Binding and Repair
Library funds are dedicated to the acquisition of materials. While important, funding preservation is secondary.
Selection for Binding:
Binding is the primary preservation method chosen by the library. Binding costs are charged to the acquisitions budget. The categories of material chosen for binding are:
a serial which has content, reputation, and indexing to suggest long-term reference or research value.
paperback monographs when heavy use suggests the need for a stronger binding.
damaged out of print books. In the instance of scarce books or books whose physical characteristics are noteworthy, it may be decided to request a solander so that the original binding can be preserved without further deterioration.
those loose-leaf materials considered for indefinite retention when they appear to be complete with no further additions.
Exceptions:
Among the items not routinely bound are:
serial publications whose reference value will likely decrease over time.
damaged books which are still in print and can be easily replaced, or can be repaired in-house.
print materials prone to rapid deterioration, such as newsprint.
large format serials.
any serial which is retained for a specified period of time and then discarded.
serials for which there is a comparable electronic version to which the library has ready access, but with due attention to the archival capacity of the electronic version.
The collections development librarian may recommend that the binding of a particular serial publication cease.
Since 2006 few serials have been designated for binding and we have relied to a greater extent on in-house expertise for the binding of monographs.
Schedule:
When items are withdrawn for the bindery, the status is noted on the Novanet record . An effort is made to delay the removal of in-demand volumes until such time as their binding will create the least inconvenience.
Replacement
Introduction:
Library materials which are lost, stolen, or never returned, are all eligible for replacement using the General or Reference Funds of the acquisitions budget.
As well, the collections development librarian routinely scans the discard lists sent from other libraries with particular attention to monographs or serial issues known to be missing from the collection.
It is important that the Catalogue Librarian be notified of missing items, or the receipt of replacement copies, so that the Novanet record may be amended.
Monographs:
Reference staff will search for missing books on behalf of students and faculty. If a regularly scheduled search through the term proves unsuccessful, the missing books are considered for replacement at the end of the spring term. . Missing status is assigned to the record in the Novanet database. The circulation supervisor also notifies the collections development librarian about long-term overdue books so that replacement may be considered. If a patron has paid the replacement fee, this information is noted on the request for replacement prepared by the circulation department.
Serials:
Most reports of missing issues come to the reference staff from patrons. Among the approaches adopted:
for articles or pages torn from a single issue, replacement copies are ordered through Interlibrary Loan or Novanet Express
for entire recent issues, the acquisitions librarian is asked to order a second copy from the publisher
for older issues, if the publisher can not supply it and demand warrants the expenditure, a microfilm reel may be ordered to replace the volume from which the issue is missing, or a dealer in serial back-runs will be sent our wish-list.
Weeding and Discards
Introduction:
Due to space limitations and the absence of a suitable storage facility on or off campus, weeding is necessary to accommodate newly acquired resources. Weeding is used to remove obsolete materials from the collection. The decision to weed is made by the collections development librarian alone, or in consultation with reference staff and faculty.
When items are withdrawn permanently from the collection, it is necessary to remove or amend the record displayed in the Novanet catalogue. Delays may occur since the priority for staff is the cataloguing of new monographs and the updating of serials holdings as new issues are processed. Patrons will note that the record in Novanet indicates "withdrawal shelves" after the call number for those items removed from the public stacks.
Monographs:
Obsolete books include those which contain out of date and/or misleading information. Superseded editions of non-fiction titles are withdrawn unless faculty indicate their continued utility. All books weeded from the main collection are shelved in the Technical Services area. Some superseded editions of reference books, if they are considered by the reference staff to be of continuing value to our patrons, may be moved into the general circulating collection. Care must be taken that out of date directories, legal and statistical compendia are not returned to the collection once they are withdrawn. All library users are encouraged to alert reference staff to the presence of obsolete editions.
Either a list of weeded items is compiled and distributed to faculty or faculty are invited to survey the books on the withdrawal shelves. Faculty may recommend retention in the library or in a department as a desk copy. The materials remaining on the withdrawal shelves will be donated to other libraries or organizations, sold to raise funds, or discarded outright. All discarded books or books given to faculty as desk copies will be stamped Discard.
Serials:
The library endeavors to preserve indefinitely in print or on microform the back files of scholarly journals which are indexed . Most newsletters and all newspapers are discarded after a specified period of time, or upon receipt of microfilm. Trade magazines are reviewed on occasion, and will be discarded if there is evidence of little or no use. Before discarding serials, the holdings of area libraries will be checked to establish the presence of back files. It was agreed among members of the Novanet Collections Development Committee that a member library will consider transferring back files to another Novanet library under the following circumstances:
the serial has been cancelled, but a current subscription is maintained by the other library
both libraries have cancelled the serial, but the other library has the longer run
the serial ceased publication, but the longer run is in the other library's collection.
By this means we can ensure the presence of the longest run at a single institution for the convenience of researchers. Our library gratefully acknowledges the generosity of area libraries in donating volumes to complete back files of several research journals to which we currently subscribe.
Due to the lack of storage space, withdrawn serials cannot be retained indefinitely. A list of discarded serial volumes and issues will be distributed to Novanet and regional libraries if library staff have sufficient time to compile such a list.