Collection Priorities

Priority 1: Materials produced by authors and publishers of good reputation. Also selected are those that are accurate and have literary merit and immediate educational value for students served by the College. Included are materials that have basic permanent value and timely materials that have current value. Course-adopted, traditional text books are generally not purchased for the collection.

Priority 2: Materials that could be useful to students and faculty in various subject areas within the educational scope of the College, but which are not absolutely essential to the collection in these areas. Also fitting into this category are materials of outstanding quality that are not concerned directly with the present curriculum of the College. Purchase of these books is desirable but not essential.

Priority 3: Materials of merit that would be “nice to have” but are not essential to the collection, either in support of the curriculum or in related subject areas. These books could be thought of as luxury items.

Policies for Collection Development

The Kalamazoo College Library follows Collection Development Policies for the acquisition of materials. A collection development policy is a written statement of the Library’s intentions for building its collection. It provides guidelines for staff and describes the Library collection’s strengths and weaknesses.

Recommend a Purchase

To recommend a purchase for the Collection you may complete our Suggest a Purchase Form or contact our Collection Services Librarian, Leslie Burke.