Collection Development Policy

McKee Library is committed to providing a diverse and comprehensive collection that reflects the needs and interests of our academic community while upholding the principles of intellectual freedom and the right to access information. Furthermore, the library is committed to the pursuit of Christian scholarship, which explores and engages all issues of intellectual, artistic, and cultural endeavors. Appearance of any resource does not mean that the library advocates or endorses the ideas found in that resource or the actions of the author.

McKee Library endorses the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, along with the following principles:

• Intellectual Freedom: McKee Library affirms the principles of intellectual freedom as outlined in the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement. These principles include the belief that all individuals have the right to access information and ideas and the freedom to read, view, and listen to various materials.
• Professional Expertise: Collection development decisions are made by trained librarians who consider factors such as relevance to the curriculum, diversity of viewpoints, and scholarly value when selecting materials.
• Right to Challenge: Library users have the right to express concerns or objections regarding specific library materials. The library welcomes constructive feedback from its constituents.

Procedure for Challenging Materials

If a current student, faculty, staff, or board member of Southern Adventist University wishes to challenge the inclusion of a specific item in the library’s collection, the following process will take place:

1. Written Request: The individual must complete and sign a Request for Reconsideration, available at the library’s Circulation desk. The library does not respond to anonymous phone calls, emails, rumors, or voiced concerns.
2. Review Committee: The Director of Libraries will convene a committee to consider the request. That group will include librarians and a member of Southern Adventist University's teaching faculty.
3. Decision: The Director of Libraries will make the final decision regarding the challenged material. Possible outcomes include the removal of an item, the addition of sources to balance the collection by providing alternative views, or no change at all. The decision will be communicated in writing (within 30 days) to the individual who made the challenge. If so desired, the requester may appeal a decision to the director.

McKee Library complies with all the provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C) and its amendments. Specifically, it supports the Fair Use section of the Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. 107) that protects the right to reproduce and make use of copyrighted works for the purpose of teaching, scholarship, and research.

For more information, please see McKee Library’s Copyright and Fair Use policy.

In core subject areas, McKee Library collects at the study level, basic through advanced. (Please see the Collection Levels section for details.)

Outside this core, the library collects at the minimal study level. These are materials of general interest to our community in areas where the university offers no classes.

The library considers the following as it evaluates a resource, regardless of format:

• Relevance to the curriculum
• Strength of holdings in this or related subject areas
• Appropriateness of level of treatment (e.g., Is the material accessible to students? Is it anticipated that the material will be used for term papers, supplementary reading, etc.?)
• Style and clarity of presentation
• Permanent value to the collection
• Reputation of the author or publisher
• Accuracy of the information
• Suitability of material format. Does the format of the item effectively convey the desired information, and does the library have any special equipment required to use the material?
• Cost

Whenever possible, the library will buy items based on reviews found in professional publications.

The library also buys items of passing or spiritual interest. It does so to help the university’s students grow emotionally and spiritually.

In order to keep the collection relevant and maintain available space in the library, resource deselection procedures occur from time to time. The library retains authority for deselecting materials.

During the deselection process, the following are considered for all materials:

• Date. When was the item published? When was it added to the collection?
• Author. Is the author still read or likely to be read in the future? Is the book a lesser work?
• Publisher. Was the book self-published or published by an “instant” press that may not have taken care of editing and printing?
• Physical condition. Are there any factors that make the item unattractive?
• Additional copies. Are more copies available that may be in better condition or are a newer edition?
• Other books on the same subject in the collection. If this book is discarded, what else is available?
• Shelf time. How long has the item sat on the shelf without circulating?
• Relevance of the subject to the community. Is the material of interest to anyone in the community?

A resource remains in the collection if it meets one or more of the following criteria:

• It is written by an Seventh-day Adventist author or about Seventh-day Adventist heritage, topics, etc.
• It has been checked out within the last year.
• It has reasonable usage within the last five years.
• It is a first edition.
• It contains regional information.
• It has up-to-date information that is relevant to university majors or disciplines.
• It meets an area of academic need.
• The item is part of a numbered set.
• The item qualifies for special collections.

A resource is withdrawn if one or more of the following apply:

• It is older than 40 years and has not been checked out in the last five years.
• It has not been checked out in the last 10 years, regardless of age.
• It contains errant or outdated information or is not relevant (especially on subjects that change quickly or require absolute currency, such as computers, law, science, space, health and medicine, technology, travel).
• It is a non-circulating self-published material.
• It contains mediocre writing style, especially material that was written quickly to meet popular interest that has passed.
• It is a superseded edition.

1. Selection Criteria

• The library’s media collection is primarily a teaching collection, and as such, will collect whatever titles are requested by Southern Adventist University faculty for use in their classes. Faculty are responsible for recommending materials in the fields of their particular expertise to support the curriculum and research mission of the university.
• The Technical Services Librarian will select other titles designed for interdisciplinary or general interest viewing to fill out the collection using standard bibliographies and other evaluation tools.
• Students and staff are encouraged to recommend materials to support the curriculum and research mission of the university.
• Unless a request is made for a particular title by a Southern Adventist University faculty member to support their curriculum, the library will not collect media titles that have been rated R, X, or NC-17 by the Motion Picture Association of America.
• Videos with closed captions and available subtitles will be preferred.

2. Duplicates: The library buys duplicates only when requested by Southern Adventist University faculty or to replace an older media format with a new format.

3. Format

• The library prioritizes streaming media format but collects physical media in DVD or Blu-ray formats when a title is not available in streaming format.
• Streaming and Public Performance Rights are purchased when requested and when available for media titles.
• The library will purchase access to streaming video collections when requested by and supported by Southern Adventist University faculty.
• The library makes audiobooks available through the Libby app.
• The library will maintain an awareness of new formats and will plan for collection growth and the purchase of equipment to support emerging formats.

4. Cost: When a media item’s cost is high, the library will make purchase decisions in light of faculty recommendations for class use.

5. Copyright and Licensing for Public Performace

• Only legally acquired materials will be added to the collection.
• The library holds no public performance rights for many of its titles. Any public showing that is not part of face-to-face teaching may require a license. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring department or organization to secure permission and to pay the licensee for any public showing.

A serial is a publication in any format, issued in successive parts, intended to continue indefinitely. Examples include journals, magazines, newspapers, annuals, and proceedings.

Because a serial subscription represents a long-term financial commitment, the library makes these decisions carefully, balancing long-term costs and usefulness to students and faculty.

The library considers the availability of indexing, the quality or reputation of the publication, and collection balance when making its decision. It prioritizes titles supporting academic programs at the university and where demand exists.

The library collects specialized publications, beyond core titles, when those titles expand research opportunities for the campus community. Such selections give the collection depth and are the source of its uniqueness.

1. Popular vs. Scholarly: The library subscribes to scholarly journals that directly support the university's curriculum. It subscribes to popular magazines that enhance the existing collection and represent various student and faculty interests.
2. Duplicates: The library does not buy duplicate copies of journals.
3. Deselection: To keep the periodicals collection up-to-date, the library conducts a rolling collection review. The library evaluates each title at least once a year. The library keeps usage statistics for all periodical titles.
4. Format: The library chooses the best available format of publication that is most widely available and useful for students and faculty.

The McKee Library Special Collections is the repository comprising the collections within the Center for the Study of 19^th Century America and others. We support research by a wide range of scholars, including undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and other researchers whose work relies on primary and secondary source materials, including rare books, archives, media, and artifacts.

Scope

Types of Materials

Collections are comprised mostly of books, but also present are journals, newspapers, annuals, archives, ephemeral materials, photographs, posters, memorabilia, and various other original materials.

Language and Geographical Aspects

Based on the collection scope, McKee Library Special Collections collects works written in English and from the United States.

Inclusive Dates

• Pre-1800: Few items in the collection were published prior to 1800 and serve to create a well-rounded historical context of the 19th century.
• 1800-1900: Most items in the collection fall within this time period.
• 1900-1950: Few items in the collection were published after 1900 and serve to create a well-rounded historical context of the influence of the 19th century in the early 20th century. It must be noted, however, that the Duane and Eunice Bietz Collection contains memorabilia as well as collection development and sales information that belong to this time period. Some items belonging to the Southern Adventist University Archive also include items that fall within this time period.
• 1951-now: Most items in the Southern Adventist University Publications Digital Archives fall within this type period. Some materials belonging to the Duane and Eunice Bietz Collection also fall within this time period.

Collections

Center for the Study of 19^th Century America

The Center for the Study of 19th Century America defines its mission as follows: To acquire, preserve, and provide access to a wide range of primary and secondary materials to present researchers with a context to understand the times in which the Seventh-day Adventist Church began. The five collections that make up the Center for the Study of 19th Century America are:

1. Thomas Memorial Collection

This collection contains materials related to Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Included in the collection are books, photographs, periodicals, newsletters, and other memorabilia. Also included in the collection are the papers of Dr. Russell C. Slater, original collector of the Civil War material, and John W. Fling, Jr., original collector of the Abraham Lincoln material. This material was acquired by Dr. Vernon L. Thomas, who subsequently donated it to McKee Library in 1973. This collection is considered complete.

2. Duane and Eunice Bietz Collection

This collection houses books by and about Mark Twain. Included in the collection are several rare first editions, signed copies, periodicals, memorabilia, and authentic letters written by Mark Twain. The collection was donated to McKee Library by Duane and Eunice Bietz in 2009. Additions to this collection are only accepted from the original donors.

3. Domestic Science and Cookery Collection

This collection houses rare books on household management, etiquette, nutrition, and cooking. For a well-rounded 19th-century context, publication dates range from 1800 to 1950. Additions to this collection come from librarian acquisitions, deaccessioned items from the library’s general collection, or patron donations.

4. Seventh-day Adventist Heritage and Apocalyptic Studies Collection

This collection houses books on Adventist heritage, specifically those pertaining to the study of the books of Daniel and Revelation. The collection also features works by prominent non-Adventist authors—Sir Isaac Newton being one example—who did significant scholarship in this area. Included in the collection are several first-edition books written by Ellen G. White and a copy of "A New Concordance of the Holy Scriptures" by John Butterworth that belonged to Joseph Bates. Additions to this collection come from librarian acquisitions, deaccessioned items from the library's general collection, or patron donations.

5. Origins and Biology

This collection houses books on Creationism and Evolution. The collection's primary focus is on materials that provide 19th-century creationist counter-arguments to the Darwinian evolutionary theory. Also included in this collection are materials that focus on the development of Darwinian thought up to the Neo-Darwinian synthesis. Additions to this collection come from librarian acquisitions, deaccessioned items from the library’s general collection, or patron donations.

French Collection

The McKee Library French Collection consists of 105 titles and 189 volumes of works primarily written in French. The collection spans 255 years, with its earliest book published in 1711 and the most recent in 1966. It includes works by notable authors such as Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Flaubert. Although most of the titles are written in French, a few are written in Italian, English, German, and Latin. The collection covers a variety of subjects, including history, philosophy, and literary criticism, and also contains novels, memoirs, poetry, and plays.

Ray Hefferlin Collection

The Ray Hefferlin Collection comprises physics-related materials collected by Ray Hefferlin, Ph.D. This collection includes research materials, periodicals, photographs, posters, and correspondence. McKee Library acquired the Ray Hefferlin Collection in 2015 from the Hefferlin family.

Southern Adventist University Publications Digital Archives

Southern Adventist University Publications Digital Archives hosts a collection of digitized university publications and institutional history materials. Additions to this collection are accepted from the Alumni Relations and Administration offices and relevant patron donations.

Preservation

Preventive conservation practices are used to prolong the useable life of the items in McKee Library’s Special Collections. Included in these practices are the following measures:

• Environmental control
• Use of protective polyethylene covers on books
• Acid-free boxes and folders to store unbound materials
• Reformatting to digital medium

Transfer and Donations Guidelines

Criteria for Transfer of General Stacks Materials to Special Collections:

American books in the general collection that have been printed from to 1750-1950 are evaluated by the Special Collections librarian for transfer if their subject falls within the following:

• Household management
• Cooking
• Nutrition
• Etiquette
• Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and history
• Biology
• Creationism
• Evolution

Donation Criteria

Gifts to McKee Library’s Special Collections are accepted as long as no restriction is placed upon their use and disposition. Acceptance of gifts will be determined by the library director on the basis of the library’s special collections needs.

Deaccessioning of Special Collection Materials

Special Collections items may be considered for deaccessioning by the library director when:

• material is so severely damaged or deteriorated as to be of no practical use
• material is not appropriate to the needs of McKee Library

At this level, the library collects everything, in whatever format, in a limited subject area. The aim, if not the achievement, is exhaustiveness.

At this level, the library collects whatever a doctoral student or independent researcher might need in a given subject area. A collection like this contains research reports, primary source documents, published scientific results, important reference works, a wide selection of specialized books, and all indexing and abstracting services in that field.

At this level, the library collects whatever an advanced undergraduate or graduate student might need in a given subject area. A collection like this has a wide range of primary sources, basic monographs—both current and retrospective, complete collections of the works of more important writers, selections from the works of secondary writers, a selection of representative journals, and the reference tools and fundamental bibliographical framework of the subject.

At this level, the library collects whatever an undergraduate might need in a given subject area. A collection like this can support generalized study, of less than research intensity. It has a wide range of basic monographs, complete collections of the works of important writers, a selection of representative journals, and the reference tools and fundamental bibliographical framework of the subject.

At this level, the library collects whatever a first-year undergraduate student might need in a given subject area. A collection like this has a judicious selection of basic monographs (as found in Choice) supported by retrospective monographs (as found in Books for College Libraries). It also has a broad selection of works of more important writers, a selection of the major review journals, and current editions of the most significant reference tools and bibliographies about the subject.

At this level, the library collects material that introduces and defines a subject in a highly selective way. A collection like this contains significant dictionaries and encyclopedias, selected editions of important works, historical surveys, critical bibliographies, and a few of the major periodicals in the field.

A subject area in which few selections are made beyond fundamental works.