Mission of the Library

The Nahman-Watson Library leads the information literacy program at Greenfield Community College. We do this work by:

• Cultivating a welcoming staff of librarians who, in collaboration with other college educators, provide student-centered instruction to our diverse group of learners.
• Providing access to information and technology to support our students' academic pursuits.
• Creating comfortable, responsive study spaces that serve a variety of individual and group needs.

Vision of the Library

The Nahman-Watson Library is a place for building community and knowledge. It is an accessible, nurturing, dynamic physical and digital space where students take intellectual and creative risks.

Intellectual Freedom and Diversity

In accordance with the The American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, materials will not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. The library will develop and provide access to a print and electronic collection of materials representing a diversity of views and creators, though perfect balance on every issue is not always possible because of limited materials appropriate for college-level research.

We recognize that our collection has largely reflected culturally and ethnically hegemonic voices and we are actively working to create a collection that supports academic programs while amplifying the voices and work of those whose contributions have historically been excluded from the academy.

Acquisitions Guidelines

The Nahman Watson Library maintains control of its budget and does not assign allocations to departments or divisions. This is done so that the library can meet demands that vary over time and take advantage of economical purchase opportunities. When possible, the library will purchase or license resources as part of a consortium in order to take advantage of cost-sharing.

The primary purpose of the library collection is to support student research. We invite the recommendations and input of students, faculty, and staff. Any member of the Greenfield Community College community can make a purchase recommendation by using our online form.

Acquisitions criteria include:

• Relevance to academic programs at the college
• Currency and timeliness
• Quality of scholarship at an academic level appropriate for our students
• Availability to students with a variety of access needs
• Representation of diverse voices and opinions
• Reasonable cost

We do not typically purchase multiple copies of the same text. We primarily purchase English language materials. Self-published materials are purchased only when produced by GCC faculty or staff members and when the content has a compelling connection to the college.

For periodicals, we purchase local and regional news, trade, current affairs, and popular leisure reading, if they contribute to the education of students by presenting an informed discussion of public affairs, economic, social or political events, scientific or technical knowledge, literature, criticism or the arts. We do not typically purchase print academic journals.

Gifts

The Nahman-Watson Library encourages gifts and donations of materials in good condition. We will evaluate gifts using the same criteria as purchased materials. No special collections will be established except in accordance with established acquisitions criteria and no materials are accepted on indefinite loan. All materials become the property of the library. Materials which require a continuing obligation for collection may be rejected.

Library staff are barred by federal law from issuing appraisals of gift materials for tax or any other purposes. If there is any question about accepting a gift, the final determination rests with library staff. The library reserves the right to refuse materials and/or dispose of any items after acceptance which do not meet the library’s needs. All patrons donating materials to the library will be asked to fill out a conveyance of gift form.

View the library’s full Gift and Donation Policy.

Collection Maintenance

To maintain a collection of optimum usefulness, Nahman-Watson Library staff will evaluate collection materials, including electronic collections, on an ongoing basis and with input from the college community.

Deselection (also known as weeding) is an ongoing process. It is the responsibility of library staff, in cooperation with the faculty, to withdraw materials which are inappropriate, outdated or damaged. Materials that have ongoing research value, cover local history or add balance to the collection are not typically deselected.

Deselection criteria include:

• Changes in curriculum or user population.
• Usage statistics.
• Superseded editions, unless the previous edition has independent value.
• Worn, mutilated or badly marked items.
• Materials which are outdated, inaccurate or in an obsolete format.
  • In the case of materials in obsolete formats that still hold instructional value, local or archival relevance, we will make every effort to digitize or otherwise preserve them in a usable format.
• Number of copies in the CW MARS system.
• Cost of continuing subscription/standing order.

Resources that are missing, lost or withdrawn because of wear are not automatically replaced but are evaluated for replacement based on the same criteria as new acquisitions.

When preparing to weed an item which is the last copy of its kind in CW MARS, we follow CW MARS policy:

1. The institution withdrawing the last copy in the consortium makes that decision known to the membership, as long as the copy is still in good condition.
2. The item may be claimed by any library within 1 week.
3. When the title has not been claimed within the specified time period, the owning library can make the decision to either retain the item (recommended if they have shelf space for it) or withdraw it from the collection.
4. Once removed from the library collection, material will be disposed of or donated. Final disposal of all materials shall be approved by librarians.

For print periodicals, we follow the general retention guidelines below:

• Newspapers: 1 month
• Popular magazines: 1 year + current issue
• Scholarly, trade, and professional journals: 5 years + current issue
• Nursing journals: 6 years + current issues
• Special subjects deemed to have historical or cultural value: retained indefinitely

Challenges to Library Materials

GCC students, faculty, and staff, as well as Massachusetts residents not affiliated with GCC, may challenge resources, displays or programs in the Nahman-Watson Library. A challenge must be based on the failure of that resource, display or program to fall within the library‘s selection and collection development policies, including the commitment to intellectual freedom. Challenged material or displays will not be removed automatically from the collection but will be reviewed in the light of the objections raised. Challenged programs will not automatically be cancelled but will be reviewed in the light of the objections raised.

When resources, displays or programs are challenged, the library may take one of the following actions: removal of a resource because it is inappropriate, the addition of a resource to balance the collection by providing alternative views, a combination of the above or no action beyond reviewing the challenged resource, display or program.

Those persons wishing to challenge a resource, display or program in the library will be asked to put their request in writing. An email should be sent to the director of the library. The email should contain the following information:

• Your name and association with Greenfield Community College (i.e. student, faculty, staff, Massachusetts resident)
• The title and author of the material; title, date, and time of the program; or location and content of the display
• Format of material (book, database, display, etc.)
• Whether or not you read/viewed the full length of the item or perused the display in its entirety
• Description of why the material, program or display is being challenged
• Description of why the material, program or display does not fall within the collection development policy
• What your desired outcome is: removal of the item from the collection, purchase of additional items to balance viewpoints, purchase of more recent or better quality materials, etc.

The challenge will be acknowledged by the director of the library and discussed with library staff. A decision will be communicated within 30 days. Any appeals shall go to the President of the College.