Recommending materials for the library's collectionThe library welcomes suggestions for the purchase of books, periodicals, and other materials. This guide provides information on (1) the types of materials that need to be requested on a title-by-title basis, and (2) the procedures for recommending titles to the library.
The library's purchasing power is subject to inflation and foreign exchange rates that
are not always favorable. Economic realities make it impossible for the library to
purchase automatically all relevant scholarly titles. The selection process, therefore, is
enhanced by suggestions received from faculty and students using the library's resources. Books (Including other non-periodical formats, e.g., microforms, CD-ROMs, sound
recordings, maps)The library participates in several publisher or vendor plans that enable the library
to receive many scholarly and technical books automatically. These plans emphasize
English-language titles which are published by American, British, Canadian, and Dutch
publishers; the plans focus on scholarly works that meet the collection development goals
for the Iowa State University community. Many publications issued by small presses, most
societies and organizations, and other publishing agencies are not included in these
gathering plans. Hence, they are often ordered on a title-by-title basis. To be certain that any current publication will be acquired by the library, a request
should be submitted for it. Requests may also be made for retrospective publications. Checking the Library Catalog before requesting materials is recommended because it will avoid forwarding requests for books that may already be in the library's collections. Guidelines for collection development vary from subject to subject. Individuals
interested in gaining more insight into the library's policies and practices for building
its collections are urged to contact development librarians listed at the end of this
guide. | 
