How materials are selected for acquisition

Book selection

Each year Fogler Library purchases thousands of books and other one-time expenses that are selected by librarians or suggested by faculty, students, and other members of the university community. In addition, the library participates in approval and profiled book plans, e-book subscription packages, and e-book usage-based purchasing plans in order to provide needed materials in support of curricular and research areas.

The library allocates part of its annual materials budget to subject areas which correspond to the University of Maine’s academic colleges and departments. Faculty are invited to submit suggestions for monograph titles which will address curriculum and research-related needs. In general, when there are sufficient funds available, these requests will be processed in the order in which they are received.

Textbooks

Students are expected to purchase their own copies of textbooks and other materials required for course use. In general, the library does not purchase course-required textbooks for the circulating collection or for reserve. The library does not have adequate funding to purchase both textbooks and other materials such as research monographs, trade titles, etc. in most subject areas. Textbooks are usually used for a short period of time only by those students enrolled in a course, and frequent textbook updates and revisions require regular costly replacements. The library will place personal copies of textbooks on reserve at the owner’s risk, or catalog and place on reserve donated copies.

Resources that require ongoing expenditures (e.g. journals, databases, and streaming media)

New subscriptions to electronic journals and journal packages, online indexes and databases, digital archives, e-book collections, streaming media, and other types of electronic resources for libraries represent on-going fiscal commitments. Subscriptions also increase annually in cost by an average of 6%. Thus, new subscriptions can be initiated only when sufficient funds for long-term commitments are available – because existing subscription resources will be canceled, or when money for this purpose has been added to Fogler Library’s base budget, the University of Maine System Libraries’ budget, or the state appropriations for electronic resource subscriptions.

Faculty and others may submit suggestions for journals, databases, and other subscriptions.

New Faculty, Programs, and Courses

The library does not automatically receive additional funding for materials to support new faculty hires’  specialized research areas, new courses, new programs, or changes in the curriculum, even if the need for new materials is noted during the undergraduate or graduate curriculum committee course approval process. The lack of journals, databases, media, and books to support new programs and courses can be a major source of frustration for faculty, students, and the library staff.

Faculty who are planning new programs and courses, and departments with new hires, should contact the Subject Specialist assigned to their department, or Deborah Rollins, Head, Collection Services Department, (207) 581-1659 to discuss availability of library resources.

Gifts

Fogler Library frequently receives and accepts gifts-in-kind donations (e.g. books, manuscripts). Due to existing collection policies, and physical space limitations, the library must be selective in accepting gifts-in-kind. If you are considering making a donation to the library, please contact Deborah Rollins, Head, Collection Services Department, via e-mail, or via phone at (207) 581-1659. You may also wish to review the library’s Gift Policy.