About Us

Materials Selection

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CVTC Library’s collection development objective is to support the mission of the College by providing current and balanced materials that reflect the needs, interests, and experiences of our diverse population of learners, including students, faculty, staff, and community members.

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Objective

The objective of the library’s collection is to provide materials that support the College’s mission, goals, core abilities, and curriculum, as well as to promote literacy and lifelong library use.

Support for Intellectual Freedom

CVTC Library endorses the principles of intellectual freedom outlined in the Freedom to Read Statement and the Library Bill of Rights, as adopted by the American Library Association. Our collection reflects diverse subjects and points of view that may be controversial. The materials provided are meant to enable our community to make informed decisions. The library does not promote specific beliefs or views.

Support for Academic Freedom

CVTC Library supports free expression of the ideas of faculty on campus, in the classroom, in writing, and in the public sphere, especially in the context of higher education and its traditional support for academic freedom.  A free and vigorous exchange of ideas is integral to sustaining an environment in which teaching, learning, and research may thrive. This is in alignment with the CVTC Faculty Guidelines and Association for College & Research Libraries statement on academic freedom.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement

CVTC Library values the perspectives and contributions of all individuals. The library is committed to providing access to information that reflects diverse experiences among people, including but not limited to, differences in race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, or perspective. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; confront inequity and oppression; enhance diversity and inclusion; and advance racial and social justice through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, and services.

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Responsibility for Selection

Librarians, with oversight from the Director of Library Services, are responsible for building and maintaining a high-quality collection.

Selection Criteria

• Faculty, staff, leadership, and student recommendations

  • View the Purchase Suggestion Form

• Currency and timeliness of material

• Accuracy, quality, and depth of material, with consideration for professional reviews

• Relevance of subject or title to the institution's current and potential scholarly/curriculum needs

• Represents a variety of perspectives on controversial subjects

• Scope and content

• Cost and budget

• Resources in a variety of formats and accessible both virtually and physically

• Coverage appropriate to the level of study of a subject

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Collection Maintenance

The library’s collection is evaluated regularly to ensure the materials still meet the needs of our diverse population. The evaluation process helps make decisions regarding purchasing and deselection. Librarians utilize recommended professional practices when maintaining the collection. Considerations include faculty, staff, and student suggestions, relevance, accuracy, currency, usage, and overall space. Deselected materials will be sold in the library’s book sale, surplused according to College policy, or recycled.

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Donations & Gifts

The library welcomes your donations of gently used materials that support the College and the library mission. For more information on how to donate please visit the CVTC Foundation, Inc. web page.

• CVTC Foundation, Inc.

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Material Reconsideration

The library fully endorses the principles documented in the Library Bill of Rights and the Freedom to Read Statement of the American Library Association. Materials in the library are selected to support the needs and interests of the College community. A person who wishes to request the reconsideration of library material must file a formal written request for reconsideration using the materials reconsideration form. The request will be reviewed by the Director or Library Services, who will form a reconsideration committee if necessary. The patron will receive a final written response to the submitted request for reconsideration within 90 days of the library receiving the request.

• View the Materials Reconsideration Form