UTC library evaluates collection for first time; some express concern

photo Staff Photo by Tim Barber/Chattanooga Times Free Press Mike Bell, head of acqusitions for the Lupton Library at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, talks about the review period for library books on the third floor.

The Lupton Library at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is undertaking a two-year project to review its collection for the first time in at least 37 years, but some worry about how it's being done.

"It's more than just an inventory, more than just a review of what we may not need any longer," said Mike Bell, head of materials processing and assistant dean at the library.

"It's also looking where we have gaps or lack coverage for a program we haven't bought anything for in several years," he said.

Anthony Steinhoff, professor of modern European history at UTC, is among faculty members who say the process is too aggressive.

"In terms of improving the quality of the library and its connection, in particular to our academic activities on campus, this type of project is actually long overdue," Steinhoff said.

"My concerns started to crystallize as I started to see the initial results of this project in terms of the number, and to a degree, the types of books that were identified as needing review," he added.

Steinhoff and others fear part of the reason might be the cost to move to the new library - estimated to be between $150,000 and $200,000. Library officials said that has nothing to do with the review.

Last year library liaisons started to go over books in eight subjects. Depending on subject, up to 44 percent of books in a collection have been identified for review.

Under the world history collection, 4,933 books, or 19 percent, were identified for review. Out of those, 956 are extra copies and 571 are older editions.

Faculty have until Feb. 15 to give input on what the library should keep.

Each semester, books related to a specific subject will be reviewed based on number of duplicates, condition and usage, among other criteria, Bell said.

Lupton Library Dean Theresa Liedtka said one of the goals of the project is to make it easier for students to find materials they need and to increase circulation numbers.

Bell and Liedtka said if anyone suggests a book should be kept, they will do so, no questions asked.

"We've made the process as transparent and flexible as possible so faculty can participate," said Liedtka.

Steinhoff said that although the information has been made available, for some areas it's too much for faculty to review in a timely manner.

"Whereas decisions that we don't need duplicate copies of certain materials are somewhat straightforward, other decisions about material require a certain degree of disciplinary expertise that in many cases only the faculty are capable of providing," he said.

For other faculty members the process is going smoother.

"I looked over a portion of the chemistry selection [Wednesday]. These were all relatively old books - over 35 years old - that had rarely, if ever, been checked out," chemistry professor Greg Grant wrote in an e-mail. "Given how fast our discipline changes, information that is this old will be somewhat suspect."

He said the chemistry department faculty generally feels positive about the project.

But art history professor Gavin Townsend said as long as UTC aspires to offer more graduate programs, the library needs to act more like a research facility.

"If we stick with the undergraduate model, then the library can weed books at will, preserving only those texts most suited to a contemporary undergraduate clientele," Townsend wrote in an e-mail. "But if we harbor serious graduate aspirations, doesn't the game change? Shouldn't the library be expected to serve more as a repository of information?"

He suggested the library hold on to all of the unique books, especially if space is not an issue.

The space for the physical core book collection will be less in the new library, shrinking from 23,960 square feet to 19,755 square feet.

But a new shelving system will provide plenty of room in the new facility, Liedtka said.

"We have 30-plus years of growth built in," she said.

The library's current mission is not to be a research facility, she added.

"It's not up to us," she said. "We really follow the university in that regard. Right now what they want is to be a top five midsize regional library."

She said they will try to complete the review before the move to the new library, which is scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.


ABOUT THE COLLECTION EVALUATION PROJECT

* A library liaison in each department does the initial review and flags books for a second level of review.

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* Books under consideration include: duplicate copies of titles that don't circulate; damaged books; outdated editions for which updated titles are available; and obsolete titles for which there's adequate coverage elsewhere.

* Faculty members may review the list and can suggest that a title be kept.

* The library will not discard any book for which there are 100 or fewer holding libraries in the world or if the information is unavailable elsewhere.

* Remaining titles will be offered for sale before being donated.

* There are no target numbers set and there are no quotas per section.

* The circulating collection includes 350,000 to 500,000 volumes.

* The goal is to have the evaluation completed by January 2012.

Source: Theresa Liedtka, dean of Lupton Library


BY THE NUMBERS

Number and percentages identified for review so far:

* Agriculture: 606, or 34 percent of the agriculture book collection. Includes 26 extra copies and 19 older editions.

* Astronomy: 345, or 32 percent. Includes 21 extra copies and 15 older editions.

* Chemistry: 1,130, or 31 percent. Includes 24 extra copies and 72 older editions.

* Communication: 196, or 17 percent. Includes 30 extra copies and 34 older editions.

* Engineering (not electrical): 3,354, or 37 percent. Includes 74 extra copies and 244 older editions.

* Philosophy: 1,455 or 20 percent. Includes 213 extra copies and 94 older editions.

* Psychology: 2,758 or 44 percent. Includes 115 extra copies and 265 older editions.

* World history: 4,933 or 19 percent. Includes 956 extra copies and 571 older editions.

Source: Lupton Library website

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