LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT POLICY

INTRODUCTION

The CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library is a non-circulating, highly specialized reference collection focused on the Dominican population in the United States and other parts of the world. It supports the mission of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute by identifying, acquiring, organizing, preserving, and making available bibliographical sources documenting the Dominican experience.

The CUNY DSI Library has adopted the following Collection Development Policy to establish the principles upon which its collection is developed and maintained.

SELECTION GUIDELINES

Ultimate responsibility for material selection rests with the Library faculty who also rely on the CUNY DSI director to recommend new materials for purchase. CUNY staff and faculty are also encouraged to suggest materials for purchase. In addition, the Library welcomes patrons’ suggestions, comments, and ideas about the collection and its development. These suggestions will be subject to this Collection Development Policy.

The CUNY-DSI Library acquires materials that specifically deal with Dominican issues. The areas of collection include, but are not limited to, migration, Dominicans in the United States, language, literature, history, economics, politics, sports, and performance and visual arts. The format of the materials collected range from books, newspaper articles, magazines, journals, audiovisuals, unpublished dissertations and master’s theses, manuscripts, official documents, and declassified U.S. government documents.

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

The Library welcomes monetary donations to support its acquisitions goals and to improve its facilities. Gifts in kind are also welcome when the donor places no significant limitation on housing, handing, or disposition of duplicate, damaged or unwanted items. Items are accepted with the understanding that the Library may opt to dispose of them at the book sale and use the proceeds to obtain materials it deems necessary. In making this determination, the Library is guided by the need to add strength to the collection to meet the needs of scholars, students, and faculty in the field of Dominican Studies.

WEEDING POLICY

In order to keep the collection vibrant and useful, an active and continuing program of selection for withdrawal, or weeding, is maintained. Weeding is conducted to identify damaged items, materials that are out-of-date or no longer used, and duplicates. Withdrawn materials that are in good condition may be placed in the book sale.