The textbook collection was created in 2014 to provide students access to a variety of high use textbooks within the library to support the completion of their course work and research assignments. Textbooks from all disciplines are purchased as need is established or we have significant requests from students for a particular class. Since we are unable to get all textbooks for every class, this collection is meant to support curriculum and offset some of the expense of rising textbook costs. This collection is not meant to be a complete replacement for students purchasing textbooks for their classes.
To donate to the Elihu Burritt Textbook Fund, click here.
Textbooks from all the disciplines studied here at Central Connecticut State University will be included in the Textbook Reserve Collection. Most textbooks are selected for areas in which we have higher numbers of enrolled students such as psychology, education, math, and English. The collection only contains items that are in book format. We are unable to provide access to online resource materials that accompany the textbook due to copyright restrictions.
The Access Services Librarian and Acquisitions Librarian are responsible for selecting textbooks using the following criteria:
Looseleaf textbooks and electronic textbooks are not currently available for inclusion in this collection due to issues with replacement and licensing restrictions. We are also unable to add textbooks that are marked as "Instructor's Copy" to the collection. Instructor's copies come with notices from the publisher that the copy is intended for use by an instructor only and not for inclusion in a library or for resale.
Collaboration with the CCSU Bookstore allows us to get the most current listing of course textbooks per class for each semester. As part of this project, we purchase all textbook materials through the CCSU Bookstore.
We also encourage CCSU faculty and students to donate copies of their textbooks for inclusion into the textbook collections.
Students and faculty are able to request that a particular title be considered for addition to the textbook collection by emailing the Acquisitions Librarian, Ann Crawford (ann.crawford@ccsu.edu). Requests are reviewed each semester for consideration for purchase for the following semester. We request that when possible, faculty members should donate or place a copy of their textbook on reserve for the use by their students. This helps us conserve our funds so that we can purchase the largest number of textbooks that are needed.
We also when available, use information provided by the Reference Department’s LibAnswers software program, a program that collects information on reference questions to improve reference services, to pinpoint titles and subject areas by reviewing entries in which CCSU students have inquired about the availability of a particular textbook.
Each semester, the Acquisitions Librarian and Access Services Librarian gather circulation data from our integrated library system, ALMA, to help assess and guide the selection of additional materials for the textbook collection. The circulation data allows us to see what textbooks are the most used and allows us to make certain assumptions about what disciplines have the greatest need for textbooks within the collection.
Removal of older editions will be done by the Access Services Librarian in consultation with the Acquisitions Librarian as needed. Some older editions will be retained until the full adoption of the newest edition by current courses. Review of the collection will take place during the summer and removal of older editions will be withdrawn per the proper withdrawal procedure.
Policy Adopted: October 2017
Elihu Burritt Library
Central Connecticut State University, 1615 Stanley Street,
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