Member Services: Cooperative Collection Development

For purposes of this agreement, the term "serials" is defined to include journals, periodicals, and newspapers, and to exclude other standing orders and monographic series.

1. Each PORTALS Library will name a coordinator to serve as a contact person for PORTALS collection development activities. This individual will be responsible for securing all local institutional review and support of collection development decisions related to these procedures.
2. When a PORTALS Library (hereafter called the Weeding Library) is considering cancellation of a current serial subscription and/or disposal of a back run of a serial, the collection development coordinator at the Weeding Library agrees to check PORTALS holdings.
3. If more than one other PORTALS institution is listed as subscribing to the same title and/or holding the same range of volumes, the Weeding Library will proceed with its plans for cancellation/disposal.
4. If only one other PORTALS institution subscribes to the same title and/or holds the same range of volumes, the Weeding Library will confirm with that institution that this information is an accurate reflection of current serials holdings, and notify it of the Weeding Library

5. If no other PORTALS institution subscribes to a serial title and/or holds the same range of volumes, the Weeding Library agrees to notify PORTALS collection development coordinators of its intention to dispose of the title. Such notification will be distributed on a serials weeding form, which will specify the name of the serial, the extent of the holdings, the current subscription price, the proposed action, and a selection of possible responses.
6. PORTALS collection development coordinators will respond to this notification within one month. Possible responses to the proposed action include the following:
1. OK to discard.
2. Discard paper copy, but provide for electronic access.
3. Retain last copy. Recommend one of the following actions:
1. Keep at Weeding Library
2. Keep at Weeding Library, but provide support for subscription costs.
3. Transfer to another PORTALS Library.

7. The Weeding Library will review responses from PORTALS institutions. If there is significant disagreements on the action to be taken, collection development coordinators may meet to try to reach consensus.
8. The Weeding Library will notify PORTALS collection coordinators of the final action taken.

Approved by Council of Librarians, 9/21/94