Immediate oversight of the processes to build and maintain the Library’s collection strength is the responsibility of the Seminary Librarian (Richmond focus) and the Director of the Charlotte campus Library (Charlotte focus), with ultimate responsibility for the full collection going to the Seminary Librarian.
1. General, Special (Richmond only) and Archival (Richmond only) Collections: The Charlotte Director and the Seminary Librarian are aided in selecting materials for these collections by the Public Services staff of the Library. These librarians and Library staff members derive knowledge of collection needs through interaction with patrons, study of the professional literature, book review sources and periodicals, publisher’s catalogs and subject-area bibliographies. They also seek recommendations and input from the Seminary’s faculty and welcome suggestions from students and other patrons. Throughout this work of collection development, the Director of the Charlotte campus Library works closely with the Seminary Librarian in Richmond to coordinate the development of resources. This is particularly true in the case of electronic resources made available via the web.
2. Instructional Resource Center (IRC): Selection of materials for the Instructional Resource Center is a cooperative effort between the Director of the Instructional Resource Center, faculty, students and community patrons. As with the General Collection, patron suggestions for purchase are taken seriously and the Library staff seeks to fill those requests that meet overall collection needs. Particular attention is given to faculty requests for items that are intended for use in specific courses. The IRC Director is responsible for maintaining the integrity and strength of the IRC collection so it is typically the IRC Director who determines what will be selected. With particularly expensive items, the IRC Director will consult with the Seminary Librarian before making purchases.
1. General Collection: The UPSem Library collects and maintains the following kinds of materials:
a. monographs (print and electronic)
b. periodicals (journals, newspapers, reviews, annuals, newsletters) (print and electronic)
c. series (monographic and irregular)
d. microforms (Richmond only)
e. digital databases and electronic texts
f. software for research and instruction
h. CD-ROMS and DVDs (Richmond and to a limited extent in Charlotte)
i. All print archival materials relating to Union Presbyterian Seminary are maintained in the Library archives in Richmond.
2. Instructional Resource Center (IRC) (Richmond): The IRC collects and maintains the following kinds of materials:
a. Curricula from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
b. Curricula from the United Methodist Church
c. Representative samples of curricula from major denominational families and independent publishers.
d. CDs, DVDs. Blu-Rays and Streaming Media, etc.
e. Audio Books
f. Posters and Maps
g. Kits
h. Games
i. Basic technology and other devices available to current students, faculty and staff to borrow
The IRC maintains its current collection of videotapes, audiotapes, art prints, but it does not collect additional items for these collections. The IRC does not collect banners, 16MM film, or phonograph records.
3. The Special Collections (Richmond): We collect and maintain the following kinds of Special Collections under the Archives Librarian and the Seminary Librarian’s direction:
a. Rare books relating to the Presbyterian and Reformed traditions
b. Valuable and/or rare publications published before 1830
c. Historic periodicals and serials related to the Southern Presbyterian tradition
4. The Archives (Richmond): The Archives collects and maintains the following kinds of materials:
a. Papers, records and publications of Union Presbyterian Seminary, the Presbyterian School of Christian Education and their predecessor institutions
b. The papers of former professors of Union Presbyterian Seminary and their predecessor institutions
c. Original and historic Presbyterian church documents deemed appropriate for the collection where space permits
1. General Collection: The identification and selection of new and gift materials to be added to the General Collection are determined by weighing several criteria listed below:
a. Whether an item is relevant to the scope of the collection as defined by this collection development policy;
b. The quality of the item in terms of its scholarship, creativity, lasting value, the reputation of the author and its contributors, and the publisher of the work;
c. The item’s cost;
d. The format of the item;
e. Whether multiple or duplicate copies of an item are warranted because they are needed in both the reference and the circulating collections, or the Library staff anticipates strong demand from patrons due to the subject matter or their use on course reserves;
f. The relation of the work to the documentary responsibilities of the Library to collect and preserve the record of Christian life and thought in the Presbyterian and United Methodist traditions;
g. The condition of the item.
h. Whether it is available as an eBook. (See section IV.)
2. The Instructional Resource Center: The identification and selection of new materials to be added to the IRC Collection are determined by five primary criteria:
a. The item provides the most current scholarship available on a given topic;
b. The item offers outstanding production quality;
c. The Seminary’s technological capabilities support the item’s media format;
d. The item represents a significant curriculum offering for Christian education in the local church;
e. The audiovisual material will be useful within a class taught by a Seminary professor
3. The Special Collections: Historic works that enrich study in any of the areas in which the Library maintains a collection of research-level intensity will be added to the Rare Book collection, particularly if their age and physical condition require the climate control and handling of the Archives area. Some works may be assigned to the Special Collections if very few copies are known to exist in Library collections. While we receive many rare items as gifts, we will also purchase them occasionally, if an item that would add significantly to the depth of our collection becomes available.
4. Archives: Select institutional records and personal papers of retired or deceased faculty members are housed in the Archives: these include materials of an historical nature documenting important developments in the life of Union Presbyterian Seminary, deceased alumni files, estate records, accreditation documents, dissertations and theses submitted for graduate degrees, and official publications. Only those documents that need to be maintained in perpetuity under rare-book conditions are added to the Archives.
The Library collects in depth in English. It also collects to some extent in other Western languages (especially German, French, and Spanish) when there is a demonstrated need, such as to support a specific program or set of courses. Greek and Hebrew exegetical materials are collected (as well as languages that supplement biblical studies, such as Aramaic and Arabic). Classic and historic works are collected in their original languages (the works of John Calvin in Latin, for example) as well as in English translations. Some effort is made to support reading in world Christianity in various vernaculars. Periodicals in English, German, French and Spanish are considered for inclusion based upon scholarly value and relevance.