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Drafting a Reference Collection Policy

A reference collection policy can be useful in setting guidelines for the estabUshment and maintenance of an effective reference collection. It can also serve to facilitate reference service and to train new reference librarians by clarifying some reference department goals. This article indicates important elements to include in a reference collection policy. It also describes procedures followed by the Reference Collection Committee at San Diego State University in drafting its policy and includes the text of the policy currently in effect in the San Diego State University Library. MANY ACADEMIC LIBRARIES have written collection policies which set criteria for depth of coverage, selection, and retirement (weeding or storage) of the library's collection. In recent years a number of academic library reference departments have recognized the need for additional guidelines in order to maintain an effective reference collection. A reference collection policy is a useful tool for several reasons. First, it sets uniform guidelines for the collection , including subject scope, depth of coverage, and types of material to be included. Second, it provides an opportunity for coordinating the reference collection with reference service. Since the reference collection is a working collection , materials should be chosen, located , and, if necessary, duplicated, to serve the needs of reference librarians and users. Third, the reference collection policy is an effective orientation device for training new staff in making reference decisions. Finally, the policy spells out the cooperation and division Kathleen Coleman and Pauline Dickinson are senior assistant librarians in the San of labor which takes place between public service departments or, in very large institutions, between libraries, so that duplication is planned rather than unintentional. Elements to Include in a Reference Collection Policy To be an effective document, the reference collection policy should include the following elements: 1. A statement of objectives, indicating the purposes of the policy. 2. Information about the subject scope of the collection, preferably within the framework of the curriculum and other needs of the academic institution as a whole. 3. The optimum size of the reference collection, if set by the department. 4. Criteria for including or excluding publications within each of the major categories of reference materials. (Are all foreign language dictionaries kept in the reference department or only those for languages taught at the institution? How comprehensive must a bibliography be in order to be considered a reference book?) 5. Responsibility for selection, as