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Objectives


Statement Of Purpose The purpose of the Easter Library of Clearwater Christian College is to provide and maintain information sources and to instruct patrons in the use of the sources which will support a Christian liberal arts curriculum.

Objectives / Expected Results
  1. To build a carefully selected collection to under gird the College's purpose as a Christian liberal arts college.
  2. To involve the college community in evaluating and upgrading collections and services.
  3. To assist patrons in locating sources and tools needed in their research.
  4. To acquaint library users with resources that include diverse viewpoints.
  5. To teach the user responsible Christian stewardship of library property and consideration for the needs of others.
  6. To provide the means for continued professional growth of the faculty and an awareness of current trends within their academic disciplines.
  7. To facilitate audiovisual services for the College's academic program.
1978 (12th Revision, November 2002)

Objective Number One To build a carefully selected collection to under gird the College purpose as a Christian liberal arts college.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: The collection will be adequate in quantity and quality to support the College’s academic programs.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The library staff compares the present collection against a selected peer group of college libraries and against current subject bibliographies in the academic disciplines that are offered at the College. The staff figures the annual growth rate of the collection, and they set a numerical goal to determine the number of volumes needed in order for the collection to grow by two percent annually.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: Every spring, the library staff conducts a users’ survey of its patrons to determine the adequacy of the number of volumes in their field. The staff contacts faculty and requests that they identify materials, which may be needed for current or future classes. They also ask the faculty to identify materials to be weeded from the collection.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: The information gathered is used by the Easter Library staff and the Library committee to determine the amount of money needed for the following year’s Books and Acquisitions, Media, and Periodicals budgets. The amount requested for the Book Budget will reflect the projected number of volumes to maintain at least a two percent growth rate. Division chairs and library committee members participate in allocating funds to various academic departments and divisions, and are kept informed of the amount spent in their respective areas. If surveys show insufficiency in certain subject areas of the collection, these areas receive a higher allotment of the library budget. The budget is forwarded to the Vice President for Financial Affairs. The weeding policy and suggestions from the faculty are used to evaluate the weeding and retention of materials.
1/28/87 (Revised Jan. 1990; Mar. 1990; June 1997; Nov. 1998; Feb. 2001)

Objective Number Two To involve the college community in evaluating and upgrading collections and services.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: The library will be evaluated through a formal process by students, faculty, and staff.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: A broad-based evaluation of the library's collections and services is conducted through an annual users' survey, student representation on the Library Committee, recommendations from the faculty, and a suggestion box available to all patrons throughout the year.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: A Library Users' Survey is prepared and administered during a one week period each spring. It is available to all patrons who use the library that week. The library's strengths and weaknesses are identified by the users' survey. The student members of the Library Committee report each meeting about the concerns and opinions of other students about library collections and services. The Library Committee keeps a record in the meeting minutes of any suggestions made and actions needed to address the suggestions. The librarians contact the faculty to identify materials which may be needed for current or future classes. They also ask the faculty to identify materials to be weeded from the collection.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: Results of the users' survey, ideas from student members of the Library Committee, recommendations from the faculty, and suggestions from the suggestions box are used to determine ways to improve the library 's collections and services. Suggestions for collection development are considered promptly by the acquisitions librarian. Other ideas are reviewed at regularly scheduled Library Committee meetings. The committee and staff prioritize the suggestions which are considered practical to be used when preparing budget requests for the next fiscal year, dividing the book budget among departments, and planning library purchases, services, and staffing.
1/28/87 (Revised: Jan/Mar 1990; Feb/Mar. 1991; June 1997; February 2001)

Objective Number Three To assist patrons in locating sources and tools needed in their research.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: The library staff will provide assistance to patrons in locating and using library tools and collections needed for their research.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The library staff compiles bibliographies and lists of periodicals, identifies reference books, answers reference questions, provides signage, writes instructions for the computers and equipment, assists in the use of the library, and conducts orientations.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: The library staff periodically records reference questions in order to determine reference activity and success. A record is kept of the number of orientation sessions and the use of the computers for public services. The library staff and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee annually distribute a survey to patrons and students respectively to evaluate library sources and orientation sessions.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: The library staff analyzes the results of the collected statistics and returned surveys to identify needs for library tools and sources, to identify changes needed in reference services and orientation classes, and to forecast staff and budget needs.
1/28/87 (Revised: Jan/Mar. 1990; Mar/Apr. 1992; June 1997)

Objective Number Four To acquaint library users with resources that include diverse viewpoints.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: Patrons will be made aware of the resources in the Easter Library and in other libraries for the study of varying views.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The library staff provides bibliographies and displays of varying materials. They order materials reflecting diverse viewpoints and orient patrons to the computer facilities, electronic databases, union lists, and catalogs.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: The staff observes user patterns (especially those related to classes which have library assignments) to determine if patrons have difficulty locating materials sufficient for broadening their understanding of research subjects. A library users' survey requests patrons' opinions on the availability of material with varying viewpoints.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: The library staff endeavors to balance the holdings by consideration of the results of the library surveys when deficiencies in the collection are detected, the library staff informs the division chairs or prepares orders to address the weaknesses.
1/28/87 (Revised: Mar. 1990; Apr. 1992; June 1997)

Objective Number Five To teach the user responsible Christian stewardship of library property and consideration for the needs of others.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: Library users will be made aware of their responsibility to control noise, respect property, and return materials on time.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The library staff establishes rules for users including fines for overdue, lost, or damaged materials. The rules are made available to students through orientation sessions, handouts, signs, and chapel announcements. Demerits and/or forfeiture of library privileges are administered for excessive talking and for abuse of library property. A list of students with fines and overdue materials is sent to the business office each semester. Documentation of serious offenders is sent to the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Library Committee.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: The library distributes a Spring survey that includes questions related to this objective. Inventories are taken to determine the number of missing books and items.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: The inventory statistics and survey responses are evaluated. This information is forwarded to the Library Committee and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.
1/28/87 (Revised: Mar. 1990; Apr. 1993, June 1997)

Objective Number Six To provide the means for continued professional growth of the faculty and an awareness of current trends within their academic disciplines.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: The faculty will be well informed of current trends in their academic disciplines.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: Displays are made to acquaint the faculty with up-to-date library resources in their major fields. Faculty members are provided access to books on higher education dealing with teaching methodology, current issues, philosophies, and trends. The library staff makes available professional journals and new publications in order for the faculty to be informed.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: The librarians compile and monitor budget expenditures for new acquisitions and the academic disciplines and submit them to the library committee for review. Professional and Easter Library bibliographies are used for the evaluation of the collection. Forms are available to encourage the faculty to request new titles and to recommend subjects for the Easter Library bibliographies. Faculty have an opportunity to comment on library services and displays on the Annual Library Users’ Survey.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: Library survey results are forwarded to the library committee and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.
1/2/87 (Revised: Jan 1990; Mar. 1994, June 1997, April 5, 2000)

Objective Number Seven To facilitate audiovisual services for the college's academic program.
  1. EXPECTED RESULTS: The library staff will provide audiovisual services to support the College's programs of study, and campus activities.
  2. METHODS OF IMPLEMENTATION: The library staff posts procedures in the faculty workroom to schedule audiovisual equipment for the faculty. The library staff coordinates the maintenance and service of the audiovisual equipment on campus. An inventory record is maintained for the audiovisual equipment.
  3. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES: The Spring Student Services Survey and the Library Users' Survey evaluate audiovisual services. The library staff keeps and analyzes the audiovisual schedules and inventory records. Opinions obtained from the users' surveys are tabulated and evaluated by the librarians and the Library Committee.
  4. USE OF ASSESSMENT FINDINGS: Tabulations and results of the surveys are used by the librarians and the Library Committee to make improvements in audiovisual services. The librarians and the Library Committee use the schedules, inventory, and service records to evaluate the needs for equipment.
1/23/97