SRTC Procedure: Library Services

1. PURPOSE STATEMENT

The Library Department of Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) provides access to learner-centered high-quality resources and services to support and supplement academic and occupational credit courses at the associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs; continuing education opportunities; business and industry training; and adult education programs. Through traditional and distance delivery methods at multiple instructional sites, the Library supports workforce development.

2. CIRCULATION PROCEDURES

1. College ID/Library Card

Students, faculty, staff, and service area residents may borrow library materials with valid photo identification. College IDs are the preferred form of identification. The following locations issue College IDs.

Moultrie:
800 Veterans Parkway N., Moultrie, Georgia, 229-891-7020

Thomasville:
15689 US Hwy 19 N., Thomasville, Georgia, 229-225-3958

Tifton:
52 Tech Drive, Tifton, Georgia, 229-391-2623

2. Loan Periods

These loan periods apply to SRTC students, faculty, staff, and service area community residents. Service area residents can complete the borrower’s application and provide a photo ID to obtain library privileges.

3. Returning Materials

1. Books may be returned to the outside book-drop, the inside book-drop, or the circulation desk. Audiovisual items must be returned inside at the circulation desk to avoid damages that might incur if left outside.
2. All patrons are responsible for paying the replacement fees for damaged and/or lost materials. A hold is placed on the delinquent student’s Banner account. The hold is removed once the items are returned or the replacement fees are paid.

4. Interlibrary/Intercampus Loan Procedures

1. The requestor fills out the Interlibrary/Intercampus loan form.
2. Library staff request the item from the appropriate location.
3. Upon receipt, the item is checked out to the requestor’s account and routed for delivery.
4. Library staff notifies the borrower when the item is available for pickup and its due date.
5. Borrowed and on loan items are logged in the Interlibrary/Intercampus loan records.

3. COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURES

1. Selection

Librarians are responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of a well-balanced collection that adequately supports the curricular needs of the College as well as the general education and leisure interest of library patrons. Selection of materials is a cooperative effort involving faculty, administrators, students, staff, and members of local businesses and industries.

1. Instructors assess the current collection in their program area and submit written requests for materials to the Director of Library Services.
2. Library staff checks the current collection and the acquisition files to maintain the quality of the collection and prevent duplication.
3. The following are generally not purchased by the Library:

1. textbooks currently being used in classes;
2. workbooks, except ones used as reference sources;
3. consumable materials;
4. teacher’s guide or manuals to text; and
5. multiple copies except, where demand requires.

4. The Library Staff encourages suggestions for purchases and services from all users.
5. After primary needs have been met, consideration is given to other desirable materials that give balance to the collection and meet leisure, recreational, continuing education, and personal development needs of the students, faculty, and business and industry.
6. Donations are evaluated by the same criteria as are purchased materials. The Library accepts no responsibility for appraisal of donations, nor does the Library accept gifts under restricted conditions.

2. Weeding Procedures

Decisions to weed are based on the following criteria:

1. poor physical condition;
2. obsolete information;
3. replacement by new edition;
4. lack of value to the collection;
5. serials duplicated by other formats;
6. excess duplicate copies of seldom used titles;
7. adequacy of similar information; and
8. lack of space.

3. Challenged Materials Procedures

Resources for the SRTC Library are selected to support the curriculum and to promote scholarship. Should faculty, students, or staff question the appropriateness of a resource in the collection, the challenge must be based on the failure of that resource to fall within the Library’s selection and development policies, including the commitment to intellectual freedom.

The Director of Library Services receives and reviews the submission describing/explaining the nature of the challenge. It must include:

1. Challenger Information: name, campus/department, status (student, faculty, staff, other);
2. Item Information: author, publisher, publication date;
3. Analysis: a detailed critique with reference to the text of the holding(s) being challenged.

Faculty, students, or staff must request one of two actions:

1. The removal of item(s) because of inappropriateness; or
2. The addition of an item/source to balance the collection by providing an alternate view.

The Library may agree to take either action or no action at all.

The challenged item(s) will remain on the shelf during the duration of the challenge.

4. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

Library services and materials are evaluated as follows:

1. satisfaction survey of students, faculty, staff, business and industry;
2. feedback from orientation programs, reference questions, and other comments or suggestions;
3. analysis of in-house use;
4. analysis of library database and catalog searches;
5. circulation data; and
6. Interlibrary loan requests.

Responsibility
The Vice President for Academic Affairs has the overall responsibility for ensuring this procedure is implemented.

Status:
Adopted: 10-06-2014
Implemented: 07-01-2015
Revised: 09-15-2020