About the Library
Summer Hours
Beginning Wednesday, April 24, 2013 the library will be open Monday - Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
It will be closed each day for an hour, during that time and any other additional closings as posted below. Please, call the library or check the website for hours prior to making the trip in.
Other Closings -
Monday, May 27, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Regular Library Hours
Monday-Friday 7:45 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Contact Information
Karen Hutchison, Library Director (x 1021)
Library Mission Statement
The mission of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Library is to support and reflect the mission of the College. The library offers students, faculty and staff access to a diverse collection of print and non-print resources from the study to scholarly level. The holdings support the curriculum while also providing materials that fall between or across disciplines that have curricular value. The library acquires, organizes and makes available resources in the areas of art, design and art history, and develops and maintains a core collection of primary and secondary materials in all liberal arts disciplines, regardless of curricular emphasis.
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Collection Management Policy
Collection Responsibility
The library director is responsible for the development and maintenance of the library’s collection. Faculty, students and staff requesting material to be added to the collection must complete an online PCA&D Request to Purchase Material form. All requested material is reviewed for its adherence to the library’s selection guidelines and must be approved by the library director. It is the library director’s responsibility to solicit selections from the faculty in their respective areas of expertise. It is the faculty’s responsibility to monitor their professional literature and inform the library director of assigned textbooks and other material that would be useful for course requirements and students’ research needs.
Collection Selection Guidelines
The library’s mission statement will provide the framework for selection of all formats of material to be added to the collection. Gifts will be accepted based upon the same criteria as purchased items. Fulfillment of academic goals and the quality of the content are first considered in making a selection. In addition, the following are also considered: strength of current holdings in a particular area; lasting value of content; appropriateness of level; suitability of format; authority of author; reputation of publisher; and cost.
Additional Considerations
- Duplicates are purchased under special considerations determined by the library director.
- Hardcover copies of books are preferred over paperback.
- Current publications will comprise the majority of selection. Keeping in mind the difficulty and expense of obtaining out-of-print and reprinted material, it is important to spend funds for valuable current publications of long-term worth, thus preventing a future need for retrospective buying.
The library acquires primarily English language reference and research sources. Foreign language titles with exceptional visual images will also be considered.
All historical periods and world geographical locations will be considered for acquisition.
Formats considered for library acquisitions include print material, audio visual and electronic resources. Any and all developing technology will be reviewed and considered for further acquisitions.
Collection Weeding
The library director periodically reviews the collection to identify any outdated or damaged material and will determine if the material should be withdrawn or replaced. Faculty members are encouraged to identify any material in their area of expertise that they feel is irrelevant.
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Intellectual Freedom
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design supports the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights Statement concerning intellectual freedom. Attempts will be made to acquire material that represents differing opinions on controversial matters. Selection is without partisanship regarding matters of race, sex, religion, or moral philosophy.
In the event that some materials selected are challenged, the following procedure will be followed. The library will not remove any challenged material acquired under present selection policies until a formal review mandates such action.
1. Any person wishing to challenge any library holding may do so by first completing an online PCA&D Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources form.
2. The library director will analyze the work in terms of the ALA policy on Intellectual Freedom, the College's Mission and Core Values and the library’s current Collection Management Policy.
3. If the complaint is not resolved at this point, the Chairs Council will convene an ad hoc committee to review the work in question. The committee will consist of: the library director; faculty member(s) representing the subject area most closely related to the work in question; and student representative(s).
4. The complaint will be reviewed by the committee in an open meeting, at which time a simple majority will make a decision. A formal report of the decision will be supplied to the complainant and a copy will be filed in the library director’s office.
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Library website updated January 2013