Collection Policy State Library of Iowa February 1996

I. Introduction

A. Purpose of the Collection Policy This Collection Policy for the State of Iowa establishes the scope and purposes of the library’s collections and collection access services. It is intended for the use of library staff and clientele, administrators, state government, and the citizens of Iowa. This policy:

1. defines the intended coverage and clientele of State Library of Iowa collections and collection access services;

2. establishes collection management and selection policies;

3. provides staff with the means to ensure consistency, responsiveness, and wise use of funds in the development and management of collections and collection access services;

4. assists in the development of performance measures by defining the intended use, scope, and collection level goals of the collections;

5. establishes priorities to guide budget allocations and cataloging and preservation decisions; and

6. documents the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom.

B. The State Library of Iowa

The State Library of Iowa was established as a territorial library of Governor Robert Lucas in compliance with an 1838 Act of Congress. When Iowa became a state in 1846, the territorial library became the State Library of Iowa.

The original mission of the State Library, to provide library services to state government, has grown to include provision of library services and support statewide. The State Library of Iowa provides extensive library development services to public, academic, school, and special libraries; maintains a state-wide union catalog and a state-wide electronic information network; operates the state State Library of Iowa Collection Policy February 1996 Page 2

interlibrary loan network, and funds direct sharing of library resources with patrons; and provides direct information services and collections to state government, the state’s legal, medical, and library communities, and Iowa citizens.

C. State Library Mission Statement

“The State Library advocates for Iowa libraries and promotes excellence and innovation in library services in order to provide statewide access to information for all Iowans.”

State Library collection services support the mission of statewide access to information by providing electronic network services, encouraging and directly offering shared resources for libraries, and directly meeting the information needs of state government and Iowa’s medical, legal and library communities.

D. Primary Clientele

The collections and collection access services of the State Library of Iowa have been established to serve the educational, cultural, intellectual, and economic needs of the citizens 0of Iowa, and all collections and collection services are abailable for personal use by Iowa citizens. Although personal use by citizens is encouraged, the primary direct clientele for State Library collections and collection services are institutions and individuals who in turn serve the citizens of Iowa. These clientele are:

 Iowa State Government  Iowa Legal Community  Iowa Medical Community  Iowa Library Community

E. Access to Information

State Library of Iowa collections and collection access services are designed to provide effective access to the full range of information needed by the library’s clientele in promoting the well-being of the citizens of Iowa. The underlying purpose of the State Library’s collections and services is access to needed information, rather than direct ownership or preservation of information resources. Comprehensive access is provided in two ways:

 The State Library acquires basic collections designed to meet the routine information needs of the library’s primary clientele.

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 Collection access services facilitate use of the basic collections, and expand and enhance access to information beyond basic needs through electronic networking, remote databases, interlibrary loan, and other document delivery options.

The primary clientele of State Library collections have specialized needs, and the collections are focused on meeting those needs. Most State Library collections, through specialized, are developed to meet the core information needs of the primary clientele, rather than to provide support for extended or archival research. The State Documents collection, however, serves as the comprehensive, archival depository of Iowa State documents.

F. Primary Collections

The State Library of Iowa services the citizens of Iowa through the following primary collections:

1. Medical

This collection was established by statute to directly serve the medical community of Iowa.

2. Law

This collection directly serves the legislature, state government, and legal community of Iowa.

3. Government Documents

The Sate Library is a partial federal documents depository and serves as the comprehensive depository for Iowa state documents. These collections primarily serve the legislature, state government, legal and medical communities, and library communities of Iowa.

The library is also a federal patents depository and maintains a collection of federal census information and other demographic resources relating to Iowa. These collections primarily serve state government, business, and the general public. Much of the census material is integrated into the general library collection.

a. Federal Documents Depository b. State Documents Depository c. Patent Depository d. Census Information

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4. Public Management

The public management collection, including general reference and journal collections and a selective topical collection of monographs, primarily serves state government agencies and employees.

5. Shared Resources/Information Gateway

The State Library directly provides collections and collection access services to enhance statewide shared library resources. Examples include a backup audiovisual collection used primarily by public librarians a library science collection to support library development in all types of libraries/and local and remote databases made available through information gateway services.

G. Primary Collection Access Services

The primary State Library of Iowa collection access services are:

1. Reference

The State Library offers medical, legal, and general reference services to ensure effective bibliographic access to State Library collections, directly provide requested information, and assist library clientele in connecting with more specialized resources that meet their information needs.

2. State Documents Depository Program

The State Library operates the State Documents Depository Program, which provides primary statewide access to state government publications. The Depository Program acquires, catalogs, archives, and distributes multiply-produced publications; regardless of format, which are issued by state agencies and supported by public funds. The program produces catalogs and finding guides for the material, and services a network of depository libraries to provide convenient geographic access to state government information and materials. The depository program directly serves other libraries and state agencies.

3. State Data Center

The State Data Center identifies, analyzes, and distributes information about Iowa’s population, housing, agriculture, business, industry, and government. The Center responds to direct inquiries, arranges for custom analysis of data, and provides training in the use of data resources and

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presentations that highlight current trends. The State Data Center enhances access to Federal Census data, state agency data, and similar resources for state agencies, libraries, local and regional agencies and governments, and businesses and other end-users.

4. Information Gateway

The State Library of Iowa encourages networking of electronic information resources through statewide programs and initiatives. These programs and initiatives provide the resources to make available electronic information resources, such as: the online catalogs of Iowa libraries; library union databases; commercial databases; state and federal government information; and State Library databases.

H. Intellectual Freedom and Censorship

The State Library of Iowa affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas. Materials are not excluded from State Library of Iowa collections because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. The library provides materials and information presenting all points of view on issues within the scope of the library collections, and materials are not proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. A person’s right to use the library is not denied or abridged because of that person’s origin, age, background, or views. Electronic information, services, and networks provided directly or indirectly by the library are equally, readily and equitably accessible to all library users.

The State Library of Iowa subscribes to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights (Appendix I), the Freedom to Read (Appendix II), the Freedom to View (Appendix III), and Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks (Appendix IV).

Concerns about materials in State Library of Iowa collections may be addressed to the person responsible for selecting the particular collection. The selector will prepare a timely, written response that outlines the library’s stance on intellectual freedom and addresses the specifics of the client’s concern. If the client is not satisfied with the selector’s response, the concern may be referred to the State Librarian, who will review the issues and prepare a timely written response.

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II. General Collection Access Policies

A. Selection

The following general policies apply to the selection of materials for addition to the collections of the State Library of Iowa, and the review of materials for weeding from the collections.

1. Relevance to Primary Clientele

Materials are selected to supply the basic information needs of the primary clientele of the State Library of Iowa. First priority is given to materials which can most effectively meet the routine and continuing inquiries of the primary clientele. Because the State Library encourages use by the general public, some priority is also given to materials which satisfy frequently expressed general inquiries, as a convenience to the public and support for efficient collection access services. Except for the state Documents collection, materials which are esoteric of likely to receive infrequent use are not acquired.

2. Topical Focus

The primary clientele of the State Library of Iowa have varied and relatively specialized information needs. Materials added in addition to the basic resources for the core specializations are selected in concentrated topics of identified interest and high demand for the library’s clientele. This ensures that both selection efforts and materials funds achieve maximum results. Topics are identified through analysis of user inquiries, interlibrary loan patterns, circulation demand patterns, and the professional judgement of selectors regarding topics of concern and interest.

3. Authority

Priority is given to materials which are authoritative in their coverage, as evidenced by factors such as the critical reception of the work; the reputation of the publisher, authority, or sponsoring body; the intended scope of the work; the accuracy and impartiality of the information presented; and the depth of coverage.

4. Format

There are no specific restrictions on the format of materials selected for State Library of Iowa collections, although consideration is given to the relative expense of maintaining different formats, the ease of access, and State Library of Iowa Collection Policy February 1996 Page 7

the need for preservation. In particular, materials available in electronic format are given equal consideration with other formats.

5. Local and State Authors

Materials by local and state authors are not collected except as they meet the direct information needs of the library’s clientele.

6. Iowa Materials

Materials related to the state of Iowa are not collected except as they meet the direct information needs of the library’s clientele.

7. Current vs. Retrospective Materials

The acquisition of currently published material is emphasized in the development of State Library of Iowa collections. Except for the State Documents Collection, retrospective material is selected only when it meets the immediate needs of the library’s clientele.

8. Popular Materials and Multiple Copies

Popular materials and multiple copies are acquired to meet the identified needs of clientele, particularly for the shared collections and for selected topics in the government collection.

9. Gifts

Gifts are evaluated under the criteria of this Collection Policy, and are added only if they meet the needs of the library’s clientele.

10. Rare Books/Archival Collections

Except for the state Documents Collection, the State Library does not acquire rare books or archival materials. State Library collections are intended to be active resources of working documents.

B. Collection Management

1. Stack Management

The collections of the State Library of Iowa are intended for active and continuing use. Circulation and stack management policies and procedures encourage effective access to library materials through such practices as rapid reshelving and turnaround, stack areas which encourage State Library of Iowa Collection Policy February 1996 Page 8

ready and understandable direct access by clientele, and effective signage and guides to the collection.

2. Performance Measurment

Because State Library collections are intended to be active and responsive resources, careful records of use and performance are kept, and the collections are continually evaluated for currency and relevance. The relative availability of materials in demand by library clientele is the primary performance criteria for the collections. Efforts are made to identify topics or particular titles in high demand by library clientele, for the purpose of improving the immediate availability of such materials. Specific performance measurements include:

 Records of use for items and collections  Percentage of requested titles and topics immediately available  Response time for document delivery  Formal and informal assessments of clientele needs  Formal and informal assessments of patterns of collection weakness and strength  Cost/benefit analysis of journal subscriptions and standing orders

3. Preservation The State Library of Iowa recognizes the imperative to preserve library materials for effective future use, and special efforts are made to effectively maintain and preserve the archival materials in the State Documents collection. Because of resource constraints and the active nature of most State Library collections, other materials which require special attention for preservation and handling are not ordinarily held or acquired by the State Library.

4. Weeding

State Library of Iowa collections are intended to be active resources of current, accurate information. Materials of continuing relevance to primary users are retained indefinitely, but superseded materials or those no longer in demand are weeded from the collection. The primary weeding criteria is the probability of future client need for an item as evidenced by current use patterns. Other criteria for weeding include relevance to the library’s primary clientele, age, accuracy, duplication in other resources, significance, authority, and physical condition.

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III. Collection Descriptions

A. Collection Level Goals

The collection level goals for State Library of Iowa collections are described according to the standard conspectus collection codes recommended by the American Library Association. Goals for the State Library collections are classified into two of the five standard collection levels. All collections but the State Documents Depository are at the Study or Instructional Support Level (Code 3). The State Documents Depository is at the Comprehensive Level (Code 5).

 Study or Instructional Support Level (Code 3)

A collection that is adequate to impart and maintain knowledge about a subject in a systematic way but at a level of less than research intensity. The collection includes a wide range of basic works in appropriate formats, a significant number of classic retrospective materials, complete collections of the works of more important writers, selections from the works of secondary writers, a selection of representative journals, access to appropriate machine- readable data files, and the reference tools and fundamental bibliographic apparatus pertaining to the subject.

A the study or instructional support level, a collection is adequate to support independent study and most learning needs of the clientele of public and special libraries, as well as undergraduate and some graduate instruction. The collection is systematically reviewed for currency of information and to assure that essential and significant information is retained.

Collection Goal for: Medical, Law, Public Management, Federal Documents, Patent Depository, Audiovisual, Library Science, and Shared Resources/Information Gateway.

 Comprehensive Level (Code 5)

A collection in which a library endeavors, so far as it is reasonably possible, to include all significant works of recorded knowledge (publications, manuscripts, other forms), in all applicable languages, for a necessarily defined and limited field. This level of collection intensity is one that maintains a “special collection”; the aim, if not the achievement, is exhaustiveness. Older material is retained for historical research with active preservation efforts.

Collection Goal for: State Documents Depository. State Library of Iowa Collection Policy February 1996 Page 10

B. Collection Descriptions

1. Medical

The medical collection includes a large, heavily used journal collection, a selective collection of basic medical reference sources and texts, and access to CD-ROM and remote medical databases. The primary clientele of the collection includes medical professionals, hospitals, medical libraries, and state agencies and legislators. The collection also serves medical students, other libraries, attorneys, and the general public both regionally and statewide. The collection is the primary resource for many medical professionals, particularly those practicing in rural areas.