Michigan State University

Collection Development Policy Statement: Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science

Issues affecting collection management and maintenance

Collection Management Issues

A. Remote Storage

The need for high quality, current, veterinary medicine and animal science information to be physically present in the Main Library is high. Particularly, materials deemed to be of interest in a browsing, in-library use, or ILL context have been kept in the stacks. Material that has not been checked out for a period of 20 years and/or thought to be of “marginal” educational or research value may be removed to Remote Storage. Items found to be of greater monetary or research value may be removed to Murray and Hong Special Collections.

B. Multiple Copies

Additional copies of print items are rarely purchased. Exceptions may be made for specific high-demand titles or titles authored by MSU faculty.

C. Preservation and Replacement

Because MSU houses Michigan’s only professional veterinary medicine collection, efforts are made to preserve items which have significance to the state’s veterinary professionals and institutions (such as the University of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and some hospitals). Efforts are also made to preserve items which have significance to the state’s animal science professionals and institutions (such as MSU Extension, the Michigan Department of Agriculture, and the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture). Murray and Hong Special Collections preserves materials of historical value.

Current major texts, heavily circulated, high-interest, or one-of-a-kind items should be replaced when appropriate. Decisions to replace materials missing or damaged beyond repair are made on a case-by-case basis.

D. Donations

Donated materials are rarely accepted unless they are historically significant or complete an incomplete series/run which the library already owns.