Diversity

Collection Development Policy

In its 1998 Strategic Action Guidelines, the university has set three major goals: excellence in education, diversity and community service. The university affirms and supports diversity both in the composition of the campus community and in the curriculum through examination of diversity and cross-cultural issues. These kinds of educational experiences help prepare our students to work in the kinds of local, national, and international environments they will encounter after graduation and to be better citizens in their communities.

The collections of the University Libraries support the curriculum and scholarly activities of the university. Inherently, they represent a great deal of diversity--both current and historical-- in subjects, ideas, cultures and languages. For example, the entire anthropology collection could be regarded as a body of multi-cultural materials.

Additionally, in order to support the university's strategic goal for diversity, the library has created a special section of the New Books Collection called the Diversity Collection. It highlights new materials which most closely match the university's goal as described in the Strategic Action Guidelines. As newer materials are routinely added to the Diversity Collection, older materials are moved to the general circulating collection.

The Strategic Action Guidelines explain that the university is committed to providing an educational experience that reflects the realities of diversity. The curriculum will include programs and courses that examine issues related, for example to age, race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religious and ethical beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, and the differently abled. Studies in international programs are encouraged.

Materials selected for the Diversity Collection typically have the following characteristics:

1. A recent acquisition date
2. Contain information about topics listed in the diversity goal
3. Provide an experience of diverse perspectives e.g., Native American Poetry
4. Focus on an aspect of pluralism in North American society
5. Have a global or multi-national perspective
6. Are intentionally written to encourage discussion of diversity issues