Hello All,
I have recently created a collection development policy for our library.
This policy contained a section on intellectual freedom which stated,
among other things, that decisions regarding selection or deselction
ultimately rest with the professional judgement of the librarian and the
library committee. I did not
think that this was an outragous statement and in fact the policy was
recommended for approval by the library committee. Our dean has denied
approval based on that one statement. She believes that all purchases
should in fact be her decision, and this should be "officially"
recognized
in this document. While professing support for the current staff, she
indicated that it would be possible for a "rogue" librarian, on the take
from a "rogue" library committee, to collect inappropriate materials.
She needs to keep official control (More than the fact that the
librarian is an at will employee) so that she could stop this from
happening.
I am hoping to get some support from other academic libraries on this in
the form of collection development policies that include similar
language to my document. I have a very real concern with "officially"
making the dean responsible for the librarian's job.
In fact it makes me wonder what I am responsible for if it is not the
library collection. If you could send or e-mail your policy or the
appropriate section I would greatly appreciate it. I would also
appreciate any advice on how to deal with this.
What I would like to be able to do is present to the dean and the board
if necessary an overwhelming number of collection development policies
similar to mine. Alternately, If I find that I am in the wrong I would
like to know this so that I can change my policy.
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me,
Kathryn
Kathryn McTigue-Floyd
Library Director
San Joaquin College of Law
901 5th St.
Clovis, Ca 93612
(209) 323-2100
e-mail kmctigue@lightspeed.net
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