Collection Development Policy

Departmental Budget Allocations

A portion of the library materials budget is allocated to programs and departments based on a formula combining a base allocation and the elements of number of faculty, SCHs, majors, minors, graduate students, and cost of U.S. imprints in the field as cited in the Bowker Annual of Library and Book Trade Information.

The allocation may be used to purchase both print and non-print materials.

The University Library maintains a General Fund for purchasing interdisciplinary materials, recreational reading, developing collections in new areas, balancing the collection with materials in subject areas not covered by classroom instruction and research programs, supporting unexpected inflationary increases in periodical subscriptions, emergencies, etc.

Budget allocations will be made as early as possible during the fiscal year. Departments are expected to spend one half of the departmental allocation by December 1, and one hundred percent by March 15. Unspent funds by academic departments will be reverted to the library general fund to purchase materials that the library faculty deem useful for the library.