ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 274/C&RL News Standards lo r community, junior, and technical college learning resources program s1 Attend the hearings at the ALA A n n u a l Conference in M ia m i T hese revised standards apply to two-year or three-year academic institutions award­ ing associate degrees or certificates. They are intended to assist in evaluating and develop­ ing learning resources programs. With ap­ proval by the Association for Educational Com­ m u nications and T e c h n o lo g y and the Association o f College and Research Librar­ ies, the document revises and replaces “Stan­ dards for Community, Junior, and Technical College Learning Resources Programs,” 1990. To remain current and useful, these standards should be reviewed and revised or rewritten on a regular five-year cycle. Community, junior, and technical colleges make a significant contribution to post-second- ary education. Academic programs parallel the first two years o f education in the arts and sci­ ences in four-year institutions. Many two-year colleges, and four-year colleges and universi­ ties have articulation agreements facilitating student transfers. Reflecting the combination o f availability o f courses and the expectation o f successful completion o f programs, more than half o f the students currently pursuing higher education are enrolled in community, technical, and junior colleges. The colleges are generally community based and responsive to local needs, offering weekend and evening courses. Many colleges offer contractual courses designed to meet the special training require­ ments o f businesses, corporations, and asso­ ciations. Moderate costs and open-access offer op­ portunities to students who would not other­ wise be able to attend college. Emphases on vocational and adult programs and continuing education provide retraining and employment skills for many adult students. Basic education and remediation programs are common offer­ ings. Comprehensive standards for learning re­ sources programs and services, are required to realize the vision of the American Association o f Community Colleges o f building communi­ ties2 and to maintain excellence in teaching in two-year colleges. In most two-year institutions an expanded concept o f learning resources provides diverse instructional services to the broader college community. The term “learning resources program” is applied in these standards to an organizational configuration which provides a core o f library and media materials and a variety of related services. Many programs provide unique or specialized services or have instructional respon­ sibilities. At some colleges, library and learn­ ing resources are integrated. At others, they are parallel programs. The structure and func­ tion o f a learning resources program within an institution are determined by the role assigned to learning resources in the institutional orga­ nization. This role must be consistent with the stated mission o f the institution and its educa­ tional goals, curricula, size, and complexity; and include the diverse resources needed to accom­ modate different learning styles. The role o f the learning resources program is related to the institutional effectiveness of the college. If institutional effectiveness is mea­ sured in terms o f student success in grades, credit and completion/transfer rates, learning resources standards based on circulation statis­ tics, book counts, and other traditional mea­ sures may not be relevant because they are Prepared by a join t committee o f the Community College Association fo r Instructional Technology (CCAIT) of AECT and the Community and Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) o f ACRL, co-chairs Marilyn McDonald and Gretchen H. Neill May 1994/275 limited in detailing the direct impact o f learn­ ing resources programs in effecting successful learning outcomes. Learning resources effec­ tiveness measures should rely on the relational attributes o f the program which directly im­ pact learning attained by students. C o n te n ts Standard One Objectives Standard Tw o Organization and Administration Standard Three Staff Standard Four Budget Standard Five User Services Standard Six Collections Standard Seven Facilities Appendix A Checklist o f Basic LRC Services and Activities Appendix B Checklist o f Additional Services Components Appendix C Example Table o f California Standards S t a n d a r d O n e : O b je c tiv e s 1.0 The college shall develop a compre­ hensive mission statement for the learning re­ sources program based on the nature and pur­ pose o f the institution. Commentary. A clear, unambiguous state­ ment o f the role o f the learning resources pro­ gram which relates to the effectiveness o f the institution is essential for accountability, admin­ istration, and review regardless o f the organi­ zational structure o f the pro­ gram. For multicollege districts and multicampus community c o lle g e s separate m ission statements may be needed for each college or each campus which relate to the overall statement for the districtwide learning resources program. 1.1 The mission statement shall be d evelop ed by the learning resources staff in con­ sultation with the widest pos­ sible representation o f the col­ lege community and shall be reviewed periodically. Com m entary. A ssign ­ ment o f responsibility to the learning resources staff for the development o f the statement and for its utilization and re­ view is appropriate. T o be meaningful and useful, the statement needs to incorporate the concerns of the college at large and the relationship o f the college to the community. 1.2 The mission statement shall be used, along with institutional educational goals, in the annual planning pro­ cess. Com m entary. The mission statement serves as a basis for the evalua­ tion o f services and the projection o f future needs. As such, it becomes an in­ tegral part o f the planning process and the starting point for institutional ef­ fectiveness review o f the learning resources pro­ grams. 1.3 All component units o f the learning re­ sources program, whether administered centrally or by campus units, should be clearly defined. Commentary. The learning resources pro­ gram should include essential learning re­ sources and media services as identified in the lists in Appendix A. Centralized and cam­ pus-based services should be clearly identi­ fied. The learning resources program may in­ clude special components beyond learning H o w these standards w ere revised This d ra ft revision o f the “ S tandards fo r C om m unity, Junior, an d Tech­ nic a l C o lle g e Learning Resources P rog ram s” w as p re p a re d b y a joint com mittee o f the C om m unity C ollege Association fo r Instructional Technology (CCAIT) o f AECT and the C om m unity an d Junior College Libraries Section (CJCLS) o f ACRL. M em bers o f tne com mittee are Su­ san M . A n d e rs o n , St. Petersburg J u n io r C o lleg e (e d ito r); B ernard Fradkin, C ollege o f DuPage; Khan M . Hassan (1 9 9 2 -9 3 ), Piedmont V irg in ia C om m unity C ollege; W a n d a K. Johnston, Broome C om m u­ nity C ollege; Susan M . Maltese, O akton C om m unity C ollege; Lois I. M a rrio tt, Southwestern C ollege; M a rily n M . M cD on ald, Foothill C ol­ lege (co-chair); Gretchen H. N e ill, D eKalb C ollege (co-chair); James O . W a lla c e , San A n to n io C ollege (emeritus); M a j. Jerry K lopfer (1 9 9 3 - 94), N e w M e xico M ilita ry Institute; and G eorge W ils o n , Tyler Junior C ollege. In establishing the need fo r jo in t revision, the members o f the com ­ mittee w orke d actively to encourage coo pera tion between ACRL and AECT. This d ra ft revision has been in com mittee fo r tw o years and represents an exa m inatio n o f the professional literature, testim ony from a he aring held a t AECT in February 1 9 9 4 , an d input from a num ber o f previous users. This d ra ft revision w ill be published in both Tech Trends and C&RL News. A second full h e aring w ill be held at the A LA A nnual Conference in M ia m i in June 1 9 9 4 , before the standards w ill be e d ­ ited fo r jo in t ap p ro v a l and endorsem ent by both associations. C om ­ ments concerning this revised d ra ft should be addressed to either co­ c h a ir o f the committee. 276/C&RL News resources and media services such as those listed in Appendix B. 1.4 The learning resources program shall be an integral part of the institution’s process for the improvement of instruction. Commentary. An effective learning re­ sources program is an essential component of the entire educational program. Participation by learning resources staff in curriculum devel­ opment is necessary to plan effective learning resources services, to identify and acquire re­ sources to support the curriculum, and to set priorities on the use o f financial and other re­ sources. S ta n d a rd T w o : O rg a n iz a t io n a n d A d m in is tra tio n 2.0 The responsibilities and functions of the component units o f the learning resources program within the institutional structure shall be clearly defined. Commentary. The administration of the institution should clearly assign responsibility for the learning resources program and iden­ tify the component units. The organizational chart should reflect the services provided and relate to the quality of the overall educational program. When restricted to only core services, the quality and impact on the instructional pro­ gram may be limited; when too vaguely de­ fined, valuable resources may be too widely dispersed to be fully utilized. Clarity in identi­ fying functions and specificity in assigning re­ sponsibilities provide a learning resources pro­ gram capable o f supporting the instructional needs o f the students and the college commu­ nity. The learning resources program should develop policies, procedures, and job descrip­ tions and relate these to institutional policies and procedures. 2.1 The duties and responsibilities o f the chief administrator of the learning resources program shall be clearly defined within the in­ stitutional structure. Commentary. The program administrator is responsible for providing leadership and direc­ tion so that the mission of the program is ful­ filled. The administrator should report to the chief academic officer and have the same ad­ ministrative rank and status as other adminis­ trators with similar responsibilities. A title such as Dean or Director o f Libraries, Instructional Services, or of Learning Resources is appropriate. 2.2 The learning resources program admin­ istrator shall be professionally trained and knowledgeable about learning resources, in­ formation, and/or media materials and services. Commentary. The training and experience of the program administrator shall be as a li­ brarian, a media specialist, or an information specialist, with cross-training desirable. The minimal professional degree and prerequisite for the position is a master’s degree in library or information science, educational technology or media, or learning resources services. To interact with other administrators and the learn­ ing resources staff, the administrator should demonstrate effective management skills. To make decisions on new information services, the administrator should have continuous ex­ perience with new and emerging technologies. 2.3 The comprehensive learning resources program shall include a variety o f services which are organized into functional units. Commentary. The type o f component units needed and included will vary from insti­ tution to institution and campus to campus. Some possibilities are: access services, public services, telecommunication/Internet connec­ tions, technical services, media services, learn­ ing development, reprographic services, pro­ fessional materials services, video production, graphics production, learning laboratories, and computer services. A listing of many of these can be found in the appendices. Services which are not administratively under the learning re­ sources program should be in a coordinating relationship to allow comprehensive planning and reporting and to avoid duplication. For example, if a different program has responsi­ bility for instructional computing, the learning resources program should cooperate in an ad­ visory and consulting capacity since various computer resources are major components of the contemporary learning resource center. 2.4 The administrator and professional staff should be involved in all areas and at all lev­ els of academic activities and institutional plan­ ning. Commentary. Professional staff members should be involved in major college commit­ tees and participate in faculty governance to the same extent as other faculty. The program administrator should meet regularly with other college administrators and department heads and, along with professional staff members, be May 1994/277 involved in planning, implementing, and evalu­ ating the instructional program o f the college. 2.5 Advisory committees should be formed to provide essential information to the staff and to serve as a link with users. Commentary. To ensure that the learning resources program is responsive to its users and to develop and evaluate effective services, ad­ visory committees should be appointed, elected, or selected by the appropriate faculty, staff, or student constituencies. 2.6 Administration o f the learning resources program should be based on staff participation and consensus. Commentary. While the program admin­ istrator is ultimately responsible for the pro­ gram, participatory governance through regu­ lar staff meetings and internal communication should be encouraged. The administrator is re­ sponsible for reporting to the staff on institu­ tional policies, procedures, plans, budgets, personnel, and curriculum; in turn the admin­ istrator represents the learning resources staff to the college administration. Each professional and support staff mem­ ber should be provided with a position descrip­ tion which clearly identifies the duties and re­ sponsibilities o f the position and superior and subordinate relationships. Performance ap­ praisal standards must be clearly defined and understood by all staff members. A general learning resources manual which provides policy and procedural statements, staff respon­ sibilities and duties, items o f general informa­ tion, and learning resources governance and operational statements shall be made available to all staff members. S ta n d a rd T h re e : Staff 3.0 Sufficient and qualified professional and support staff should be available to implement the services for which the program is respon­ sible. Commentary. Table A evaluates the re­ quirements for adequate numbers o f staff on a single campus. The figures are for full-time positions at two levels, basic and excellent, based on full-time equivalent student enroll­ ments. The table does not include services listed in Appendix B as peripheral. If any o f these extra services are assigned, additional positions will be needed. There is a direct relationship between staff, budget, and services. When staff level and funding level increase, the number o f services possible will also increase; the re­ verse is also true. Another factor which affects staff requirements is the ratio o f total enroll­ ment to fu ll-tim e eq u iva len t students. Headcount enrollment is often 50% greater than student full-time equivalent (FTE). The higher the ratio the greater will be the need for addi­ tional staff beyond the formulas in Table A. If there is a regular summer session at the col­ lege, the positions in Table A should be based on an eleven or twelve month equivalency. If, in a multicampus or multicollege district, some T a b le A* Staffing Requirements for Single-Campus Services** TE Students Administrators Professional Technicians Other Staff*** Total Staff Min & Excel Min Excel Min Excel Min Excel Min Excel 1,000-2,999 1 3 5 3 6 3 6 10 18 3,000-4,999 1 5 7 5 8 4 8 15 24 5,000-6,999 1 7 9 7 12 6 11 21 33 7,000-8,999 1 8 11 9 17 7 14 25 43 9,000-10,999 1 10 15 11 20 9 17 31 53 1,000-12,999 2 14 21 13 24 11 20 40 67 3,000-14,999 2 16 24 16 28 13 24 47 78 5,000-16,999 2 18 27 19 32 16 28 55 89 7,000-19,000 2 20 30 21 36 18 32 6l 100 Does not include student assistants ‘ Additional staff will be needed if enrollment is 50% greater than FTE “ Secretaries, clerks, lab aides, etc. F 1 1 1 1 ‘ • ‘ 278/C&RL News services are centralized, for example, technical services and automation, personnel will be needed at a centralized site in addition to those needed in the campus libraries. 3.1 The professional staff members shall have a graduate degree from an accredited in­ stitution and shall have faculty status, benefits, and obligations or the equivalent. Commentary. The complexity o f the learn­ ing resources program may require consider­ able differentiated staffing by individuals with widely varied professional education and ar­ eas o f specialization. All should have the same status, benefits, and recognition as other fac­ ulty and where faculty rank exists they should meet the same requirements for promotion and tenure as other faculty. 3.2 Professional staff should belong to and participate in library, learning resources, me­ dia, and other appropriate associations. Pro­ fessional development should be encouraged through direct financial support o f attendance and participation in local, state, and national organizations. Commentary. The mark o f a professional is not only performance on the job but also knowledge o f trends within the profession and technological developments learned from con­ ferences, workshops, and journals; and by as­ suming leadership within the field. 3.3 The changing nature o f learning re­ sources programs and ongoing changes in tech­ nology mandate regular staff participation in continuing education. Commentary. Duty schedules should be flexible enough for staff to pursue job-re- lated training and education, in-service workshops, and conferences and meetings during working hours. The institutional bud­ get should include provision for travel and fees, and release time for in-service train­ ing, and education. 3.4 Technical and classified personnel should have appropriate specialized train­ ing or experience. Classification, status, and salary should be equivalent to those pro­ vided for other institutional employees with similar qualifications. Commentary. Requirements for training and experience needed should relate to the du­ ties assigned. The relative importance o f each type o f skill will vary across organizational lev­ els. Supervisors should be selected on the ba­ sis o f knowledge, experience, and human re­ lations skills. 3.5 Student assistants perform a variety o f tasks that assist and complement professional staff, clerical staff, and technicians. Student as­ sistant programs offer work opportunities and career exploration for student workers. Commentary. The tasks performed by stu­ dent assistants are usually routine, although some students bring advanced or technical skills which supplement the skills o f the regular staff. Permanent staff should supervise and instruct student workers. S t a n d a r d F o u r: B u d g e t 4.0 The learning resources mission state­ ment should form the basis for the program budget and be part o f the institutional plan­ ning process; annual objectives should be de­ veloped by the learning resources staff. Commentary. The learning resources mis­ sion statement and annual objectives form the basis for the program budget. Stable and con­ sistent funding for acquisitions based on an ap­ proved collection development policy is nec­ essary for effective service. Inconsistent funding is the most detrimental element in the devel­ opment o f learning resources collections. 4.1 An ample and stable budget should be based either on a percentage o f educational and general budget totals for the institution as shown in Table B or based on a dollar amount per full-time student equivalent as shown in Table C. T a b le B* Learning Resources Budget As % o f Educational & General Expenditures Size Minimum Excellent All 6% 9% Appendix B activities and services will ٭ require additional funding Commentary. Basing the learning re­ sources budget totals on a percentage o f the college educational or general fund is the pre­ ferred approach, but many variables make it May 1994/279 difficult to determine the dol­ lar amount o f a percentage dur­ ing the budget planning pro­ cess. Capital funds are not included in the percentage ex­ cept for acquisition o f learning resources materials. A formula using a dollar fig- ure p er fu ll-tim e student equivalent provides a more stable basis for planning col­ lections and services than us­ ing a percentage. Table C is based on 1992 dollars; inflation requires these figures to be adjusted upward accordingly. There is a correlation between services, collection, and staff size and the level o f expendi­ tures. 4.2 Local processes should be developed so that all ex­ penditures originate within the learning re­ sources program and are reviewed by the chief administrator. Commentary. Management involves re­ sponsibility for expenditures and approval of payments.. Budgeting cost analyses and finan­ cial planning depend on adequate records. To take advantage o f discounts, purchases o f ma­ terials should be exempt from restrictive bid­ ding and should permit online ordering and standing orders. 4.3 Internal accounts should be maintained for evaluating the flow o f expenditures, moni­ toring encumbrances, and approving payment o f invoices. Commentary. An accurate account o f ex­ penditures in categories that are meaningful to the institution is necessary for fiscal account­ ability, for monitoring status o f accounts, for decision making, and for planning. 4.4 The learning resources budget should provide stable funding for contractual services, equipment and materials replacement, and for maintenance of automated public and techni­ cal services. Commentary. Many services are based on continuing support. They cannot be interrupted without serious constraint on the ability to per­ form effectively. The materials in the collec­ tion will become stagnant without a three to T a b le C3 Dollar Expenditure by Percentile Per FTE Student for Learning Resources by Category Category Minimum 50%ile Excellent 90%ile $ $ Salaries & Wages 92.97 177.74 Print Materials 14.69 37.47 Current Serials 8.70 22.20 Microforms 2.11 6.91 Machine Readable 1.25 6.24 Audiovisual Material 3.12 10.04 Other Material 1.43 6.33 Preservation 0.34 2.07 Equipment 5.41 24.00 Contract Computer 3.21 11.08 Telecommunications 0.67 3.39 Computer Hardware 4.27 15.30 All Other Expenditure 10.30 38.99 Postage 0.29 1.27 five percent replacement o f older materials each year. S ta n d a rd F ive : U s e r Services 5.0 The learning resources program should provide a variety o f services that support and expand the instructional capabilities o f the in­ stitution. Commentary. Learning resources programs exist to facilitate and improve education by supporting and expanding classroom instruc­ tion and to provide the instructional function o f teaching students information-seeking skills for self-directed studies and life-long learning. As an integral part o f the total educational pro­ gram o f the institution, the learning resources program provides instructional as well as sup­ port services to students, faculty, and staff which can be demonstrated by the ratio o f users to enrollment. The primary purpose o f the learning re­ sources program is to promote learning related to the curriculum o f the institution. To do this the learning resources program should provide the best possible access to information in print, media, or electronic format, and have the means for delivering the information to individual us­ ers, groups, and classrooms. Access should be from the institution’s own collection o f materi­ als paired with efficient supportive equipment and services. To integrate new information and new instructional technologies into the curricu­ 280/C&RL News lum, access and delivery systems should be extended through such means as cooperative borrowing (ILL), resource sharing, renting or leasing services and materials, and the use o f electronic databases and other technologies as listed in the appendices. Students should have access to materials and professional assistance at all times the facility is open. Faculty members should have access to basic instructional media production assis­ tance and assistance in research projects. 5.1 The learning resources program should seek to enlarge access to the academic services available at the college and in the community in accordance with the college mission through networking, resource sharing, online informa­ tion services, and technological advances. Commentary. Institutional self-sufficiency is no longer desirable or feasible; and provi­ sion must be made to utilize new delivery sys­ tems. N ew technologies and new services should be adopted as they become useful to meet institutional goals. The administrator should be prepared to bring to the attention of the faculty and administration new information formats and services as they emerge. 5.2 Services provided should meet the in­ structional and informational needs o f students, faculty, staff, and administration; should pro­ vide professional assistance; and should include a minimum of information access provision for students in off-campus locations. Commentary. Professional staff must be accessible to students to help them gain the skills needed to become self-reliant and critical users o f information services. Close coopera­ tion with classroom instructional faculty is man­ datory. Off-campus services must be supported by the institution or by contracted services through another library in accordance with ACRL’s “Guidelines for Extended Campus Li­ brary Services.” 5.3 Necessary equipment to access infor­ mation and to assist instruction should be available and efficiently managed.T a b le D Longevity and/or Obsolescence o f Information Access Equipment Equipment Type Years 16mm projector 10 Slide projector 11 Sound slide projector 8 Sound filmstrip projector 9 Overhead projector 11 Opaque projector 14 Audiocassette recorder 9 Record player 9 Portable PA system 7 Videocassette recorder 7 Television monitor/receiver 9 Video camera/camcorder 5 Microcomputer system 5 LCD panel 4 Video projector 5 CD-ROM player 5 Microform reader/printer 6 Telefacsimile equipment 3 Rapid changes in technology affect equipment life spans as obsolescence becomes as great a factor as longevity. Source: Wanda K. Johnston, Administering the Community Col­ lege Learning Resources Program ( Boston-. G.K. Hall Ref., 1994), p. 93. Reprinted with permission. Com m entary. Equipm ent must be available when and where it is needed. Equipment may be kept permanently in appropriate classrooms or where materials are found. Equipment must be main­ tained in good operating condition and should be replaced on a sched­ uled basis, taking into consider­ ation obsolescence and operating condition. Capital funds must be available to insure that advantage can be taken o f technological ad­ vances. The test for this standard is that less than 10% o f the avail­ able instructional equipment is in­ operable at any time. 5.4 Provision should be made for instructional support produc­ tion services. Commentary. Minimum pro­ duction services should consist of visualization services, such as over­ head transparencies and projected visuals; and audio services, such as record in g o f lectures and speeches; and duplication of these. As staff and budget allow addi- May 1994/281 tional production capabilities should be added to meet instructional requirements. 5.5 An information literacy program for stu­ dents should be provided through a variety o f techniques. Commentary. A major responsibility o f the learning resources program is to provide instruction in locating, accessing, and evalu­ ating information resources in a variety o f formats or locations. In addition to general orientation programs, bibliographic instruc­ tion may use many different methods, includ­ ing group and individual instruction and credit or noncredit courses. Basic reference service should provide individualized assistance at all hours the facility is open. The goal is to pre­ pare students for lifetime use o f information resources. S t a n d a rd S ix : Collections 6.0 The learning resources program shall make available an organized collection o f ma­ terials and information in diversified formats including print and nonprint media, computer software, optical storage technologies, and other. Commentary. The institution should be prepared to utilize new technologies for ac­ cessing information as they are developed. All types o f materials conveying intellectual con­ tent, artistic and literary works, programmed texts, and packaged instruction are considered resources for effective teaching and learning along with books, periodicals, newspapers, government documents, and microforms. Me­ dia materials, including those locally produced, play a vital role in the instructional program of most two-year colleges. The increasing volume o f specialized, high-quality information re­ corded on videotape at relatively low cost gives the videocassette format a key role in deliver­ ing current information across all disciplines. Computer software must be treated as a cur­ ricular resource. Online computer services and Internet access are increasingly important as information resources along with CD-ROM and video disc technologies. Table E (next page) provides collection goals using definitions from the Integrated Postsec­ ondary Education Data System (IPEDS) o f the U.S. Department o f Education. Quantities un­ der the various columns can be interchanged according to the mission o f the institution. For example, an institution with a very strong mu­ sic program may need to develop a collection o f sound recordings or video recordings in ex­ cess o f these quantitative standards but may need less o f some other items. The basis for evaluation in such a case would be the total holdings for that size institution. 6.1 A collection development policy state­ ment shall serve as the basis for selection and acquisition o f materials. Commentary. Acquiring materials based on a written policy with clear guidelines for selection is the nature o f collection develop­ ment. The statement should be developed in consultation with instructional faculty, students, and administrators. Although there are many alternative ways o f writing a collection devel­ opment policy, the following essentials should be included: a. The purpose for which resources are re­ quired. b. The primary clientele w ho are to be served. c. The kinds o f materials which are to be acquired. d. The various factors o f cost and suitability which will be considered in determining ac­ quisition priorities. e. The procedures for handing new types of materials, such as computer software and vid­ eocassettes, in conformance to copyright law. f. The process for leasing or renting materi­ als not readily available or too expensive to purchase. g. Any arrangements with other institutions for resource sharing, cooperative collections, production, or distribution activities. h. A statement in support o f intellectual free­ dom and the “Library Bill o f Rights.” i. A policy on the acceptance and incorpo­ ration o f gifts into the holdings which recog­ nizes inherent processing and storage costs. j. A policy for the de-selection or withdrawal o f materials and a method to discard or dis­ pose o f them. 6.2 The selection o f materials should be coordinated by the professional staff, working closely with the campus community. Final man­ agement decisions as to the order in which materials are to be purchased and what gifts should be accepted and processed are the re­ sponsibility o f the program administrator. Commentary. Professionally trained librar­ ians and information specialists, because o f their 282/ C&RL News T a b le E Size o f Collection for a Single Campus Minimum Collection FTE Students Volumes Current Video Other Total Serials Subs. & Film Items* Collection 1,000-2,999 40,000 300 400 5,100 45,800 3,000-4,999 60,000 500 750 8,000 69,250 5,000-6,999 80,000 700 1,250 10,000 91,950 7,000-8,999 95,000 850 1,600 12,000 109,450 9,000-10,999 110,000 900 1,800 14,800 127,500 11,000-12,999 125,000 1,000 2,000 17,400 145,400 13,000-14,999 140,000 1,200 2,200 19,800 163,200 15,000-16,999 155,000 1,500 2,400 22,000 180,900 17,000-19,000 170,000 1,800 2,600 24,000 198,400 Excellent Collection FTE Students Volumes Current Video Other Total Serials Subs. & Film Items* Collection 1,000-2,999 60,000 600 800 8,000 69,400 3,000-4,999 85,000 800 1,300 11,600 98,700 5,000-6,999 112,000 1,000 2,250 18,000 133,250 7,000-8,999 136,000 1,200 3,000 21,000 161,200 9,000-10,999 166,000 1,400 3,300 26,000 196,700 11,000-12,999 200,000 1,600 4,000 31,000 236,600 13,000-14,999 240,000 1,800 4,500 35,000 281,300 15,000-16,999 285,000 2,100 5,000 41,000 333,100 17,000-19,000 320,000 2,400 5,600 50,000 378,000 *Includes microforms, cartographic, graphic, audio, and machine-readable materials. knowledge o f the collection, are best able to give systematic attention to collection devel­ opment. Knowledge o f existing holdings, iden­ tified weaknesses, and acquisitions decisions requires the systematic attention o f professional librarians. They should have access to biblio­ graphical tools and reviewing sources for ef­ fective collection development. 6.3 The collection shall be o f sufficient scope and currency to support the curriculum as well as meet individual information needs o f stu­ dents and faculty. Commentary. The mission o f the college will determine the complexity o f the collec­ tion, but an institutional commitment to ex­ cellence means building and maintaining col­ lections that adequately support: liberal arts and sciences programs to prepare students fully for transfer to four-year colleges and universities; programs that have specialized accreditation (fields such as allied health); vocational and technical programs; special programs for job training, retraining, or up­ grading o f skills through continuing and com ­ munity education services; and needed reme­ d ia l p ro g ra m s fo r n o n tra d itio n a l o r underprepared learners. A broad spectrum o f materials must be available to meet research assignments, classroom reports, and self-paced learning. 6.4 Obsolete, worn-out, and inappropriate materials should be removed based on a policy statement. Commentary. De-selection or withdrawal on a regular basis is indispensable to a useful collection and should be done systematically. May 1994 /283 A written policy should govern what should be removed, what should be replaced, and what should be permanently retained. Not only do obsolete and inappropriate materials occupy expensive storage space but they also detract from other materials containing important in­ formation. From three to five percent o f the collection should be replaced annually. The physical condition o f the collection should be reviewed regularly and needed repairs to ma­ terials should be made. 6.5 T he reference collection shall include a wide selection o f standard works, with subject bibliographies and periodical indexes in print and electronic formats. Commentary. Reference is the core o f ev­ ery library or learning resources center and the beginning point for research. The reference collection should be o f sufficient breadth and depth to serve the research and informational needs o f the campus community. 6.6 Collections should be organized to provide users with full, efficient, and direct access. Commentary. The choice o f a classifica­ tion system, the type o f catalog, and the ar­ rangement o f materials are important decisions. Nationally approved systems (such as the Li­ brary o f Congress [LC] or Dewey classification schemes) and formats (such as Machine Read­ able Cataloging [MARC]) are standard. Uniform and multiple access through a public access catalog is essential to make available informa­ tion in all types o f formats. The public access catalog should include bibliographic records and information for all formats included in the collection. S t a n d a rd S e v e n : Facilities 7.0 T he learning resources program should provide adequate space for housing collections in a variety o f formats, for study and research, for public service activities, for staff workrooms and offices, and for basic production. The total number o f assignable square feet recommended for a building that houses these functions can be calculated by applying a for­ mula that reflects: • number o f FTE students enrolled; • public services provided; • size and type o f collections; • number o f staff members and their needs. Since some public higher education regula­ tory agencies issue space formulas for campus facilities, building planners should investigate guidelines that exist in their state early in the planning process. An example o f a state-man­ dated formula is found in Appendix C. Commentary. Local conditions and unique needs o f colleges will determine the ultimate size o f the building. Flexibility is desirable in assigning learning resources space. Most ser­ vices should be housed in a central location on a campus. When components are located else­ where, this should be based on the most effi­ cient and effective access to services. Facilities must be planned for long-term service, includ­ ing anticipated growth and changing formats o f collections, projected increase o f the student population, sufficient space for work areas, equipment, storage, and the needs o f users. Space planning must take into account the changing information environment, the need for computer workstations, for transmission and retrieval o f information by telecommunication, for media production, and for physical require­ ments within the building for electrical and tele­ communications connections and for services for the physically disabled. Additional space should be provided when special services are included in the learning resources program. 7.1 Student seating should approximate a minimum o f 10% o f the FTE enrollment. The space for user activities should accommodate a wide variety o f learning styles and study situa­ tions, should be attractive, comfortable, and designed to encourage use. Different types o f seating arrangements should be offered, includ­ ing: • individual carrels, 25 sq ft per student; • tables for four, 25 sq ft per student; • lounge chairs, 30 sq ft per student; • computers and workstations, 40 sq ft per student; • microform reader stations, 35 sq ft per student; • small group study rooms, 25 sq ft per student. In addition to seating, public services areas should include space for public access cata­ logs, current periodicals, indexes, reference and technology delivery areas, display and exhibit space, group bibliographic instruction, group viewing, and study areas for faculty. 284/C&RL News Commentary. Proper arrangement and suf­ ficient space for utilization o f instructional equipment and materials, for the needs o f the physically disabled, and for both quiet indi­ vidual study and conference and group study is essential. Advances in technology require flexibility and planning for use o f specialized equipment, electrical and computer connec­ tions, cables, conduits, lighting, environmental control, fire protection, security, and other fac­ tors that affect service. The use o f telecommu­ nications necessitates computer connections to faculty offices, classrooms, and outside loca­ tions. 7.2 The generally accepted formula for books and other bound collections is calcu­ lated at 10 bound volumes per assignable square foot. This number should be doubled to 20 volumes per square foot if compact shelving is used. Other materials such as au­ diovisual, software, microforms, maps, ar­ chives, etc. should be converted to volume equivalents by using one o f the existing con­ version tables available in the literature and should be included in the total stack estimate. Anticipated growth o f the collection should be factored into the calculation. Commentary. By eliminating unneces­ sary aisles betw een each range, com pact shelving saves space by doubling shelving capacity and should be con sid ered as a method to maximize storage o f print materi­ als in areas o f the collection not heavily used. Because the system is very heavy, compact shelving will not be suitable unless the floor loading permits. 7.3 Staff space for workrooms, offices, equipment areas, etc. should be in compliance with state and institutional guidelines (7.0). A minimum o f 175 square feet per staff member to accommodate new technologies, equipment, and hardware is desirable. Individual offices for professional staff and administrators should be figured at 200 square feet per person (Boss, p. 108). 7.4 N ew construction projects must be in compliance with the Americans with Disabili­ ties Act (A D A ) enacted July 1990. 7.5 Space assigned to learning resources should be restricted to the functions for which it was designed. Commentary. Space designed for learn­ ing resources use should not be used for other institutional activities. N o te s 1. The term “learning resources program” re­ fers to an umbrella organization which encom­ passes a variety o f services. Other frequently used titles for this program include: library ser­ vices, educational support services, and instruc­ tional services. 2. See American Association o f Community and Junior Colleges, Building Communities: A Vision f o r the New Century, A Report o f the Com­ mission on the Future o f Community Colleges‚ 1988. 3. Statistical Norms f o r College and Univer­ sity Libraries: Derived fro m U. S. Department o f Education Fall 1992 Survey o f College and Uni­ versity Libraries (Boulder, Colo.: John Minter Assoc., 1993) References “ACRL guidelines for extended campus library services.” C&RL News 51 (April 1990): 353. American Association o f Community and Junior Colleges. Building Communities: A Vi­ sion f o r the New Century, A Report o f the Com­ mission on the Future o f Community Colleges. 1988. Boss, Richard. Information Technologies and Space Planning f o r Libraries and Inform ation Centers. Boston: G.K. Hall Ref., 1987. Johnston, Wanda K. Administering the Com­ m unity College Learning Resources Program. Boston: G.K Hall Ref., 1994. Martin, Ron G. Libraries f o r the Future: Pla n ­ ning Buildings That Work. Papers from the LAMA Buildings Pre-Conference, June 27-28, 1991. Chicago: ALA, 1992. Merril, Irving, and Harold Drob. Criteria f o r Pla n n in g the College and University Learning Resources Center. Washington, D.C.: AECT, 1977. Metcalf, Keyes, et al. P la n n in g Academ ic and Research Library Buildings, second edition. Chicago: ALA, 1986. “Standards for community, junior, and tech­ nical college learning resources programs.” C&RL News 51 (September 1990): 757. Statistical Norms f o r College & University Libraries: Derived fr o m U.S. D epartm ent o f Education IP E D S 1990 Survey o f A cadem ic L i­ braries. Boulder, Colo.: John Minter Assoc., 1991. May 1994/285 A P P E N D IX A : C H E C K L IS T O F B A S IC LRC SERVICES A N D A C T IV IT IE S Listed below are specific services which are considered to be normal and basic library ser­ vices in two-year college learning resources or emerging program budgets. This list may not include future or emerging technologies and services. Inclusion does not mean that an insti­ tution should have every activity or service listed. Acquisitions, cataloging, maintenance, preservation, and/or circulation of: • Audiovisual materials/programs • Books • College archives including institutional publications • Computer programs • Government documents • Laser optical (CD-ROM) resources • Local history materials • Microforms • Periodicals • Special collections Computer systems management and maintenance: • Computer programs • Gateway and Internet access • Integrated automation systems • Local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (W ANs) • Public access computers Equipment services: • Equipment inventory, scheduling, and distribution • Equipment maintenance and repair • Equipment specifications and purchase • Group viewing services • Public access listening/viewing area Instructional services: • Bibliographic instruction courses • Bibliographies • Computer literacy • Copyright consultation • Group orientation • Individualized instruction and/or self-paced learning assistance • Instructional design and development • Media orientation and instruction • Online databases searching • Point-of-use guides, pathfinders, and study guides • Reference service • Reserve materials • Staff development • Telephone reference Production services: • Audio duplication, editing, and recording • Copy machines, paper and microform • Drymounting and lamination • Graphic layout and design • Interactive video • Multimedia • Photography and darkroom • Satellite communications downlink • Scripting • Teleconference services • Telecourse and distant learning distribution • Transparencies and slides • Video duplication, recording, and editing Resource sharing services: • Bibliographic networks • Gateway services • Interlibrary loan (ILL) • Internet • Reciprocal borrowing • Rental and free-loan materials • Union catalogs o f local resources 286/C&RL News A P P E N D IX B: C H EC K LIS T O F A D D I T IO N A L SERVICES C O M P O N E N T S This list includes services which require capital funds, space, personnel, and operating bud­ gets in excess o f those included in Tables A, B, and C. Community Services Curriculum: • Library technician education • Bibliographic instruction courses Faculty Development Government Documents Depository Joint-Use: • Museum • Other academic library • Public library • School library Laboratories: • Career • Learning development • Literacy • Self-paced learning • Testing • Tutoring Literacy Programs Printing: • College catalogs • Copy services (not self-serve) • Literaiy or other academic college publications • Print shop Student ID Service Television/Radio: • Radio broadcast • Satellite uplink • Telecourse administration • Telecourse production • Television broadcast • Television station/Radio station administration May 1994/287 A P P E N D IX C Example: California Community Colleges Facilities Standards— Library Space (from Title 5, California Code o f Regulations, Section 57030) Note: This table is an example o f California Standards. All library space shall be computed by assignable square feet for library functions as specified in the subdivisions o f this section. Square feet are “assignable” only if they are usable for the function described. Areas such as the main lobby (excluding card catalogue area), elevators, stairs, walled corridors, restrooms, and areas accommodating building maintenance services are not deemed usable for any o f the described functions. Stack Space = .1 ASF x Number o f Bound Volumes Number o f Volumes: Initial Increment = 16,000 volumes Additional Increments: (a) Under 3,000 DGE* = +8 volumes per DGS** (b ) 3,000-9,000 DGE = +7 volumes per DGS (c ) Above 9,000 DGE = +6 volumes per DGS Staff Space = 140 ASF x Number o f FTE Staff) + 400 ASF Number o f FTE Staff: Initial Increment = 3.0 FTE Additional Increments: (a) Under 3,000 DGE = +.0020 FTE Staff per DGS (b ) 3,000-9,000 DGE = +.0015 FTE Staff per DGS (c ) Above 9,000 DGE = +.0010 FTE Staff per DGS Reader Station Space = 27.5 ASF x Number o f Reader Stations Number o f Reader Stations: Initial Increment = 50 stations Additional Increments: (a) Under 3,000 DGE = +.10 Stations per DGS (b ) 3,000-9,000 DGE = +.09 Stations per DGS (c ) Above 9,000 DGE = +.08 Stations per DGS Total Space = Initial Increment = 3,795 ASF Additional Increments: (a) Under 3,000 DGE = +3.83 ASF per DGS (b ) 3,000-9,000 DGE = +3-39 ASF per DGS (c ) Above 9,000 DGE = +2.94 ASF per DGS For audiovisual and programmed instruction activities associated with learning resource functions, additional areas sized for individual needs but not exceeding the following totals for the district as a whole. Total Space = Initial Increment = 3,500 ASF Additional Increments: (a) Under 3,000 DGE = 1.50 ASF per DGS (b ) 3,000-9,000 DGE = 0.75 ASF per DGS (c ) Above 9,000 DGE = 0.25 ASF per DGS * Day-Graded Enrollment = use FTES ** Day-Graded Student = use FTES 288/C&RL News