The Library representative:

• Provides a communication link between the Library and his/her colleagues.
• Annually evaluates the Library’s current periodical subscriptions relating to his/her college, and makes recommendations for additions and deletions.
• Coordinates Library purchase requests for his/her college.

Each year, a certain amount of the Library's budget is set aside to purchase items requested by members of the faculty.  The college's representative is responsible for coordinating these requests. 

PRIORITIES

The deans and faculty of each college will determine distribution of recommended expenditures and priorities for purchases based on their departmental needs. The Library staff strives to provide necessary resources in a fair and equitable fashion.

PROCEDURES

• Faculty requests for Library purchases of books, videos, periodical subscriptions, or other items must be forwarded to the college’s representative for action.
• Purchase requests should be made using these forms.
• Complete information is essential for timely processing of purchase requests.
• Request forms should be signed by the college’s representative and Dean, and then submitted to the Library Director.
• Every academic year, budget information will be distributed to the representatives of each college. As purchases are confirmed, the representative will be informed of the college’s remaining balance.
• Items are ordered based on the availability of funds. The representative will be notified when the order is placed. If, for some reason, the request cannot be fulfilled, the representative will be notified of the reason.
• When requested items are received, the Library will notify the representative. The representative is expected to share this information with the person who initiated the request, as well as any other colleagues who might be interested in the new acquisition(s).
• Please note: Every effort is made by the acquisitions staff to satisfy faculty requests.  Out-of-print items or materials available only through independent or specialty publishers may require additional time to procure.  Whenever possible, hardbound copies are requested in order to extend the circulation life of the item. 

To ensure that items ordered for a specific fiscal year are paid for in the same fiscal year, the Library has set an annual schedule for receiving orders from the Library representative.  The annual schedule follows this plan:

• October 15: 75% of the allotted budget must be encumbered
• December 5: another 15% must be encumbered
• January 15: the last 10% must be encumbered

NOTE: if any of the above dates falls on a weekend, please refer to the representative’s letter you received in August for the exact dates. 

If the representative has not submitted the required percentage by the above annual due dates, the unencumbered amounts may be used for other college’s requests, at the discretion of the Library Director, with recommendations from the Library faculty. 

The Library Director is available to assist in determining the availability and cost of proposed acquisitions. Publishers’ and vendors’ catalogs are available for perusal upon request. For further details, please contact the Library Director.