Collection depth indicators
0 OUT OF SCOPE
The library does not intentionally collect materials in any format for this subject.
1 MINIMAL INFORMATION LEVEL
Collections that support minimal inquiries about this subject and include a very limited collection of general resources, including monographs and reference works. Periodicals directly dealing with this topic and in-depth electronic information resources are not collected.
The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
1a MINIMAL INFORMATION LEVEL, UNEVEN COVERAGE
- Few selections and an unsystematic representation of the subject
- Supports limited, specific service needs
- Consistently maintained even though coverage is limited
1b MINIMAL INFORMATION LEVEL, FOCUSED COVERAGE
- Few selections, but a systematic representation of the subject
- Includes basic authors, some core works and a spectrum of points of view
- Consistently maintained
2 BASIC INFORMATION LEVEL
Collections that introduce and define a subject, indicate the varieties of information available elsewhere, and support the needs of general library users through the first two years of college instruction include:
- A limited collection of general monographs and reference tools
- A limited collection of representative general periodicals
- Defined access to a limited collection of owned or remotely-accessed electronic bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
2a BASIC INFORMATION LEVEL, INTRODUCTORY
Limited collections of introductory monographs and reference tools that include:
- Basic explanatory works
- Histories of the development of the topic
- General works about the field and its important personages
- General encyclopedias, periodical indexes and statistical sources
2b BASIC INFORMATION LEVEL, ADVANCED
Collections of general periodicals and a broader and more in-depth array of introductory monographs and reference tools that include:
- Basic explanatory works
- Histories of the development of the topic
- General works about the field and its important personages
- A broader array of general encyclopedias, periodical indexes, and statistical sources
- A limited collection of representative general periodicals
- Defined access to a limited collection of owned or remotely accessed electronic bibliographic toots, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
This collection is sufficient to support the basic informational and recreational reading needs of an educated general public or students through the first two years of college.
3 STUDY OR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVEL
Collections that provide information about a subject in a systematic way, but at a level of less than research intensity and support the needs of general library users through college and beginning graduate instruction include:
- An extensive collection of general monographs and reference works and selected specialized monographs and reference works
- An extensive collection of general periodicals and a representative collection of specialized periodicals
- Limited collections of appropriate materials in languages other than the primary language of the collection and the country, for example, materials to aid in learning a language for non-native speakers or literature in the original language, such as German poetry in German or Spanish history in Spanish
- Extensive collections of the works of well-known authors and selections from the works of lesser-known authors
- Defined access to a broad collection of owned or remotely-accessed electronic resources, including bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
The collection should be systematically reviewed for currency of information and for assurance that essential and important information is retained, including significant numbers of retrospective materials.
3a BASIC STUDY OR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVEL
Resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about the primary topics of a subject area that include:
- A high percentage of the most important literature or core works in the field
- An extensive collection of general monographs and reference works
- An extensive collection of general periodicals and indexes/abstracts
- Other than those in the primary collection language, materials are limited to learning materials for non-native speakers and representative well-known authors in the original language, primarily for language education
- Defined access to appropriate electronic resources
This collection supports undergraduate courses, as well as the independent study needs of the lifelong learner.
3b INTERMEDIATE STUDY OR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVEL
Resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about more specialized subject areas which provide more comprehensive coverage of the subject with broader and more in-depth materials that include:
- A high percentage of the most important literature or core works in the field, including retrospective resources
- An extensive collection of general monographs and reference works and selected specialized monographs and reference works
- An extensive collection of general periodicals and a representative collection of specialized periodicals and indexes/abstracts
- A selection of resources in other languages. including well-known authors in the original language
- Defined access to a broad range of specialized electronic resources
This collection supports upper division undergraduate courses.
3c ADVANCED STUDY OR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT LEVEL
Resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about all aspects of the topic which are more extensive than the intermediate level but less than those needed for doctoral and independent research that include:
- An almost complete collection of core works including significant numbers of retrospective materials and resources
- A broader collection of specialized works by lesser-known, as well as well-known authors
- An extensive collection of general and specialized monographs and reference works
- An extensive collection of general and specialized periodicals and indexes/abstracts
- A selection of resources in other languages, including well-known authors in the original language and a selection of subject-specific materials in appropriate languages
- Defined access to a broad range of specialized electronic resources
This collection supports master's degrese level programs as well as other specialized inquiries.
4 RESEARCH LEVEL
Collections that contain the major published source materials required for doctoral study and independent research include:
- A very extensive collection of general and specialized monographs and reference works
- A very extensive collection of general and specialized periodicals
- Extensive collections of appropriate materials in languages other than the primary language of the country and collection
- Extensive collections of the works of both well-known and lesser-known authors
- Defined access to a very extensive collection of owned or remotely accessed electronic resources, including bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, journals, etc.
Older material is retained and systematically preserved to serve the needs of historical research.
5 COMPREHENSIVE LEVEL
Collections in a specifically defined field of knowledge that strive to be exhaustive as far as is reasonably possible (i.e., "special collections"), in all applicable languages include:
- Exhaustive collections of published materials
- Very extensive manuscript collections
- Very extensive collections in all other pertinent formats
Older material is retained and systematically preserved to serve the needs of historical research. A comprehensive level collection may serve as a national or international resource.