Responsibility for Collection Development
The library faculty are responsible for the selection, acquisition, evaluation, and deselection of materials. Faculty members and other academic staff play an advisory role, providing recommendations for materials that align with curricular needs and research priorities. Faculty recommendations will receive priority within budget constraints.
Acquisition
With an awareness of its place as a resource within the Minnesota State library system, the library selects a variety of print and online materials to meet the curricular needs of the college and the philosophy and mission of Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Textbooks and multiple copies will generally not be ordered but will be accepted in the collection as appropriate on a gift basis.
Types of Resources Collected
The library collects a variety of resources, including but not limited to:
- Books, e-books, and monographs: Curriculum support materials that directly support subjects of instruction, course preparation, and student research across disciplines.
- Selected award-winning works of fiction and non-fiction: This collection encompasses literature intended for adults, young adults, and children.
- Selected general literature: A curated selection of general literature designed for young adults and adults, reflecting contemporary popular and general interests.
- Selected materials that represent, reflect, and address examples, issues, and challenges of human diversity in all areas of academic study at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
- Selected publications of faculty, staff, administration, students, and alumni at Anoka-Ramsey Community College.
- Selected publications written by Minnesota and local authors.
Other materials not covered above that support the mission of Anoka-Ramsey Community College and the purpose of the libraries’ collections.
Selection Criteria
Resources are selected based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to curriculum and research: Materials must support the instructional and research needs of the institution. Preference is given to resources that directly support current programs of study.
- Currency and timeliness: The content of library materials should be accurate and up to date. Materials that are superseded by newer, revised, or updated editions may be deselected. The library considers faculty and students whose scholarship and teaching require the use of historical text.
- Format: The format (physical or digital) is selected based on user preferences, accessibility, and the nature of the content.
- Cost and budget: Resources must be acquired within the constraints of the libraries’ budgets, with consideration of ongoing costs for electronic resources (e.g., subscriptions).
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion: The libraries will seek to develop a collection that represents diverse perspectives, voices, and scholarly approaches, ensuring that underrepresented and marginalized groups are adequately represented in the collection.
- User demand and usage data: User requests, circulation statistics, and other usage data will inform the selection process to ensure the collection remains responsive to user needs.
Collection Maintenance
The libraries will regularly evaluate and deselect materials that are outdated, damaged, or no longer relevant to the institution’s needs. These decisions are determined by the following:
- Usage: Low or no usage may be a factor in deselecting materials. Library staff may consult circulation statistics or other reports to determine candidates for deselection.
- Physical condition: Materials that are badly deteriorated or damaged and beyond reasonable repair may be deselected. Consideration for replacement will be made on a case-by-case basis.
- Duplicates: Due to space limitations, the library may deselect duplicate copies (or duplicate print copies of electronic items), taking into account the need to have more than one copy on hand, especially for materials that are heavily used.
- Completeness: Materials that are part of a multi-volume set of which the library does not have all volumes may be deselected.
Donations and Unsolicited Items
Gifts to the library will be gratefully considered. If the gift is appropriate to the needs of the library’s collection, the librarian will submit a recommendation to the Foundation executive director or the college President for the acceptance and processing of such gifts. If accepted, a record of the donation will be kept by the campus Foundation executive director or designee, who will send the donor an acknowledgement (unless the donor specifies anonymity).
The library retains the right to determine the retention, location, cataloging, and other aspects related to the use or disposition of all gifts. The library does not provide appraisals for donated items and cannot accept items with restricted conditions. Monetary donations will follow the same selection policy outlined above and cannot be designated for specific content.
If the gift is not accepted for the library collection, the librarian may suggest alternate recipients for the donation.
For additional information regarding gift acceptance, please refer to the college’s Policy and Procedure Manual:
Chapter 7: Business Affairs, Policy 7D. 1 Acceptance of Gifts and Grants to the College
Chapter 8: College Relations, Policy 8A. 1 ARCC Foundations and Donations to the Foundations
Circulation
A valid Anoka-Ramsey Community College photo ID card or alternate photo ID is required for students, faculty, and staff to borrow material from the libraries. Students may check out general circulating materials for 21 days with items automatically renewed twice if not on hold for another individual. A current student or employee ID card from any other Minnesota State college also permits checkout of general circulating materials. Current faculty and staff may check out circulating materials for the semester, with the opportunity to renew items once if not on hold for another individual. Retired faculty and staff may check out circulating materials for six weeks, with the opportunity to renew items once if not on hold for another individual. Alumni and community borrowers are welcome to use library resources and may check out materials for 21 days, with the opportunity to renew items twice if they are not on hold for another individual. All borrowers must return materials on or before the due date, or if recalled by the library. All borrowers assume full responsibility for materials on loan.
Replacement costs may vary based on the item, with a standard replacement fee of $35 being assessed for most items. In addition, a $25 fee per item may be charged by the Business Office for the time dedicated to recovering lost materials and collecting fines. Overdue notices will be sent if an item is not returned by the due date. Once the due date has passed, the item will be declared lost and the replacement fee will be assessed. If a borrower pays for said materials and later returns it intact, the librarian may opt to refund the replacement fee. Students owing fees will have their library borrowing privileges suspended, and a hold will be placed on their college record.
RESERVE
Faculty and staff may put items on reserve by submitting a library reserve form at any time. On the form, the faculty or staff designates the checkout time, i.e., library use only, overnight, one week, etc. Prior to placing materials on reserve, the faculty or staff member is responsible for obtaining any necessary copyright permission. (See Policy 3H.2 Reproduction and Use of Copyrighted Materials). Reserve materials circulate to students and current faculty and staff. A valid college ID card is required to check out all reserve materials on one’s respective campus. Replacement fees are assessed if necessary.
INFORMATION LITERACY INSTRUCTION
The librarians provide general library orientation, class instruction for specific research assignments, and instruction in online searching. Cambridge Campus instructors are encouraged to schedule as early as possible to ensure a time convenient for their classes. Coon Rapids Campus instructors should arrange for instruction one week in advance.
INTERLIBRARY LOAN
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is available to current college students, alumni, and current and retired college faculty and staff. Interlibrary Loan service is unavailable to community borrowers. Materials generally arrive within one week. ILL materials must be returned to the campus library. Renewals of ILLs may be possible at the discretion of the lending library. ILL materials damaged or not returned may be assessed replacement and/or processing fees.
TECHNOLOGY ACCESS
Library computers are subject to the college Policy 1A.10 Computer and Network System Use and Security and Minnesota State Policy 5.22 Acceptable Use of Computers and Information Technology. The primary purpose of library workstations is to provide access
to research materials to support the curriculum. Users at both campuses are encouraged to keep personal use to a minimum and may need to go to the general computer lab to access specific programs. Both libraries have wireless access. The college is not responsible for damage to borrowers’ personal technology possibly caused by audiovisual materials checked out from the library.
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History:
11.2005 Combined the former separate campus library procedures into a single procedures
03.2008 Added clarifying language under "Circulation", "Interlibrary Loan" and "Technology Access"
12.2016 Addition of $25 fee
02.2017 Removal of paragraph concerning Metro Community Colleges Film and Video Consortium (MCCFVC)
07.2017 Technical changes, MnSCU to Minnesota State
10.2017 Updated fine structure
09.2025 Added language on library collection development, including responsibilities, acquisition, selection and deselection, collection maintenance, and resource types, changes circulation language to align with current borrowing practice, and reordered some existing language.
