Recognizing that library materials, both print and nonprint, may become worn or damaged with use, the library staff has developed the following guidelines for protection of the collection.

1. Subject area assessments are conducted on a regular basis by the library faculty as part of their collection development responsibilities. As part of these assessments, library faculty, in consultation with instructional faculty in each subject area, survey materials being assessed to locate worn and damaged materials. Such materials, if they are judged to be of continuing value to the collection, will be repaired or replaced. Items needing replacement will be replaced in the most useful format currently available (e.g., a bound periodical may be replaced in a microformat, a book may be replaced in a different edition, a videotape may be replaced by a DVD). Items will be eliminated according to provisions set forth in the "Library Collection Development/Materials Selection Policy," section A6.28.2.5.
   
   
2. Library staff performing ongoing shelf maintenance and routine circulation duties watch for worn and damaged materials. The same conditions for repair or replacement as noted in #1 will be followed. Library faculty with collection development assignments in the subject of the materials needing repair/replacement will be consulted as necessary.
   
   
3. Library materials which are lost or not returned after a specified time are considered for replacement. Replacement decisions are made by library faculty assigned the subject area as part of their collection development duties.
   
   
4. Materials included in the library collection change as instructional needs evolve. To keep the library collection a vital resource, individual items in need of repair or replacement will be evaluated according to the same criteria used for purchasing new materials. These criteria are listed in the "Library Collection Development/Materials Selection Policy," section A6.28.2.1-A.6.28.2
   
   
5. In the event of a significant event damaging large portions of the library collection (weather disaster, fire, etc.), the library staff will follow all college procedures to minimize losses to the library collection. The above principles will be used to assess priority for collection protection and collection replacement decisions.

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