Science & Engineering Collection Policy

Scope of the Science & Engineering Center Reference Collection

This collection development policy statement applies to the Science & Engineering Center (SEC). The purpose of this statement is to provide guidelines for collection building in the sciences and technology. The SEC's highest priority is to serve the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Maine. We strive to reflect the curriculum and research interests of the University of Maine in our collection, while recognizing our role as an important resource in the area of science and technology for the general public, business and industry, and the Maine state government. We also recognize that the Maine Legislature has designated Fogler Library as Maine’s Science, Technology, and Business Library. The SEC collects material in all appropriate formats (e.g. electronic, print) with the exception of audio-visual material.

Responsibilities for Science & Engineering Center Collection Development

The SEC has three librarians who are responsible for building and maintaining the SEC reference collection. Each librarian has assigned subject areas from the discipline list below and is responsible for recommending purchases based on their knowledge of the subject area. Science librarians often consult with campus faculty and other researchers on the relevance of material for suggested purchase. SEC librarians utilize many resources to enhance their collection development. These resources include, but are not limited to: campus faculty and researchers; students; listservs; published reviews; publisher flyers and websites; book vendor YBP; Web of Science citation data; and WorldCat.

Most databases are obtained with funds outside of the SEC, and final decisions may rest with the Head of Collection Services, or inter-campus or inter-library groups. To facilitate decisions, SEC librarians are called upon to make recommendations of databases to purchase and may be asked to prioritize those databases recommended for purchase.

Selection and Weeding of the Science & Engineering Center Reference Collection

SEC librarians make recommendations for purchase of materials to the head of the SEC who then forwards these recommendations to the Head of Collection Services. SEC librarians should consider the following when recommending purchases: campus curriculum and research needs; cost; reliability of the resource (taking into account such indicators as author, publisher, and comparison to previous reference works in the area); potential use; format; and ease of use.

The SEC recommends purchase of electronic reference works. Electronic reference works subscribed or purchased generally preclude duplicate purchase of the same resources in print format (e.g. the library's recent subscription to the Springer E-Books collection).  Other examples of SEC electronic reference works include:

Cold Spring Harbor Protocols
Prokaryotes: A Handbook on the Biology of Bacteria

SEC librarians are responsible for weeding the SEC reference collection on a regular basis. The following should be taken into consideration when weeding material from the SEC: age of the resource, physical condition; use; newer edition available, different resource available with better coverage of the topic; and shifting curricular and/or campus research needs. Final decisions on weeded resources are made by the SEC Department Head.

In general, when a new edition of a reference work arrives at the SEC, the older edition is sent to the stacks per an established retention policy. In some cases the older edition is sent to the Darling Marine Center Library. In many cases there is no retention policy, in which case the SEC Department Head determines the disposition of the older edition.


Disciplines covered by the SEC:

Agricultural Sciences, with a focus on Plant, Soil, and Horticulture Sciences
Animal and veterinary sciences
Aquatic sciences, includes Aquaculture
Astronomy
Biochemistry
Biography - Science
Biological Sciences
Chemistry
Climate Change
Communication Sciences & Disorders
Computer science
Earth, including Quaternary Sciences
Ecology
Engineering
Chemical and Biological, Civil and Environmental, Electrical and Computer, Engineering Physics, Engineering Technology, Mechanical, Spatial Information Science, Transportation
Entomology
Environmental Sciences
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Forestry including Forest Ecosystems and Resources
General Science and Technology
Mathematics and Statistics
Medicine – in support of Nursing and Allied Health
Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Nursing and Allied Health
Oceanography
Ornithology
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism
Patents and Trademarks
Physics
Pulp and Paper
Wildlife
Wood Science and Technology
Zoology

Disciplines and material types generally excluded from the SEC:

Annual Reviews
Arts and Humanities
Audio-Visual Material (exception: AV components of a purchased reference work are catalogued for the Media Resource Center)
Conference Proceedings (exception: American Society of Agricultural Engineers archive microfiche)
Database Search Guides
Exhibit Catalogues
Genealogies
History/Philosophy of Science (exception: standard biographical reference works with focus on the sciences)
Hobbyist/Recreation Material
Juvenile Material
Legal Materials (exception: selected patent/trademark information)
Library Catalogs
Manufacturers' Literature
Newspapers and Newsletters
Popular Scientific Works
Popular Technical Manuals and "How To" Books
Psychiatry
Psychology
Publisher's Catalogs
Reprints/Pre-Prints (exception: Spruce Budworm collection)
Scientific Equipment Catalogues
Sky and Star Atlases
Social Sciences (exception: agricultural extension, resource economics, and selected scientific educational materials)
Software Manuals (popular)
Telephone directories (exception: specialized scientific directories as needed)
Textbooks (exception: selected comprehensive texts in the basic health sciences)
Travel and Recreation
Vertical File Information

Collection Policies by Material Type:

Almanacs and Yearbooks

Specialized almanacs and yearbooks are collected at the discretion of the subject specialist. Note that this type of material can often be found on the Internet and is included in SEC’s subject and portal Internet sites. Some major statistical almanacs and yearbooks are available electronically through URSUS, e.g. Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

Atlases

The SEC does not generally collect geographic atlases, or sky and/or star atlases. These titles are collected by and housed in Reference. The SEC houses a current US atlas.

At the discretion of the subject specialist, subject-specific atlases can be added to the SEC collection or made available electronically through the Subject Guides or Portals, e.g.

Color atlas of human anatomy (Sci Ref QM25.M23)
World Atlas of panoramic aerial images - http://geogdata.csun.edu/world_atlas/index.html

Bibliographies

Bibliographies that cover a broad scientific or technological discipline are included in the SEC collection at the discretion of the SEC subject specialist. Often bibliographies are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals.

The Island Press bibliography of environmental literature (Sci Ref QH541.I75)

Bibliographies on specific subjects or organisms are not generally collected by the SEC, e.g.

List of manuscript bibliographies in astronomy, mathematics and physics (Oro Annex 016.5.N213)

but can be added to the SEC collection at discretion of the subject specialist, e.g.

Union list of geologic field trip guidebooks of North America (Sci Ref QE45.G48)

Biography

Major works on scientific biography are collected by the SEC. This includes general science as well as specialized subject areas. Biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias with both broad and specialized scientific subject focus are included in the SEC collection. Often bibliographies are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals. Biographies of individual scientists are not collected by the SEC.

American men & women of science (Sci Ref Q141.A47)
Biographical dictionary of mathematicians : reference biographies from the dictionary of scientific biography (Sci Ref QA28.B534)

Dictionaries

1. Both an unabridged and abridged English-language dictionary are collected by the SEC.

2. All major current English-language, science and engineering subject specific dictionaries in UMaine curriculum areas are collected by the SEC, e.g.

Glossary of biochemistry and molecular biology (Sci Ref QP512.G55)

3. Selected current foreign language scientific dictionaries of a general nature are collected by the SEC.

4. Selected current foreign language/English scientific dictionaries of a general nature are collected by the SEC, e.g.

Patterson's German English dictionary for chemists (Sci Ref QD5.P3)

5. Selected current subject specific polygot dictionaries are collected by the SEC, e.g.

Dictionary of mathematics: in four languages, English, German, French, Russian (Sci Ref QA5.E35)

Directories

Current editions of selected major directories are collected by the SEC, e.g.

World of Learning (Sci Ref AS2.W6)

Current scientific directories are collected by the SEC, e.g.

National directory of conservation land trusts (Sci Ref S954.U6N38)

Current scientific departmental/society/association directories reflecting the curriculum and research at the University of Maine are collected by the SEC, e.g.

Directory of geoscience departments (Sci Ref QE47.A1D57)

Selected business directories in scientific subject areas (e.g. biotechnology and forest products) are collected by the SEC at the discretion of the subject specialist, e.g.

Directory of the wood products industry (Sci Ref HD9753.D57)

Often directories are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals.


Employment opportunities/statistics

Selected material in University of Maine science and engineering curriculum related disciplines are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Job opps engineering and technology (Sci Ref TA157.P48)

Encyclopedias

Selected current general scientific encyclopedias are collected by the SEC, e.g.

McGraw-Hill encyclopedia of science & technology (Sci Ref Q121.M3)

as well as selected current subject specific encyclopedias, e.g.

Encyclopedia of agricultural science (Sci Ref S411.E713)

Often online encyclopedias that are freely available on the Internet are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals.

Field Guides

Field guides to birds, fishes, mammals, plants, etc. that cover the U.S. or selected international areas and field guides that cover the New England states (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island) are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Field guide to northeastern ferns (Sci Ref QK525.5.N6O35)

Field guides for other geopolitical areas are housed in the circulating collection stacks. Often online field guides that are freely available on the Internet are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals.


Government Publications

Government documents, in general, are kept in the Government Documents and Microforms department. Government documents that will enhance the SEC collection should be selected following selection guidelines for specific material types.

e.g. Silvics of North America (Sci Ref SD395.U5)

Subject specialists who feel that selected government documents should be included in the SEC should first speak with the head of the SEC and arrangements will be made to either purchase or transfer the documents from Government Documents, as appropriate. Often online government documents are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals.


Guides to the Literature

Current editions of guides to the scientific literature are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Keyguide to information sources in aquaculture (Sci Ref Z5074.E6M67)

Handbooks and Manuals

Current handbooks and manuals for curriculum related subjects are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Handbook of ecological parameters and ecotoxicology (Sci Ref QH545.A1J6)

The SEC does not collect handbooks or manuals in the following areas: Individual makes and models of motorized vehicles, specific machines or engines.

Indexes/Abstracts

Most major indexes/abstracts are available online through the library's Indexes and Databases page. Print indexes and abstracts that support the University of Maine science and engineering curriculum are housed in the SEC. Currently only four print format indexes/abstracts are received: Mathematical Reviews, Analytical Abstracts, Abstracts of Papers Presented to the American Mathematical Society, and Abstract Bulletin of Paper Science and Technology.

Separate journal abbreviation lists corresponding with printed or Internet accessible indexes or abstracts are retained and shelved in the SEC with the corresponding paper copy indexes or abstracts. Online journal lists for databases are linked from the relevant subject portals on the library's web site.

e.g. Zoological record serial sources (Sci Ind QL1.Z582)

Indexes or abstracts that cover specific organisms or groups of organisms are added to the SEC collection at the discretion of the subject specialist.

e.g. Current references in fish research (Sci Ind QL614.C87)

Indexes or abstracts excluded from the SEC, include 1) Indexes to single journal titles (e.g. JAMA) or a single monographic series as long as the series is not held in the SC, and 2) Abstracts of individual or joint conference proceedings unless they are published as a journal volume or as a supplement to a journal which is currently received.

Internet Guides

A selection of Internet-related guides, glossaries, and handbooks are collected by the SEC.

e.g. The internet for scientists and engineers (Sci Ref TK5105.875.I57T48)

The SEC does not collect Internet subject directories or other directory-like resources with list IP address and URL information. Online directories and indexes are more accurate and up-to-date and these sources are selected by SEC librarians and linked from our subject guides and portals.

Internet Resources

SEC librarians actively search the Internet to find resources that meet the curriculum and research needs of University of Maine’s students, faculty, and staff. Science & Engineering Librarians make every effort to keep the links to these resources active and are regularly updating these resources as new material is found. Selected Internet resources are made available through the following pages accessible from Fogler Library’s homepage:

URSUS - http://ursus.maine.edu/
Indexes and Databases - http://library.umaine.edu/indexesdb/Indexes.asp
Subject Portals - http://library.umaine.edu/
Subject Guides - http://library.umaine.edu/inetguides.htm
Maine’s Science, Technology, and Business Portal –
http://library.umaine.edu/scitechbus/
Maine Climate and Weather Resources - http://library.umaine.edu/climate/

Patents and Trademarks

As a Patents and Trademarks Depository Library, SEC collects all material sent by Patents and Trademarks Office (PTO), Washington, D.C. Items are cataloged for science reference but kept in the Patent and Trademark area with a SciPTDL call number. Materials collected include:

-CASSIS - guides, manuals, and indexes to patents and trademarks on CD-ROM
-USAPat - U.S. patents on CD-ROM, 1994+
-Patent full-text backfile on CD-ROM, 1974-1994
-Patent and trademark indexes, 1879+
-Plant Patents - microfiche 1931-1994, paper copies 1993+
-Patent and Trademark Gazettes - microfilm and fiche 1872+, latest three years in paper
-General aides to patent and trademark information, e.g. A guide to patent applications (Sri Ref T210.L48)
-Inventor and entrepreneurial guides, sourcebooks, and directories, e.g. The inventor’s desktop companion (Sci Ref T339.L384)
-Classification schedules and directories. Classification change orders

Review Manuals and Practice Tests

The SEC collects review manuals and reference exams in appropriate subject areas.

e.g. Engineer-in-training reference manual (Sci Ref TA159.L56)

Standards and Specifications

Major standards collected by the SEC. Standards are primarily collected in print due to budgetary issues. The following standards are collected by SEC:

American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
ANSI standards, relevant to the University of Maine curriculum, are collected on a title by title basis

ANSI/IEEE
Since 1990, all ANSI/IEEE standards are collected. IEEE standards are available online in IEEE Explore.

American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA)
Since late 1994, all new and updated AGMA standards are being collected

ACI Manual of Concrete Practice
The SEC purchases new editions every 2 or 3 years

American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE)
The SEC purchases new editions every 2-3 years

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
The SEC considers for purchase every 3 years

American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM)
The SEC collects new editions every 2 years

National Fire Code
The SEC purchases annually

TAPPI Test Methods
SEC collects current editions. Earlier editions are in the circulating collection

Style Manuals

Selected major general style manuals are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Scientific style and format: the CSE manual (Sci Ref T11.S386)

All current style manuals from major scientific organizations and disciplines as reflected in the University of Maine curriculum are collected by the SEC.

e.g. AIP [American Institute of Physics] style manual (Sci Ref QC5.45.A45)

Statistics

Statistical information that is related to the University of Maine curriculum and research is collected by the SEC.

e.g. Capital spending in the wood products industry (Sci Ref HD9750.5.C26)

Links to online statistical reference resources are included in SEC’s subject guides and portals at the discretion of the subject specialist.

Tables

Major tables of general scientific information are collected by the SEC.

e.g. Conversion factors (Sci Ref QC94.C67)

Tables of information related to the University of Maine curriculum and research are collected the SEC.

e.g. Handbook of mathematical tables and formulas (Sci Ref QA47.B8)

Taxonomic Literature

Literature concerning the identification and classification of organisms is collected by the SEC. Major taxonomic works for all organisms are included. These include Codes, species lists, and selected taxonomic texts.

e.g. International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (Sci Ref QL353.I584)

In general, the SEC does not collect taxonomic works on single families or genera of organisms.

e.g. Colloquium on Ecology and Taxonomy of African Small Mammals (stacks QL731.A1C64)

Taxonomic information available on the Internet is included on SEC subject guides and portals at the discretion of the subject specialist.

e.g. Listed U.S. species report by taxonomic group – vertebrate animals

Textbooks

The SEC does not collect textbooks except for selected comprehensive texts in the basic health sciences.

e.g. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine (Sci Ref RC46.H333)

Thesauri

Thesauri that are related to University of Maine curriculum and research are collected by the SEC at the discretion of the subject specialist.

e.g. GeoRef Thesaurus (Sci Ref QE7.G45)

 

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Created by: Deborah Rollins | Revised: 12/19/2011