Collection Development

It is the mission of the Library to provide information resources and services of the highest quality to support and enhance the University’s academic, cultural, human service, and research programs. The policies guiding collection development are contained in the McConnell Library Collection Development Policy.

The responsibility for the development of the library collection and the expenditure of the collections budget rests with the library. However, the expertise and input of teaching faculty are critical to this effort. Collection Development Committee members serve as a liaison to one or more academic departments or programs, and each department and interdisciplinary program designates a faculty member to serve as the faculty library liaison.

Requests for library materials are sent to your department/program liaison, who in turn, will forward the requests to the library faculty liaison. This librarian will review the requests and approve them for ordering. In addition, this librarian is available to interpret collection development and acquisitions policies and procedures and to serve as a point of contact for the department for material and resource requests. The liaisons work with faculty as needed with departmental assessment as well as accreditation. Liaisons also work with faculty to identify necessary material for new courses and programs.

Collection Development Committee Mission

The Collection Development Committee is primarily responsible for the development of the collection including the selection of new materials as well as the continuous review of the existing collection. Collection development is a shared responsibility. While the principal responsibility for collection development rests with the library faculty working in conjunction with the teaching faculty, no member of the Radford University community is excluded from participating in the process. Committee members, library liaisons, are expected to foster a relationship with teaching faculty, faculty liaisons in particular, to promote library materials as well as being aware of the needs of the departments they serve.

Collection Development Questions

Contact Alison Armstrong, Collection Management Librarian, or call 831-5699. If you are a faculty member, please send requests to your liaison.