The collection development policy outlines the philosophy and principles guiding the faculty and staff of the Mary Livermore Library in the selection, acquisition, and oversight of the collection. While it does not prescribe specific instructions for resource selection, it provides general directions to assist faculty and staff in their decision-making process. These guidelines enable the library to meet the needs of the academic community at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke) while ensuring responsible use of collection funds. The overarching policy aims for consistency in long-term collection development and effectively communicates the library's values to its community members.
Intellectual freedom and privacy are paramount priorities for any library. In upholding these principles, the Mary Livermore Library aligns with the following statements from the American Library Association. These values empower the library to serve all patrons equally and without bias, both in patron interactions and in the content we provide.
The Mary Livermore Library fully complies with U.S. Copyright Law and patrons are expected to adhere to the same standards. The library follows Fair Use as described in Section 107 of the Copyright Act, addressing the use of copyrighted materials for scholarship, research, teaching, and other purposes. Please contact library staff with any copyright-related questions.
The Mary Livermore Library is dedicated to ensuring equal access to our resources for all patrons. When assessing both current and new resources, we prioritize their accessibility. If a resource is found to be inaccessible, we will collaborate with patrons to identify alternative ways to present the information.
The technical services staff is responsible for managing the collection and serves as the primary contact point for publishers and vendors. Mary Livermore Library encourages faculty to provide purchase suggestions aligned with academic relevance to UNC Pembroke. The final approval for high value purchasing decisions rests with the Director of Technical Services.
Service Population:
Mary Livermore Library serves UNC Pembroke’s students, staff, faculty, and community members. Information on our current demographics can be found on the Quick Facts webpage.
Location:
Print materials are housed in Mary Livermore Library and the Teacher Resource Library in the Education Building. The library has six collections housed in the Mary Livermore Library: General Collection, Oversized Collection, Art Book Collection, Reference Book Collection, Media Collection, and Special Collections and Archives. The library’s Juvenile Book Collection is housed in the Teacher Resource Library. Mary Livermore Library also assists with cataloguing and processing materials for the Music Library located in Moore Hall.
Electronic resources are available through the Mary Livermore Library website from anywhere on or off-campus for patrons to access with a UNC Pembroke login and password.
Mary Livermore Library provides access to the following types and formats.
These are some of the guidelines used by library staff and faculty when deciding whether to purchase an item, regardless of format.
Currency: Is the content something that becomes outdated? If so, is this the most current version available?
Relevancy: Does the resource support academic programs and curriculum at UNC Pembroke?
Cost: Is the cost of the resource appropriate given the anticipated use?
Format: Is the resource in a format that the library’s patrons can easily use?
Availability: Is the resource in print or otherwise readily available for purchase?
Engagement: Are materials recommended based on feedback, and is there similar content with high usage?
eBooks should meet the selection criteria outlined above. In addition, to provide patrons with the best and most consistent access to the resources, eBooks should meet the following requirements for purchase. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The library currently subscribes to several individual journals and journal packages. When reviewing new journal requests the collection development librarian must look closely at the budget, as journal subscriptions are an ongoing cost that frequently increases each year. These selections are made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with collection development librarian and faculty, reviewing interlibrary loan and electronic turn away data, and may require the cancellation of other titles or resources to cover the cost.
Collection Development cycles were instituted to update subject areas every five years. Each fiscal year the Collection Development librarian will focus on updating the collection based on subject areas. An example of these groupings can be seen below:
Sections A-B, Section H, Section L: General Works, Philosophy, Religion, Social Sciences, & Education
Cycle 3
Sections C-G: Auxilary Sciences of History, World History, History of the Americas, Geography, Anthropology, Recreation, & Social Sciences
Cycle 4
Sections J-K, & Sections U-Z: Political Science, Law, Military Science/ Naval Science, Bibliography, Library Science, & Information Resources
Cycle 5
Sections M-P: Music, Fine Arts, & Language/Literature
Titles may be purchased outside of the subject area update cycle based on academic need and suggestions from faculty, staff, and students' budgetary availability permitting.
Mary Livermore Library accepts limited donations of materials that support the current teaching and research of UNCP and align with our Collection Development Policy. Generally, donated resources should be published within the last 20 years and not duplicate content already in the collection. Specific subject needs and guidelines also apply. The library does not accept materials in poor physical condition, outdated textbooks, most popular magazines, and most obsolete formats such as cassettes and VHS tapes. The library reserves the authority to reallocate any donated items deemed unsuitable for addition in the library collection. Items not added to the collection will not be returned to the donor. The library will determine how and where all accepted gift materials will be cataloged and housed for use.
Donors must deliver all donated books and materials to the Mary Livermore Library loading dock entrance by appointment during regular business hours. Small donations (a few items) may be brought to the Patron Services desk. The library cannot provide any pick-up, packing, or shipping support for donations. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Technical Services department.
Special Collections collects and preserves rare and unique materials including rare books, oral histories, manuscripts, photography, visual materials, art, and artifacts. Collections are preserved for use by students and faculty/staff of UNCP, members of the community, and by the scholarly community at large.
At the discretion of the department head, Special Collections department may collect materials, in any format, that support our mission. Acquisitions are made through donations, and occasionally through purchases for select books that support the mission statement. Donations to Special Collections are considered on a case-by-case basis. Donations must be accepted by the department, and all donors must complete a Gift Agreement Form.
Examples of types of items collected for Special Collections currently include:
Manuscripts, books, and media created by local members of the community about the community-at-large.
Manuscripts, books, and media that relate to the histories of Pembroke, Robeson County, North Carolina, The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, other Southeastern American Indian Tribes, or any other similar topic as seen fit by staff, faculty, students, or other patrons.
Photographs or works of art that reflect the local community, American Indians, or are created by individuals of either.
Ephemera relating to local events or people.