Materials may be evaluated based on the following criteria. Note that these criteria may be applied differently across the collection based on subject needs.
Items that are duplicated by the library’s electronic collections will be flagged for deselection.
Digital resources that are owned by the library in perpetuity and exist in a stable archival format will supersede any physical format.
In some cases, a resource may be flagged for deselection if the library licenses current access to the title in an electronic format. Under these circumstances, the library will consult with faculty on the anticipated lifecycle of the information within the resource before making a final determination.
In special circumstances, a published resource may have intrinsic value that stems from the item’s physical format. The library will consult with faculty to determine if physical items should be retained in order to support a demonstrated teaching and/or research need.
Items that are no longer covered under copyright, and are freely accessible through HathiTrust, will be flagged for deselection.
Faculty may request that the physical format be retained if there is a demonstrated need for teaching purposes. These items will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
As a member of HathiTrust, the library receives access to full-text search capabilities of titles in-copyright. This provides researchers with the ability to conduct keyword searches of print texts rather than strictly relying upon indexes or tables of contents. Although the library will not make a determination for retention or deselection based solely on HathiTrust’s in copyright offering, it is an added benefit when considering larger, multi-volume titles for retention.
In cases where multiple editions of the same title are owned, the library will flag all but the most recent edition for review. In these cases, the library will consult with faculty on the earlier editions to determine if the content warrants retention.
In the rare case that a resource is duplicated in another area of the physical collection, the library will review the physical condition of all items and retain the copy/copies in the best physical condition.
In cases where a multi-volume title is missing one or more volumes, the library will flag these titles for review. If it is determined that the title, as a whole, should be retained, the library will assess the financial feasibility of purchasing the missing volumes. In cases where it is not feasible or possible to replace the missing volume(s), the title will be flagged for deselection.
Items that are in a severe state of disrepair will be flagged for review. If it is determined that the resource should be retained, the library will determine the financial feasibility of either replacing or outsourcing the repair/preservation of the item. Otherwise, the resource will be deselected.
Usage is am importation (though not only) factor in considering the currency and relevance of a collection. Research collections that have not circulated in some time may be evaluated for deselection. Specific criteria for evaluation based on circulation will be articulated for each assessment project.
Items located within the reference collection are non-circulating, meaning that any circulation data are unreliable or inaccurate. Usage will not be used to determine the retention or deselection of items within this particular collection, though observational evaluation of the Dewey Reference collection in 2019 revealed that usage of the collection during an average week is near non-existent.
The library is committed to retaining resources, when possible, that fall into a category that can be described as rare and/or unique. This criterion alone cannot serve as a deciding factor when determining whether or not an item should be retained.
For the purpose of this deselection project, resources held by fewer than 25 U.S. libraries or fewer than 5 North Carolina libraries will be considered “rare.” Resources held by fewer than 5 U.S. libraries, or in cases where Davidson College holds the only copy in North Carolina, will be considered “unique.”
In cases where antiquarian books are discovered within the general collection, Collections Strategies will consult with Archives, Special Collections, and Community to determine the appropriate protocol for handling the item(s).
The library has a finite amount of space to house physical collections and therefore items cannot be retained simply because they are “old.” Special attention will be given to resources that are flagged as unique, taking care to objectively evaluate each item.
Items will be evaluated based on the currency and accuracy of the information within. It is understood that many disciplines rely upon historical information for teaching and research purposes and with this in mind, such evaluative criteria cannot exist in a vacuum. The library will consult with faculty on making an appropriate determination as to the value of the title for teaching and research.
When possible, the library will utilize available information such as syllabi, course reserves utilization, etc. to vet resources prior to consulting faculty. This will alleviate the volume of titles requiring detailed review.
Items in the collections may be independently evaluated by the library's Archives, Special Collections, and Community team for evidence of material that fit within Davidson College Library's Special Collections policies. Faculty may recommend items be moved to ASCC by virtue of their unique evidentiary or content values. ASCC material does not circulate but may be consulted in house.
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Mailing Address: Davidson College - E.H. Little Library, 209 Ridge Road, Box 5000, Davidson, NC 28035