Collection Development Policy 

Cartographic Information Center (CIC) 
Collection Development Policy

1. Introduction

1.1. Goal of Collection Development: The purpose of collection development efforts is to build and maintain a collection in keeping with the missions of the CIC and the Department of Geography and Anthropology. The CIC collects maps, aerial photographs, globes, journals, monographs, hand-held photography, slides, and atlases.

1.2. CIC Mission: To collect, preserve and provide access to information resources in support of the instructional, research and public service activities of the Department of Geography and Anthropology.

1.3. Administration of the Library: The CIC is a research facility within the Department of Geography and Anthropology under the College of Arts and Sciences of Louisiana State University. The CIC also serves as a separate housing facility for maps and charts for the LSU Libraries' GPO Regional Depository collection. 

1.4. Selection Responsibility: Responsibility for maintaining and expanding the CIC's collections rests with the Map Librarian.

1.5. Users and Access: 

1.5.1. Users: Patrons using the collection include the faculty and students in the Department of Geography and Anthropology and from other geoscience departments (Geology and Geophysics, the Basin Research Institute, and the Coastal Studies Institute). Beyond the geosciences, the Center serves many patrons from the College of Design and the greater Louisiana State University community as well as local businesses, Louisiana State agencies, and the general public. 

1.5.2. Access: Use of the CIC's collections and resources are governed by several policies: Access Fee Policy, Circulation Policy, Electronic Resources Policy, Founders' Room Policy, Off Site Researcher Policy, and Public Service Policy.

1.5.3. Confidentiality: The CIC recognizes its legal and ethical responsibility to protect the confidentiality of library users and complies with the American Library Association's Policies concerning the Confidentiality of Library Records and the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library Users.

1.5.4. Copyright: The CIC complies with the provisions of the U.S. Copyright Law (17 U.S.C.) and its amendments and strongly supports the "Fair Use" section of the Copyright Law (17 U.S.C. 107), which permits and protects the rights to reproduce and make other uses of copyrighted works for the purposes of teaching, scholarship, and research.

2. Selection Criteria 

2.1. Selection Criteria: 

  • Currency 
  • Depth of the collection for a particular region or area of interest
  • Lasting or historical value
  • Price/cost in relation to the CIC budget and other available materials
  • Relevance to the past, current or potential instructional and research efforts of the -Department of Geography and Anthropology
  • Reliability and accuracy 
  • Scale
  • Authority

Electronic resources are additionally selected based on level of access, method of delivery, and relation to other versions.

2.2. Review of Material: The CIC recognizes its legal and ethical responsibility to protect intellectual freedom and provide equal access to resources and, thus, complies with the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. The CIC does not add or withdraw, at the request of any individual or group, material that has been chosen or excluded on the basis of stated selection criteria. An individual or group questioning the appropriateness of material within the collections will be referred to the Map Librarian.

2.3. Gift Policy: The CIC accepts gifts for the library's collection on a restricted basis. The CIC will not accept any gift that has special conditions as to retention or treatment. Gifts will be accepted on the basis of the stated selection criteria and are subject to the following limitations: 

  • The CIC retains unconditional ownership of the gift. 
  • The CIC makes the final decision on the use or other disposition of the gift.
  • The CIC reserves the right to decide the conditions of display, housing and access to the materials.

2.4. Weeding: As materials become worn, dated, damaged or lost, or are no longer within the scope of the research interests of the Department of Geography and Anthropology, the Map Librarian will determine whether there is sufficient need to replace the item. The Map Librarian maintains responsibility for all weeding decisions.

3. Policy by Region and Format

3.1. Collection Depth: The depth of the collection for a particular region or area of interest is indicated by level. These levels represent collection development efforts, not collection strength. 

  • Comprehensive Level: implies an active attempt to collect all worthwhile cartographic materials and Louisiana aerial photographs, including duplicates, at the largest scale. This level also includes materials of lasting or historical value. 
  • Research Level: implies an attempt to provide a research collection of worthwhile cartographic materials, including duplicates, at a medium scale or larger scale. This level is generally satisfied by the CIC's status as a housing facility for the Regional Depository collection and donations.
  • Selective Level: implies the provision of a well-balanced collection of topographic and thematic maps and nautical and aeronautical charts. This level is generally satisfied by the CIC's status as a housing facility for the Regional Depository collection. 
  • General Level: implies the provision of reference maps, generally of smaller scale. This level includes dated depository materials and dated topographic maps and nautical and aeronautical charts. This level is generally satisfied by the CIC's status as a housing facility for the Regional Depository collection. 

3.2. By Region: Please refer to the accompanying map.

  • Africa: General Level
  • Antarctica: General Level
  • Asia: General Level 
  • Australia/Oceania: General Level
  • Canada: General Level 
  • Caribbean: Comprehensive Level
  • Central America: Comprehensive Level
  • Europe: General Level
  • Gulf Coast of the U.S.: Comprehensive Level
  • Louisiana: Comprehensive Level
  • Mexico: Comprehensive Level
  • Mississippi River (Memphis to Delta): Comprehensive Level
  • North America: General Level
  • South America: Research Level
  • Southern United States: Research Level
  • Texas: Research Level

 

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