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Library Collection Developement Policy

1. INTRODUCTION

This collection development policy is a statement of the principles and guidelines used by the KSE Library staff in its selection, acquisition, and evaluation of library materials. It will be used both in providing consistency in developing the collection and in communicating the library’s policies to faculty, students, and other interested persons. It is understood that as the programs and other information needs KSE change, so too the collection development policy will change to meet these needs.

1.1. Library mission statement

The primary mission of the Library is to support the academic program of the Kyiv School of Economics by serving the reading, reference, and research needs of the Ukrainian and international students, alumni and faculty in this way supporting teaching, research and outreach functions of KSE. A secondary mission of the Library is to serve the reading, reference, and research needs of the Ukrainian economic community, be a resource for education, business, industry and policy agencies at the local and national levels.


1.2. Purpose and goals of collection development

The purpose of collection development is to support the research and instructional needs of the faculty and students of the Kyiv School of Economics; and to a lesser but no less important degree, the research needs of alumni and the economics community of Ukraine. The primary focus of the Kyiv School of Economics is on Economics.


1.3. History and Size of the Collection

At the National University “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” (NaUKMA) Economics Education and Research Consortium (EERC) has established the two-year English language master’s program in economics that produces Ukrainian economists, well trained in modern market economics. These economists are poised to become leaders in Ukraine’s economic policy circles through post-MA careers in public service, research institute, or private sector positions, or through completing PhD programs abroad and returning to Ukraine to teach.

In October 2006 the EERC Board of Directors made a decision on transforming the MA Program into a school, the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) which will be an internationally recognized Center of Excellence in economic teaching, research and outreach.

The KSE Library is a rapidly growing highly-specialized information center.

Library collection is mainly English-language and includes about 8,000 items of graduate level textbooks, monographs and reference materials in theoretical economics, finance, and business; subscriptions to several major economics journals.

One of the library’s strengths is a considerable collection of monographs, serials and statistical data provided by the leading financial institutions, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Library holds about 150 CDs with electronic versions of economic journals and statistical data and provides access to a number of full-text articles databases.


1.4. User group of the Library

Library provides full range of services to the KSE students, faculty, alumni and staff, as well as to participants of KSE research and outreach projects such as international faculty internships, conferences for economic theory instructors, research workshops, and international research projects. The services provided include circulation, reference and information consulting, bibliographic instruction, Internet access. There are about 500 registered patrons regularly using the library, among them the KSE international students from Moldova, Belarus and South Caucasus. The Library reading room is also open for patrons not associated with the School, such as KSE partners and applicants, regional faculty, members of the economic community of Ukraine.


1.5. Types of programs the library collection serves

The KSE Library collection serves the academic programs in Economics, Finance, and Business Administration.

1.6. Cooperation with other libraries

KSE Library closely cooperates with the National Parliamentary Library of Ukraine and libraries of other universities. KSE Library participates in INTAS-sponsored project “Access to Electronic Journals for NES Researchers.”

2. DIRECTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLLECTION

The KSE Library collection represents three general subject disciplines of Economics, Finance, and Business Administration. Peripheral areas such as computer science, English language are also included insofar as they are required as part of the KSE curriculum. Economics covers the history of economic thought, economic theory, econometrics and statistics, mathematics for economists, public finance, international economics, international trade, monetary theory and practice, labor economics, development economics, economics of transition, law and economics. Finance covers international finance, money, credit and banking, corporate financial analysis, investment theory and practice. Business administration covers corporate governance, industrial organization, productivity analysis, labor relations and personnel management.

2.1. Resource types

Resource types include: monographs, textbooks, serials, electronic databases . Masters theses are extensively collected. In collection development, emphasis is placed on electronic information. The library holds a collection of 150 CDs with electronic versions of economic journals and statistical data. An in-house database for these CDs has been created and located at the KSE Intranet. The library offers its patrons access to such online aggregators (complex of databases) and article databases as ScienceDirect, JSTOR, EBSCO, Blackwell Electronic Journals, and Springer Electronic Journals.

2.2. Special sources for funding

The Library receives an annual funding from KSE budget. It also obtains some funding from projects and gifts, among them Sabre-Svitlo Foundation and HESP grants. The Library will accept gifts of material provided that they fall within its collection priorities. Only items which will enhance the collection are added. Gifts are acknowledged, and donation bookplates placed in each book retained. Unwanted donations may be offered to other libraries, to students, or discarded.

2.3. Collection evaluation

The continuous review of library materials is necessary as a means of maintaining an active library collection of current interest to users. Evaluations should be made to determine whether the collection is meeting its objectives, how well it is serving its users, in which ways it is deficient and what remains to be done to develop the collection. KSE Library staff evaluates the collection on a regular basis using a combination of standard qualitative and quantitative methods.

2.4. Special policy regarding maintenance

De-selection of library materials is essential for the maintenance of an active, academically useful library collection. De-selection is a quality control of the collection in which outdated, inaccurate and worn-out materials are eliminated. Library staff, in consultation with the academic faculty, is responsible for conducting an ongoing de-selection effort in order to maintain the quality of the entire collection. The general guidelines for de-selection used are:

  • Superseded editions are routinely deselected from the collection
  • Duplicates are deselected except in cases of continued high demand or where the library holds rare copies
  • Materials which can not be repaired or rebound are deselected
  • Incomplete or short runs of serials are deselected
  • Issues of serials which are replaced by ones in electronic format are deselected.

    • The Library staff recognises its responsibility to maintain the collection in good condition. Preservation policy takes into account all formats, and recognises the importance of training and prevention in maintaining the collections for both ready access and long-term research. Preservation methods include rebinding, mending and replacement. Security system has been installed to reduce theft.

    3. RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIBRARY COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT

    Ultimate responsibility for the development and maintenance of the library’s collection rests with the Library Director. Library staff participates in collection development using standard selection and reviewing sources as well as seeking assistance by using faculty expertise. Any KSE faculty member, staff member, or student may initiate a materials request. All requests for materials are reviewed for their adherence to the selection guidelines.

    3.1 Selection criteria of all materials

    GENERAL COLLECTION GUIDELINES

    Languages: English, Ukrainian, Russian, German.
    Chronological Guidelines: No restrictions.
    Geographical Guidelines: No restrictions, with emphasis on transition economies.
    Date of Publication: English, Ukrainian, Russian, German.
    Place of Publication: No restrictions. Materials acquired are primarily published in North America, Europe, and Ukraine.

    SELECTION CRITERIA

    A. Relevancy to the curriculum and appropriateness to the clientele
    B. Timeliness of material; lasting value of material
    C. Reputation of the author, issuing body, and/or publisher
    D. Presentation (style of writing and readability)
    E. Aesthetic considerations. Materials should have literary, artistic and social value and appeal to the imagination, senses, and intellect of students.
    F. Special features (e.g., detailed logical accurate index; bibliography or footnotes; pictorial representations-diagrams, maps, drawings, portraits, etc.)
    G. Physical Considerations

  • Paper, typography and design
  • Size
  • Binding
  • Durability

    • H.Appropriateness of the medium; suitability of form to content; ability to use medium in library
    I. Demand
    J. Price/relative cost of material in relation to the budget and other available material.

    The Kyiv School of Economics Library Collection Subject Subdivision with current levels of Collecting Intensity

     

    EXISTING STRENGTH: subject holdings rated on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the most extensive).


    SUBJECT SUBDIVISION

    EXISTING STRENGTHS

    ECONOMICS

     

    Agricultural economics

    4

    Development economics

    4

    Econometrics

    5

    Economic theory

    3

    Economics of transition

    5

    Game theory

    4

    History of economic thought

    4

    Institutional economics

    3

    International economics

    5

    International trade

    4

    Labor economics

    3

    Law and economics

    4

    Macroeconomics

    5

    Mathematics for Economists

    4

    Microeconomics

    5

    Monetary theory and policy

    5

    Political economy

    3

    Public finance

    4

    Regional / Urban economics

    2

    Statistics for economists

    4

    FINANCE

     

    Corporate finance

    3

    International finance

    4

    Money, credit and banking

    5

    BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

     

    Business communication

    2

    Corporate governance

    2

    Industrial organization

    5

    Labor relations

    4

    Organizational behavior

    2

    Personnel administration

    3

    Productivity analysis

    3

    Research methods

    3

    4. REVIEW OF LCDP

    It is critical to review the policy on a regular basis to make sure it reflects current practices and procedures in the library. It is understood that as the programs and other information needs of the Kyiv School of Economics change, so too the collection development policy will change to meet these needs.