How does the library decide what books to order?

On March 16^th I asked if anyone had any questions about the archives or library that they would like answered.  Anna asked: How does the library decide what books to order?

There are multiple ways the library chooses materials to order.  One is through Choice Cards.  Choice Cards are stacks of material suggestions recommended for academic libraries.  These cards are divided by discipline and go out to the heads of academic departments.  Faculty review the suggestions for their discipline and initial the materials they think the library should purchase.  Most of the time every initialed item gets ordered, but if the book is particularly expensive the director may contact the faculty member, who initialed the card, to determine if the book is a “must have” or a “want”.

Have you seen the librarians at the reference desk flipping through magazines?  These magazines contain material reviews and news about what is going on in the library and publishing world.  The librarian will read through the reviews in these publications for items that match the campus’s interests.  For example if a professor teaches a class on eastern theater, the librarians will choose materials that match this interest.  What the librarians are less likely to choose are general interest materials.  For example you will find few cooking books (200 crock pot meals), how to books (how to maintain your car), or travel books (a travel guide to Greece) in the collection.  You will find “Chop suey: a cultural history of Chinease food in the United States”, “The physics of NASCAR: how to make steel + gas + rubber = speed”, and the “Journal of modern Greek studies”.

Students also help decide what materials are purchased.  When a student interlibrary loans a book it is checked against 4 criteria: was published within the last 3 years, is non-fiction, is applicable to the current curriculum, and costs less than $50.  If the ILL book passes all four of these criteria it is automatically ordered for the library.  Students may also make suggestions as to what the library should purchase.  Many of the DVDs added to the audiovisual collection are added due to student suggestions.

You may have noticed that I used the word materials instead of books in my explanation.  That is because the library doesn’t just order books.  It purchases database subscriptions, journals, DVDs, e-books, and other informational materials as the campus shows need for them.

Anna, I hope this answered your question.  You, and everyone else, are welcome to ask another anytime.

Have a good day
Sara