General Fund

The O'Shaughnessy-Frey and Keffer Libraries General Fund can be used to acquire materials that fall in the categories listed below.  Even though these materials may not directly support coursework, selection of these items should be within the guidelines set forth in the UST Libraries Collection Development Policy.

Books/Standing Orders suitable and/or necessary for the circulating collection which would be outside the responsibilities of the subject round tables.

For example:

• General academic books, including introductory surveys of subjects that aren't necessarily taught at St. Thomas (for example, anthropology); books on issues or current events topics in which students would be interested; materials for the "educated layman" or "cultural literacy" materials.
• General Fiction for the "educated" layman or for "cultural literacy" purposes.
• Award winning, and "best" books in both the fiction and non-fiction categories. For example: Pulitzer Prize (the winner in every category), Nobel Prize (we will attempt to have a representative selection of each fiction winner in English); PEN/Faulkner Award winner; National Book Awards (fiction, nonfiction, and poetry winners); Booker Prize winner; Minnesota Book Awards (selected winners.) Best books of the year, including New York Times, Times Literary Supplement, Village Voice, ALA Notable Books, Choice Outstanding Academic Titles, Library Journal Best Books. (Note: Where appropriate, discipline-specific books should be taken out of subject round table funds.)

The Acquisitions Assistant and subject specialists would be responsible for identifying and suggesting award winning materials from their general
areas of expertise.

• Scholarly biographies that are not necessarily identified with coursework in an academic discipline (for example, Charles Lindbergh); regional biographies of significance; and other scholarly biographies that follow the guidelines listed above under "general academic books."
• Faculty publications: for the majority, if a faculty member produces a monograph, we will order one copy for the circulating collection and one copy for Archives.
• Items relating to local history and to the University

Certain categories of books previously purchased with the Libcomp fund (including circulating Irish Studies and Library & Information Science resources) should be purchased from specifically designated funds.

Individuals or round tables wishing to purchase books/standing orders with this fund should submit requests to the head of the Collection Management Committee, with the fund code "bggen" and requestor name accompanying the request.  "Big budget" materials (items over $200) should be referred for discussion to the roundtable which most closely fits the subject area and then submitted to head of the Collection Management Committee for purchase.

II. Periodicals and Microforms:

Periodicals and microforms suitable and/or necessary for the collection which would be outside the responsibilities of the subject round tables:

For example: 

• ews Magazines  (Time, Newsweek)
• Opinion Magazines  (Atlantic, Harpers)
• Cultural Magazines  (Vanity Fair, New Yorker)
• Recreational reading not of a scholarly nature (Bike World, Self)

Individuals or roundtables wishing to place subscriptions for periodicals/microforms to be paid for from the General Fund should fill out the ***New Periodical Request Form***  and submit it to head of the Collection Management Committee for consideration.

III. Electronic Resources

Electronic resources suitable and/or necessary for the collection which would transcend the scope of any one subject roundtable will be under the purview of the Collection Management Committee. Those resources which have very clear or a preponderance of content for any one subject roundtable will be considered by that roundtable for addition or cancellation within budgetary limitations.

For example:                       

•  ArticleFirst
• Expanded Academic Index

Individuals or roundtables wishing to place subscriptions for electronic resources to be paid for from the General Fund should fill out the New Electronic Resources Request Form (available on the Library website) and submit it to head of the Collection Management Committee for consideration by the Collection Management Committee. The Reference Roundtable will be responsible for completing the evaluation for addition or deletion from the collection.

 Revised 9/27/2005