible format. As of March 2019, the library maintains a subscription to Documents Without Shelves, a product which provides catalog records and links to all available material released in electronic format by the U.S. Government Publishing Office. Going forward, this will provide the library’s patrons with online access to nearly all materials being made available through the FDLP.

Responsibilities:  The government documents librarian has primary responsibility for item selection and deselection.

Selection:  Depository selections are made based on categories of materials assigned to collective item numbers. Item numbers are selected based on the anticipated needs of the Southeast Missouri community and the University’s curriculum. The FDLP Biennial Survey is used as a tool in the ongoing evaluation of Depository collections and services. There has been a shift to electronic holdings and collecting tangible materials of significant historical value. Online items may be selected at any time. Tangible items will only be added to the profile in September, with shipments to begin in October.

Access:  Established by Congress to ensure public access to government information, the FDLP is authorized and governed by Title 44, Chapter 19, of the United States Code. Two broad legal responsibilities must be met:

• Provide free public access to government information.
• Provide proper maintenance of depository materials.

Library personnel will assist patrons:

• At the library’s Reference Desk or the Circulation Desk if the Reference Desk is closed. 
• In the use of the public access computers or in downloading digital documents to the patron’s own portable storage device.

Freely accessible electronic information that is included in Kent Library’s selection profile appears in and is linked from the Library’s online catalog. Additional electronic information may be accessed through the Library’s webpage; specifically, the documents subpage at https://library.semo.edu/find-materials/goverment-documents.

Circulation of tangible documents:

• Tangible documents that circulate may be checked out by any public patron presenting a valid Missouri driver’s license or Missouri non-driver identification.
• Tangible documents that circulate may be requested through Interlibrary Loan.

Incoming materials are classified and appear in the Library’s online catalog. Specific housing locations are indicated in the catalog record. Electronic resources are linked from the catalog record. Retrospective cataloging of earlier acquisitions is an ongoing process.

The Basic Titles list a list of U.S. Government information resources containing critical information that the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) plans to continue disseminating digitally. Except in the case of materials on the Basic Titles list or identified as having significant historical value, items made available in both tangible and electronic formats will be retained in electronic format only. As those materials are digitized and authenticated by the GPO, the tangible copies will be deselected.

Identification of materials meriting special handling is ongoing. These materials may be placed under restricted access and made available for in-library use only, by appointment, in the Special Collections & Archives Reading Room.

Deselection: Item deselection and weeding both are ongoing parts of collection management. Deselection involves two separate processes in the management of the documents collection --item deselection and weeding:

• Item deselection is the removal of item numbers from the library’s selection profile. Once an item number is deselected, no further publications, virtual or tangible, issued within that group will be included in the library’s shipments.
• Weeding is the removal of materials already held in the collection. The exception is electronic titles received through Documents Without Shelves service.

As a selective depository, Kent Library has the option of deselecting any materials but the Basic Titles at any time. In addition, Kent Library can weed already received materials in accordance with stipulations set forth in the Legal Requirements & Program Regulations of the Federal Depository Library Program and in compliance with the specific procedures established by the Missouri Regional Depository Librarian.

Since materials are no longer added in microform, materials currently held in that format may be disposed of in January of 2023 in accordance with the Five-Year Rule and instructions issued by the Missouri Regional Depository librarian.

Revised 5/29/2020

III. Collection Specific Policy Statements (cont'd.)

Children's and Young Adult Collection, Reference Collection, Arts Resource Center, and Open Educational Resources

C. Children’s and Young Adult Collection

Mission:  The Children’s and Young Adult Collection provides children and young adult literature.

Scope:  The Children’s and Young Adult Collection is selective and includes materials for students and faculty to support their studies and instruction by providing children and young adult fiction and nonfiction books

Materials in the Children’s and Young Adult Collection are complemented by resources in the main, reference, and journal collections.

Responsibilities:  Instructional materials are selected by the education information librarian and the education faculty.

Budget: The Children’s and Young Adult Collection receives an allocation from the Kent Library materials budget for use by the education information librarian.

Selection:  The main criteria for selection is curriculum needs. Curriculum needs are identified through course reviews and in consultation with faculty.

Additional criteria could include:

• Accuracy
• Extent of existing collection on the subject
• Favorable reviews
• Format
• Material cost
• Reputation of the author, illustrator, or publisher

The following standing orders ensure that children’s and young adult literature winners are purchased:

• Caldecott
• Coretta Scott King (author and illustrator)
• Newbery
• Printz
• Pura Belpre (author and illustrator)
• Robert F. Sibert

Access:  Print materials in the Children’s and Young Adult Collection are classified using the Dewey Decimal Classification System.

Multimedia programs, kits, and testing materials are classified using the Library of Congress Classification System and are located at the periodical service desk. eBooks are available through Kent Library’s online catalog.

Deselection:  Evaluation of the items housed in the Children’s and Young Adult Collection is necessary on a periodic basis to ensure that the collection meets the needs of the University community. Items will be evaluated based on relevance, format, and condition. Items that are in poor physical condition, outdated, or in an obsolete format will be removed. Replacements may be requested for items showing high usage and relevance. Print items, except for award-winning titles and classics, that have not been used for ten years will be reviewed for deselection.

D. Reference Collection

Mission:  The Reference Collection serves students, faculty, staff, and community guests at Southeast Missouri State University. It supports the University’s curriculum and offers resources for imparting and maintaining knowledge about the primary subject areas covered.

Scope:  Reference materials include electronic resources, books, and other materials which provide direct access to the information being sought.

Responsibilities:  The information services librarians are responsible for selecting, updating, and deselecting reference materials.

Selection:   Materials are selected based on relevancy, currency, language, budget, format, and professional reviews. Special consideration is given to materials about Missouri. Format includes both electronic and print resources. Items may be designated for the Reference Collection at the discretion of information services librarians.

Access:  Information services librarians promote the collection through research guides, information literacy lessons, and sharing information with academic department liaisons. Non-circulating print reference materials are located on the third floor, reference microform guides, and electronic resources are accessible through the Kent Library webpage.

Deselection:  Deselection of reference resources promotes the discovery of relevant and accurate materials. The Reference Collection is evaluated on a rotational basis so that the entire collection is evaluated every four years. Materials that are outdated, no longer support the University curriculum, or are unnecessarily duplicated are deselected. The decision to cancel print versions in favor of electronic versions is made on a title-by-title basis. Current volumes of annual continuations are kept in the reference collection, while older volumes may be transferred to the Main Collection or deselected.

E. Arts Resource Center

Mission: The Arts Resource Center (ARC) provides materials to support instruction of the Holland College of Arts and Media departments and complements Kent Library materials. Students, faculty, staff, and community guests use ARC materials to support their learning, teaching, and research needs.

Scope: The ARC independently catalogs and collects art, dance, design, mass media, music, and theatre resources; and materials created on River Campus or donated to the ARC. ARC materials include scripts, scores, media items, reference materials, catalogs, journals, and monographs.

Responsibility:  The ARC library associate is responsible for the ARC collection.

Selection: The ARC collects and catalogs the following items at River Campus:

• Exhibition catalogs
• General art reference items
• Holland College of Arts and Media performance video and audio recordings
• Instructional audio and visual items
• Music scores
• Music theory and instruction resources
• Periodicals
• Scripts
• Student and faculty work samples and portfolios

Materials are added to the collection through donation or through deselection from Kent Library’s Main Collection.

Access: Materials can be located through the ARC catalog accessed through the Kent Library webpage. In addition, the ARC facilitates courier service of materials to and from Kent Library.

Deselection: All items in the ARC are periodically reviewed in consultation with department faculty to ensure the collection does not exceed the available space. If an item is found which does not meet the collection’s mission or is damaged, the item is removed from the collection.

F. Open Educational Resources (added 05/29/2020)

Mission: The Open Educational Resources (OER) Collection provides faculty, students, and the Southeast community with resources that can be used for teaching, learning, or research that are either in the public domain or released under an open license.

Goal: The Open Educational Resources Collection is developed to introduce faculty to OER that reflect the educational, instructional, and research interests of the University.

Scope: Open Educational Resources as defined by UNESCO (2019) are “teaching, learning and research materials in any medium – digital or otherwise – that reside in the public domain or have been released under an open license that permits no-cost access, use, adaptation and redistribution by others with no or limited restrictions.” The OER Collection is limited to items accessible online and is continually being developed as new needs and resources are identified.

Responsibilities: Kent faculty librarians help facilitate the development and maintenance of the OER Collection. They encourage faculty, librarian, and staff collaborative involvement in developing the OER Collection.

Selection: The main criterion for selection is curriculum needs. Curriculum needs are identified through course reviews and consultation with faculty. Resources are identified through professional training, participation in professional organizations, faculty consultation, and research.

Access: The OER Collection is accessible through the Library resource guide. OER that are being used at Southeast or have been created by faculty at Southeast are hosted (with faculty permission) in the OER Commons Southeast Missouri State University Group in the MOBIUS hub (https://www.oercommons.org/groups/southeast-missouri-state-university/3439/?__hub_id=65).

Deselection: Materials are reviewed annually based on currency, relevance, and library needs by the librarian coordinating the OER program in consultation with faculty and librarians.

UNESCO. (2019, June 6). Open Educational Resources (OER). Retrieved from

https://en.unesco.org/themes/building-knowledge-societies/oer

Kent Library OER Resource Guide: http://semo.libguides.com/oer

Section presented to Kent Library Faculty and Staff: April 28, 2020

Approved by Kent Library Collection Development & Management Committee: May 7, 2020

Approved by the Dean of Kent Library: May 11, 2020

Approved by the Provost of Southeast Missouri State University: May 29, 2020

IV. Special Formats

A. Databases

Mission:  Databases for Kent Library at Southeast Missouri State University are procured to support the learning, teaching and research needs of the University and add depth to the holdings of the library.

Goals:  Databases are licensed to ensure consistent access to current and historical information for the research needs and enrichment of students, faculty, staff, and community guests at Southeast Missouri State University.

Scope:  Databases at Southeast Missouri State University are comprised of the following types:

• Audio streaming
• Data and statistics
• eBooks
• Images
• Journals
• Musical scores
• News sources
• Reference
• Video streaming

Responsibility:  The electronic resources librarian coordinates with the acquisitions manager and information services in consultation with department faculty and the Collection Development and Management Committee in the selection, evaluation, and technical maintenance of electronic resource subscriptions and materials. The electronic resources librarian serves as the contact for technical access issues; conferring with library systems staff as necessary and handling any maintenance of, and changes to, end user interfaces via the administrative module of corresponding electronic resources. The acquisitions manager is responsible for acquisition, licensing, and subscription maintenance. The acquisitions manager serves as the contact for vendor-based access issues and day-to-day subscription activities. The acquisitions manager maintains the library’s electronic resource management module.

Budget:  The Library’s materials budget includes an index for database subscription costs.

Selection:  Database recommendations come from faculty and librarians. These recommendations are assessed by the electronic resources librarian, Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee, and the acquisitions manager.

Library faculty and staff regularly review eBook databases for relevancy and, when applicable, choose to increase the library’s eBook collection through purchase. In addition, eBook titles may periodically be removed or updated by database vendors or publishers.

Access:  Databases at Southeast Missouri State University are accessed through the Library’s webpages. Access is provided through software to all current by Southeast students, faculty, and staff using single sign-on authentication.

Deselection:  Databases are evaluated annually as subscriptions come to term. Evaluation criteria consist of cost, relevancy, platform function, and overall usage by Southeast students, faculty, and staff.

B. Journals

Mission:  Journals are procured and maintained to provide students, faculty, staff, and community guests access to up-to-date research and thought in fields of study, topics of interest, and current events. Kent Library supports the learning, teaching, and research needs of the University community as well as providing overall enrichment by providing access to periodicals.

Scope:  Kent Library currently provides access to approximately 60,000 periodicals including journals, magazines, and newspapers available in electronic, microform, and print formats.

Responsibility:  The acquisitions manager is responsible for maintaining periodical resources.

Budget:  The Library’s materials budget includes an index for annual journal subscription costs. The materials budget does not include inflation cost considerations, but Kent Library does plan for this in their annual budgeting. This index is overseen by the acquisitions manager. At times, budgetary challenges necessitate subscription cancelations.

Selection: In consultation with the Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee, the acquisitions manager reviews existing subscriptions and potential additions. Additions are considered based on format, need, relevancy, scope, and budget constraints. Departments requesting additions will be asked to identify a periodical of equal or greater value for cancelation. This must be a journal title not used by other departments.

Access:  Periodicals at Southeast Missouri State University can be accessed through various means. Online subscriptions of current and past periodicals are available on the Library’s webpages and database platforms. Access to online subscriptions is provided to Southeast students, faculty, and staff through authentication software. For print subscriptions, current issues are on the main floor of Kent Library in the browsing collection. Past print issues can be accessed through the periodical bound volumes or microform collection on the main floor.

Deselection:  Periodical titles are evaluated as subscriptions come to term. Evaluation criteria consist of format relevancy, cost, access to historic publications, and overall usage.

C. Media

Digital media can be searched directly through databases and the library catalog. Physical copies of media (e.g. CDs, DVDs) are cataloged using collection specific identifiers in their call numbers.

1. Audio

Kent Library prefers streaming audio through online databases. CDs are purchased if titles requested by faculty members are not found in current audio database subscriptions. CDs are available behind the periodical desk. Others, connected to specific books, are in the Main Collection.

2. Images

Kent Library provides digital images for student, faculty, staff and community users through various databases on the Library’s webpage and online catalog.

3. Video

Kent Library prefers streaming video through online database or individual licensing. As a result, streaming videos are investigated first. DVD and Blu-ray videos are purchased if not available in streaming format. VHS are no longer purchased.

Acquisitions staff process requests for video titles by first searching streaming video databases, then individual title license platforms, and lastly DVD/Blu-ray vendors. Individual title licenses for streaming video are renewed annually if usage warrants continued licensing, otherwise the license is allowed to expire to make room for new selections. Demand driven licensing is available with the video platform Kanopy.

Streaming video databases are updated regularly by the platform provider. When titles with frequent use are removed from a platform, Kent Library tries to restore access through purchase or another platform or vendor.

DVDs and Blu-rays purchased after 2018 are cataloged using the Library of Congress Classification System. Feature film DVDs are located on the third floor, while select DVDs and Blu-rays are located behind the circulation desk.

D. KITS

Non-print materials are available to support instructional programs. These materials include:

• Educational tests
• Instruments
• Media
• Multimedia programs and kits

These materials are located behind the periodicals desk.

Kits that have not been circulated for ten years or are duplicated will be reviewed for deselection.

E. MICROFORMS

Microforms are not purchased by the library, unless no alternative is available.

Historical copies of the Southeast Missourian newspaper are purchased in microfilm.

Microforms are located on the main floor along with microform readers.

Revised 5/29/2020

V. Carrie Woodburn Johnson Endowment

The Carrie Woodburn Johnson Endowment was established by the late Mrs. Johnson Tweedy in 1987, with an original sum of $250,000. Dr. Les Cochran, Southeast Provost from 1980-1992, began placing aside $100,000 each year to build the endowment, with the goal of reaching $1 million. Dr. Charles Kupchella, Southeast Provost from 1993-1999, and Dr. Jane Stephens, professor emerita of history and Southeast Provost from 2000-2010, completed the project in 2009.

Materials purchased using the Johnson Endowment must be for electronic, print, or physical materials that can be purchased through a one-time only payment. Materials with recurring costs cannot be acquired using the Endowment.

In alignment with the Endowment terms, Kent Library reserves the right to use funds as needed to support the collection development. Currently, the endowment is used to award individual grants to faculty and staff at Southeast Missouri State University.

A. Faculty and Staff Grants

The Endowment grants allow Southeast Missouri State University faculty and staff to request a one-time award of funds to be used to strengthen Kent Library’s collections in a subject, discipline, or program area.

Annually, in the spring semester, Southeast faculty and staff submit grant applications. The acquisitions manager and Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee review the applications. Grants are awarded based on established criteria, availability of funds, and number of applicants.

Established criteria:

•  
• Evidence of need
• Emphasis on instructional research support
• Consistency with department and university teaching and learning goals and objectives
• Availability of resources

Materials requested are purchased during the summer, with the intention of them being available in the coming fall semester.

B. Student Group Grants

The Endowment student group grant allows officially recognized Southeast Missouri State University student groups to request a one-time award of funds to be used to strengthen Kent Library’s collections in a subject or interest area.

Annually, in the fall semester, Southeast officially recognized student groups submit grant applications. The Acquisitions Coordinator and Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee review the applications and award grants based on established criteria.

Established criteria:

• Evidence of need
• Consistency with department and university teaching and learning goals and objectives
• Availability of resources

Materials requested are purchased in the fall semester for use the following spring semester.

Revised 6/3/2021

VI. Library Partnerships

A. Consortia

1. Amigos Library Services

Amigos is a national library consortium that provides members reduced costs for continuing education and discounted database subscriptions.

2. MOBIUS

Kent Library is a member of the MOBUIS consortium. MOBIUS members include Missouri state and private academic and public libraries. MOBIUS membership allows Southeast Missouri State University users access to 27 million physical items that are usually delivered within 5-7 business days. In addition to access to materials, MOBIUS membership reduces some collection costs through group pricing including eMO eBooks, state-wide courier fees, Marcive records, and databases. Membership to MOBIUS is annually reviewed to determine the financial and access benefits provided.

B. Negotiated Partnerships

1. EBSCO

EBSCO, an international journal vendor, contracts with Kent Library to provide journals and journal package subscriptions. Through the partnership, Kent Library receives these subscription management services for a negotiated rate.

2. Midwest Library Services

The majority of print monographs are purchased through Midwest, a Missouri State contracted vendor. Midwest offers an electronic slip program of select books based on Library of Congress subject heading which are submitted to faculty for collection consideration.

3. ThriftBooks

ThriftBooks is an online bookseller that partners with libraries to reuse or recycle their withdrawn materials. Kent Library is collaborating with ThriftBooks to repurpose deselected items. Once items are withdrawn, they are shipped to ThriftBooks. ThriftBooks evaluates each item for reuse. Any books that cannot be resold or donated will be recycled. Profits generated from the sale of deselected items are donated to the literacy program, “Born to Read,” sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University’s Phi Kappa Phi Chapter.

Revised 5/29/2020

V. Policy Evaluation

This policy will be re-evaluated by the acquisitions manager every five years or as collections changes necessitate. Revisions and additions will be made in collaboration with Kent Library Collection Development and Management Committee, and other appropriate personnel. 

Original Policy Approvals

Presented to Kent Library Faculty and Staff

August 24, 2019

Approved by the Kent Library Collection Development & Management Committee

September 5, 2019

Approved by the Dean of Kent Library

December 16, 2019

Approved by the Provost of Southeast Missouri State University

December 17, 2019