Norma Wood Library Cell Phone Use Policy

The Norma Wood Library is committed to providing a welcoming environment conducive to study. Noise from the use of cell phones and pagers is disruptive to a study environment.

Please set cell phones and pagers to a non-audible signal upon entering the library. Patrons are asked to conduct cell phone conversations outside the Library.  Please take your belongings with you if you move to make a phone call.  Please be courteous and responsible in the use of your cell phone.

Library patrons wishing to report inappropriate cell phone use can contact a library staff member at the nearest service desk.  The Library reserves the right to ask anyone to leave the Library if he/she is using a cell phone or pager in a prohibited area or disturbing others in the Library.

Norma Wood Library Children's Policy

Children are welcome in our libraries and we are concerned about their safety and welfare. However, parents and care-givers are responsible for monitoring the activities and regulating the behavior of their children under the age of 14 while the children are in the library. The responsibility for the safety and behavior of the children in the Library rests with the parents, legal guardians or other responsible adult caregivers.

Faculty Requests

Procedures for Ordering New Materials  

1.  To assist faculty in making selections and verifying author/title, the library subscribes to several literature review journals. These can be read in the library or online. Consult your librarian for journal titles.

2.   Please make requests on faculty request cards, or by submitting the publisher’s catalog with circles drawn around the items of interest. ). Request cards are available in the library. Please call (extension 130) or e-mail (eburg@asumh.edu) if you want cards placed in your mail box..

3.  Cards should be typed or printed.

4.  Please keep in mind that it can take as many as 6 weeks to complete the entire order process. When items are backordered or out-of-stock, the process may take 3 months or longer. Rush orders can usually be completed in 2 to 3 weeks depending on their availability.

5.  Journal requests are welcome. Please consult with Library Director before submitting journal requests.

6.  Faculty request cards are returned to faculty once the item is cataloged. We look forward to helping you with your requests.

Funds for purchasing library materials: “Rules of thumb”
Revised by the Library Committee - November 2005

1.  Maximum $750 per FT faculty when there is one in a discipline and he/she only teaches one discipline.

2.  FT faculty covering multiple disciplines:  $1,750 per faculty.

3.  More than one FT faculty covering a single discipline: $1,750 for the discipline.

4.  To avoid duplication of effort, all PT faculty requests are funneled through FT faculty within their discipline or division chair.

5.  Not more than 50% of budget may be spent on videos.

6.  When a discipline is not represented by a FT faculty, the discipline is allotted $750.

7.  When faculty member's requests exceed their allotment, the Library Director places their requests in a desiderate file and towards the end of the year, the Director fills as many of those requests as I can depending on how much is left in the budget.

8.  Recommendations for additions outside one's discipline are directed to appropriate department.

9.  Student requests are filled at the Director's discretion except for journal requests.  These are discussed with appropriate faculty.

10.  Faculty requests must be received not later than February 1st for the current fiscal year.  The Director maintains a desiderate file to which funds not spent by faculty will be applied after February 1st.  This is done in light of the business office's deadlines for completing the current year's transactions.

Library Materials Selection and Patron Records Confidentiality Policy

I. Specific Policy Statements

A. The Norma Wood Library and ASUMH Library Committee endorse and will adhere to the Library Materials Selection Policy and the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read statement as established by the American Library Association. [see documents following]

B. Data Privacy
The Norma Wood Library and the ASUMH Library Committee recognizes circulation and other records identifying library users and/or materials used by them as confidential in nature.

Arkansas law protects the privacy of data contained in library records. Unless ordered by a court, private data may not be disclosed to anyone other than the person about whom it is referring or to authorized library staff for library purposes.

Information gathered by the library for issuing library cards and information linking patrons with the material they borrow is private - available only to the individual patron concerned and authorized library staff.

Items that are returned on time are removed from the patron’s record as they are checked in.
Fines and related item information remain on patron records until paid. Un-returned items become a public debt and are no longer protected data.

When a patron requests materials, a record of the request is kept only until the patron receives that request.

If a patron is under age 18, information on that patron’s library record is available to her/his parent(s) or guardian.

II. Statement of Library Objectives in Regard to Library Materials
The Norma Wood Library will use allotted funds for the benefit of the University and general public, to:

1. Provide library resources for the interest, information and enlightenment of all the students, faculty, staff, and citizens of the area served, according to policies set by the University.

2. Provide all necessary library services which support public access to library resources.

III. Statement of General Collection Development Objectives.

A. General Collection Development.
The collection of the Norma Wood Library shall be developed under the supervision of the Librarian(s). The collection shall be expanded and weeded based on the best professional judgment of the Librarian, or those designated. The library shall provide access to the human records of the past and present, whether factual, imaginative, scientific, or cultural. It shall consider all intellectual levels in a variety of both print and non-print forms. The Library shall coordinate its efforts with the Baxter County Library and other libraries, including the Arkansas State University Library in Jonesboro and other information agencies, in collection development and acquisition. The library will attempt to reduce unnecessary duplication, facilitate efficient acquisition and sharing of materials and information, and use funds allotted in the most effective manner possible. The collection shall be developed and organized for access in many ways, thus making it possible for citizens to be informed and entertained; and allowing access for those disadvantaged by lack of education, lack of language facility, ethnic or cultural background, age, physical or mental handicaps, or apathy.

B. Partisan, Doctrinal, and Proselytizing Materials

Selection in various subject and user areas will be such that partisan, doctrinal, and proselytizing materials, including those of a religious, political, or philosophical nature, will be considered on the basis of the actual demand of the University students, faculty, and staff for such items and upon the contribution made presently and in the future to the total collection. Materials will be considered which are in high demand, provide an authoritative viewpoint on a subject, or serve to balance information or viewpoints of materials already included or being considered for inclusion in the collection. Material favored in current standard library selection tools will be given priority in being considered.

C. Responsibility for Selection of Materials

Within the limits of funding approved by the University and policies set by the University, materials for the library will be selected according to the needs and desires of the clientele served, as determined by the best professional judgment of the Librarian and those designated. The clientele include University students, faculty, and staff, and members of the surrounding community. Considerations will include the development of the collection in serving the University’s present and future needs and desires. This will include obtaining the best possible value for funds spent and providing a fair and reasonable distribution of material among the disciplines and interests of the clientele served.

D. Policy on Gifts and Memorials

1. The Norma Wood Library is pleased to accept gifts and/or memorial gifts from patrons. Gifts are gratefully and willingly accepted as long as no restriction is placed upon their use. No commitment to accept gifts shall be made by anyone except the Director of the library, or in special circumstances, the chancellor of the University. All such offers made indirectly shall be referred to the Director. In respect to gift books, this policy shall be followed: the library maintains the right to decide whether or not any gift is to be added to the collection, sold, or discarded.

2. It should be made clear to the donor that:

a. The Library is not obligated to retain any gifts which fail to meet its criteria for selection.
b. The Library has the right to discard at anytime gifts in poor physical condition (e.g., brittle paper, water or mildew damage, underlining in the text, torn and/or missing pages.)
c. The Library has the right to discard at anytime gifts which duplicate materials already in the collection that are not needed for replacement or duplicate copies.
d. The Library is not obligated to retain back issues of gift periodical subscriptions that are of limited interest or are not indexed.
e. The Library has the right to determine the suitability of the materials for inclusion in the reference or circulating collections and those materials which are useful to the library collection will be retained and other items disposed of in whatever manner the library deems best.
f. The Library will determine the classification, housing, and circulation policies of all gifts as it does with purchased items.
g. The Library does not appraise gifts or provide evaluations of gifts for tax deductions or other purposes, nor does it fill out tax forms on donor’s behalf, but will acknowledge receipt of gifts in writing if requested by the donor. (See attached letter of acknowledgement.)

3. Suggestions of specific titles or subjects are welcomed when memorial donations are given, but the final decision, based on the library collection, rests with the Librarian. 4. The Library reserves the right to integrate gifts into the general collection, as they cannot be given special housing, but an appropriate book plate will be placed in each gift if requested by the donor. 5. Materials written or produced by local authors must meet the general selection standards for inclusion in the library collection. No materials will be automatically added to the collection. 6. Materials generally unsuitable as gifts include:

a. Most textbooks except in those areas where the titles represent the main body of knowledge or best available sources of information.
b. Most complimentary desk copies or publisher's samples.
c. Older editions of titles already owned by the Library, unless the earlier edition contains different information or is deemed intrinsically valuable.
d. Marked-up or dilapidated copies.
e. Monographs that are badly soiled and stained.
f. Consumable materials including workbooks and instructional supplies.
g. Most ephemera.
h. Outdated titles containing erroneous or misleading information, particularly in the science, social science and business disciplines.
i. Mundane gifts which might result from a spring housecleaning, such as Reader's Digest Condensed Books.
j. Broken and defective sets of periodicals, unless the acquisition would complete an existing run.

7. When gifts are delivered in the absence of the Director, the donor must leave his/her name, current address, and phone number. Upon being informed of the library policies, if the donor does not wish to contribute the collection, he/she must reclaim the collection within 30 calendar days.

8. Gifts will be withdrawn from the collection and disposed of following the policy guidelines set forth in Section E.
E. Policy for Withdrawal of Materials
As the physical plant of the Library limits materials capacity and as the use and age of materials limits their life and effectiveness, materials must be periodically re-evaluated as to their current and future value to the Library.

1. When possible, damaged or worn materials of continuing value will be repaired and/or replaced with materials having similar content.
2. Materials of continuing value which are replaced by updated or revised information will be considered for redistribution according to the needs of the Library.

3. When, in the best professional judgment of the Librarian and/or those designated, the current and future value of materials do not warrant retaining multiple or any copies, the Librarian will authorize withdrawal of materials according to the "Crew Guidelines for Weeding" and the following standards:

a. Ephemeral materials which are no longer timely
b. Materials which are no longer considered accurate or factual
c. Materials which have had little recent use (have circulated less than two times in the last five years) and are of questionable value
d. Duplicates
e. Superseded editions
f. Materials that are infested, dirty, shabby worn out, etc.
g. Periodicals with no indexes
IV. Procedures for requesting reconsideration of materials owned or under consideration for purchase, restricting circulation or removal of materials from the collection.
A. A written request is made by completing the Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials form [see Form following].

The form must be completely filled out by each individual making the request, hereafter called Requester.

Requests made by anyone not established to be directly associated with the University are subject to dismissal without consideration by the University.

B. Upon receiving a properly completed request, the Librarian shall notify the Library committee that a request has been made, and provide all information and the date of the next Library Committee meeting when the request shall be on the agenda. Notice must be posted in the Library for a minimum of ten (10)working days before any Library Committee meeting considering the request. The item in question will be subject to recall from circulation in time for examination at the meeting.

C. The Librarian will assemble all information on which selection and retention of the item was based, such as reviews, quotations, the number of circulations and requests for the item, and such information as might be relevant to the item's place in the collection.

D. The Library Committee shall meet with the Librarian to consider the item according to library policy. A decision to retain the item, or remove it from, or restrict it within the collection shall be made.

E. Notice of the Library Committee's decision is sent to the Requester(s), and posted in the Library for at least 60 days for public information.

F. If the restriction or removal is objected to by anyone directly associated with the University (person hereafter called the Supporter), the Supporter may request reinstatement to normal circulation and/or retention of the item. Otherwise, the request for reinstatement will be treated as a new request for acquisition and unrestricted circulation. The Library Committee may elect to reinstate the item or to obtain it only on an interlibrary loan basis in the future. A notice will be posted ten (10) working days prior to processing the request for acquisition.

G. If the Library Committee decision is unsatisfactory to the Requester or Supporter, or further action is desired, the same or a second reconsideration request is made through the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, following the same rules. The Library Committee meets with the Librarian and the Vice Chancellor to reconsider action on the item.

Adopted on this _____ day of _________, 1998.

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Norma Wood Library

Arkansas State University Mountain Home

Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials

Author__________________________Book___Periodical___Other___

Title_______________________________________________________

Publisher_____________________________Copyright Year_______

Request initiated by______________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________

City____________________State_____Zip_______Phone___________

Do you represent: Yourself only_______

Organization (state name)______________________________________

Other group (state name)______________________________________

1. To what in the work do you object? (Please be specific, cite pages)

____________________________________________________________

2. Did you read the entire work?________

What parts?_________________________________________________

3. What do you feel might be the result of reading this work? ___________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

4. For what age group would you recommend this work? ______________

5. What do you believe is the theme of this work? ___________________________________________________________

6. Are you aware of judgments of this work by literary critics?

___________________________________________________________

7. What would you like the library to do about this work?

____Return it to the Librarian/Library Committee for reevaluation.
____Other.

Explain____________________________________________________

8. In its place, what work would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture and perspective of the subject treated?
____________________________________________________________

Signature______________________________________Date___________

Norma Wood Library

Donation To

Arkansas State University Mountain Home

The Norma Wood Library of Arkansas State University Mountain Home gratefully acknowledges receipt from:

Donor Name _______________________________

Address _______________________________

_______________________________

Telephone _______________________________

The following items:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________ _____________________________________

Date Signature of Donor

The library welcomes gifts but accepts them with the understanding that it has the right to handle or dispose of them in the best interest of the institution. Such material may be added to the collection provided it meets the standards of selection. Gifts are accepted unconditionally, and once given to the library they cannot be returned to the donor.

Although the library acknowledges gifts for tax purposes, it is prohibited by law from assigning value to the gifts.

Received by: _______________________________

Norma Wood Library

Arkansas State University Mountain Home

1600 South College Street

Mountain Home, AR 72653

(870) 508-6112

Norma Wood Library Wireless Access Policy 

In keeping with its mission to provide an environment conducive to lifelong learning, support students in achieving their academic goals, furnish access to resources in a variety of formats, assist in research and technology issues, and act as an information center for the University, the Norma Wood Library of Arkansas State University Mountain Home is pleased to provide wireless Internet access to its patrons. 

Library patrons wishing to make use of the library’s wireless Internet access should be aware of the following: 

1.  A laptop/notebook computer or other wireless device with wireless networking is required to utilize the wireless Internet service.  The library does not provide wireless network cards to patrons. 

2.  Library staff will not provide technical assistance in configuring or troubleshooting to obtain wireless access.  The library does not guarantee that all wireless devices will be able to connect to the wireless Internet service. 

3. While every effort has been made to provide comprehensive wireless coverage, patrons may encounter spots where wireless reception is limited.  In such instances, patrons are advised to move to a different location within the library. 

4. The Norma Wood Library is not responsible for any wireless devices left unattended. 

5. No printers are available for laptop computer users.  Saved files can be brought to one of the library’s public access computer workstations for printing.  The library assumes no responsibility for data loss that may occur during this process. 

6. The library is not responsible for any damage that may occur to a wireless device while connected to the wireless network.   

7. The library’s wireless network is not secure.  Information sent to and from any laptop computer or other wireless device may be captured by someone else with a wireless device and the appropriate software.   

8.  By choosing to utilize the library’s free wireless service, patrons agree to abide by the Norma Wood Library Computer and Internet Acceptable Use Policy.  This policy provides guidelines for Internet access and lists examples of unacceptable use.  A copy of this policy is available upon request.

Approved by the Library Committee on March 16, 2005