UNH Library Policies

The UNH Library is committed to providing long term stewardship and continued access to library collections. However, collections are strengthened by periodic evaluation and deselection. The UNH Library collection should reflect the University's programmatic growth and development. To this end, deselection and storage options are an integral and ongoing part of the collection life cycle.

Responsibility for deselection activities and decisions rests with the Library Faculty but decisions are made in consultation with the academic departments. Other faculty and staff will be called upon to serve as consultants as necessary. All deselection will be accomplished according to the guidelines listed below.

Objectives of Deselection:

• To make the most effective use of shelf space. (Shelving of library materials is inherently expensive. Sufficient stack space is always at a premium. Deselection may be necessary to remove materials that are not needed and provide space for new acquisitions.)
• To utilize acquisitions funds in the most effective manner. (Cancellation of unnecessary subscriptions or standing orders frees acquisitions funds to acquire other titles that are more responsive to current teaching and research needs.)
• To increase the relevance of the existing collections to current curricular needs for each department and program
• To maintain the collections in an acceptable physical condition

Guidelines for Retaining Monographs:

• Key authors in the field, historical and contemporary
• Primary source materials
• Seminal works
• Works by UNH or local author
• Materials of regional interest
• Prize winning works
• Works on a subject not frequently written about, or approaching the subject from an unusual point of view
• Works with substantial bibliographies

Guidelines for Deselecting Monographs:

• Outdated material - books which contain outdated or inaccurate information, unless valuable historically (example – textbooks)
• Superseded editions and duplicate copies (when deemed no longer needed for academic program)
• Worn or damaged items (Items that meet guidelines for retaining but are discarded due to physical condition are replaced with new copies when possible)
• Materials out of scope for the collection
• Works superseded by or accumulated in more comprehensive publications, such as bibliographies and indexes
• Incomplete sets
• Titles covered by stable online access

Guidelines for Retaining Journals:

• Title is part of a collective retention agreement (Example: Boston Library Consortium Agreements)
• Title is in scope for the collection and there is no stable online access available to UNH Community.
• Title contains features that are not reproduced or easily used online (ex. accompanying media or realia).
• Subscription retention criteria are based on: restrictions of publisher agreements, cost per use, and programmatic demands of instruction and research

Guidelines for Deselecting Journals:

• Volumes are covered by purchased online archive that is owned in perpetuity by UNH
• Library owns only partial run that is covered by a subscription database or freely accessible online
• Outdated material
• No or low use

The Library's Collection Strategy Librarian is responsible for monitoring and updating this policy as needed. Questions about this policy can be sent to ask@unh.libanswers.com.

Reviewed by UNH Library Faculty: 4/15

Approved by UNH Faculty Senate: 4/15

Minor edits by J. Carroll: 3/24

Approved by the Dean of the UNH Library: 12/24