Browsing Collection

 

The Browsing Collection contains contemporary fiction and non-fiction titles fselected to meet the recreational reading interests and enjoyment of the students, faculty, and stafft. These titles shall be selected primarily from reviews in respected publications such as the New York Times Book Review, Atlantic, Harpers, and the like.  This collection shall consist of paper as well as hard cover titles as identified from current or recent best sellers list as identified by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and New York Times.

  

Electronic Collections

 

Electronic Resources and Databases

 

The Library purchases and/or subscribes to electronic materials, which include bibliographic files, textual files (e-books), numeric data files, and multimedia files to support instructional programs. The Library provides access to online electronic resources via subscription to meet the curricular needs of the University.

 

Internet Resources

 

The Internet plays an increasingly important role in supporting student and faculty research.  While the Internet is easily accessible, the Library recognizes that careful selection of Internet resources and availability of these through the Library's catalog will accomplish several objectives: 1) increase awareness and maximize use of significant sites; 2) provide value-added access to Internet resources often absent when using various search engines to locate resources; and 3) enhance and expand the Library's collection of traditional formats. 

 

Government Documents (US)

 

The library is not a designated depository library, but is a census depository library.  We select census materials to support the curriculum and to provide resources for our reference collection. In addition, we provide links to various Census web sites via our Internet links.  We select census materials in various formats, i.e. print, CD-Rom, DVD, micro format, etc. We collect print (or other formats) for selected census series i.e.: Census of Population, Census of Housing, Census of Retail Trade, Census of Wholesale Trade, Census of Governments, etc. In addition, we collect [in print and/or provide links] the Statistical Abstract along with several of its supplements such as the County and City Data Book, State and Metropolitan Data Book. We also maintain a print back file of selected titles.  

 

State Documents (Alabama)

 

Carmichael library collects and maintains appropriate runs of selected Alabama documents based on the curricula needs of the University.  When it is in the interest of our curriculum and/or faculty and students, we will retain an appropriate backfile. Many state agencies now maintain Web pages with many of their publications online. For other state documents, it is our policy to depend on the appropriate state agency for a backfile.

 

Microforms

The library maintains a small collection of material on microform (excluding journals) that supports the research function of the library, namely, ERIC documents, certain government documents, and historical papers.  The library will purchase material on microform if it is not available in print form, or if the print form is so voluminous or expensive as to preclude its acquisition.

 

Multi-media Materials

 

The multi-media collection is expected to support the curriculum of the University of Montevallo, and the same selection criteria should be used in recommending multi-media materials for purchase.  These materials are to serve the general information and education needs of the University community. 

 

Periodicals and Newspapers

 

Newspapers

 

The library subscribes to newspapers in print and electronic format to support the educational program of the University, and to support current awareness activities of the University of Montevallo community. Every effort is made to build a collection that represents balanced geographic coverage and a variety of points of view. For our print newspapers, selection criteria include availability of indexing, cost, and holdings of comparable regional educational institutions.

 

The library collects and retains newspapers in paper, microfilm, or electronic formats based on the perceived long-term research value of the particular newspaper.

 

Periodicals

 

Periodicals serve as a major source of current information in many academic disciplines, and complement the library's book collection. Because each periodical title involves a prospective long-term commitment of funds, and because of the increasing cost of periodical subscriptions, acquisition of new periodical titles requires serious consideration.  Development of the periodicals collection is a cooperative activity involving faculty and librarians, with final selection responsibility resting with the librarians. The primary criterion used to evaluate and select periodicals subscriptions is the title's support of the educational program of the University.

 

Reference Collection

 

The collection provides basic and in-depth sources in fields currently part of the University curriculum and basic sources in the traditional Liberal Arts.  There is also selective coverage of subjects of current or general interest, which are not directly within the University curriculum.

 

Special Collections

The Library maintains a modest collection of rare books, unique items, and items too valuable or fragile to circulate in its Special Collections.  Among the materials in the collection are books and other items relating to the history of the Montevallo area, older Alabama state publications with relevance to the University's history, and publications authored by University faculty.   

 

The library does not actively acquire rare book materials. New acquisitions come through gifts to the library or the University and must meet the same criteria as the regular collection.

 

Young People’s Literature Collection

 

The young people’s literature collection is intended to support our students in their degree programs for early childhood education, elementary education, middle school education, secondary education, education of the hearing impaired, speech pathology, English, or other program leading to teaching certificates on the undergraduate and/or graduate level. The purpose of the collection is to help students in these programs to identify and examine works that can be effective in literature-based instruction across the curriculum at the K-12 level.

 

The collection is not intended to be comprehensive; the intent is to offer a sampling of the best of children’s literature, including Caldecott and Newberry Award winners, and other award books. Other well-loved classics and contemporary works of distinction may be acquired as appropriate and as funding allows. Additionally, the collection shall consist of materials in the subjects that will supplement and/or support student teachers in their classroom internships.