Introduction | Collecting Guidelines | Format Guidelines | Cooperation | Subject List and Levels | Electronic Resources | Gift Policy | Evaluation and Preservation

Collecting Guidelines

Selection Criteria

Need

The relevance of materials to the needs of the Texas Medical Center's education, research, and clinical programs is of primary importance.

Scope and Content

Emphasis is on research-level materials in the health sciences and related subject areas.

Depth of the existing collection

Every effort is made to minimize duplication of titles held within the Library and, to some extent, within the Texas Medical Center's libraries. The Library does cooperate with the other institutions to provide access to materials through inter-library loan programs.

Quality

The quality of individual materials is determined by criteria such as lasting value, the reputations of the author, editors, and publisher, and the degree of scholarship.

Currency

The research and educational needs of the supporting institutions of the Library require the most current information. Preference is given to items which report new and revised information, with the primary goal being to maintain an up-to-date collection.

Bibliographic accessibility

Bibliographic accessibility through indexing and other reference sources will be considered, particularly for journals, when adding to the collection.

Cost

The price of an item is only one of the many factors considered when reviewing items. All selection criteria are considered in addition to the cost.

Language

Almost all materials acquired are in the English language. Exceptions are made for certain multi-authored works or for materials acquired for the Historical Research Center.

Multiple Copies

Additional copies are purchased for those titles which exhibit heavy use. Multiple copies of older editions are kept only if use warrants retention. As a rule, only one copy of any title will be acquired.

Selection Limitations

Budget

Budgetary limitations govern the extent to which the Library is able to meet the objectives established by the Collection Development Policy. Priority is given to those materials which meet the needs of the Library's Governing and Supporting Institutions.

Space

Development and maintenance of the collection depends on the amount of space available to store the materials. Again, priority is placed on those items and formats which support the programs of the Library's Governing and Supporting Institutions.

page updated on 10.11.2006