Collection Development Policies

Mission of Gumberg Library’s Collection Management

The mission of collection management at the Gumberg Library embodies the Mission Statement of the University, as well as that of the library:

“Duquesne serves God by serving students—through commitment to excellence in liberal and professional education, through profound concern for moral and spiritual values, through the maintenance of an ecumenical atmosphere open to diversity, and through service to the Church, the community, the nation, and the world.”

Gumberg Library supports the teaching, learning, and research of Duquesne’s students, faculty, and staff in keeping with Duquesne University’s Spiritan identity and commitment to excellence in liberal and professional education.  

Collection Management develops, manages, and stores collections in variety of formats; acquires and provides access to those collections; effectively and responsibly manages all collection budgets; as well as preserves the information in those collections for present and future generations.

Purpose of the Collection Development Policy

• To align the library’s collection practices with the university’s research, instructional, and programmatic needs.
• To describe the scope and nature of the collections and to outline collection priorities.
• To provide general guidelines for those with selection responsibilities.
• To communicate the library’s collection policies to students, faculty and staff.
• To be flexible enough to respond to the long- and short-range objectives of the institution and to changes within higher education.

Periodic review of this policy will ensure that it accurately reflects changes to academic programs.