NCIP Conspectus Collection Depth Indicator Definitions Fifth Edition, 7/8/96

• 0 Out of Scope: Library does not intentionally collect materials in any format for this subject
• 1 Minimal Information Level: To support minimal inquiries about this subject, the following are included:
  • a very limited collection of materials including monographs and reference works.
  • Periodicals directly dealing with this topic and in-depth electronic information resources are not collected.
  • The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
• 2 Basic Information Level: to introduce and define a subject, to indicate the varieties of information available elsewhere and to support the needs of general library users through the first two years of college instruction, the following are included:
  • a limited collection of monographs and reference works;
  • a limited collection of representative general periodicals;
  • access to a limited number of owned or remotely accessed electronic bibliographic tools, texts, data sets, etc.
  • The collection should be frequently and systematically reviewed for currency of information. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information should be withdrawn. Classic or standard retrospective materials may be retained.
• 3 Study or Instructional Support Level: To provide knowledge about a subject in a systematic way, but at a level of less than research intensity and to support the needs of general library users through college and beginning graduate instruction, the following are included:
  • an extensive collection of general monographs and reference works;
  • an extensive collection of general periodicals and a limited collection of representative specialized periodicals;
  • limited collections of appropriate foreign language materials, e.g., foreign language learning or foreign language materials about a topic like German history;
  • extensive collections of the works of better-known writers and selections from the works of less well-known writers;
  • access to an extensive collection of owned or remotely accessed electronic bibliographic tools, texts, and data sets.
  • The collection should be systematically reviewed for currency of information and to assure that essential and significant information is retained including significant numbers of classic retrospective materials.
• 4 Research Level: To provide a collection that contains the major published source materials required up to and through dissertation and independent research levels, the following are included:
  • a very extensive collection of general and specialized monographs and reference works;
  • a very extensive collection of general and specialized periodicals;
  • extensive collections of appropriate foreign language materials;
  • extensive collections of the works of better-known writers as well as other important but less well-known writers;
  • access to a very extensive collection of owned or remotely accessed electronic resources, including bibliographic tools, texts, and data sets.
  • Older material is usually retained for historical research and is actively preserved.
• 5 Comprehensive Level: To provide a collection that maintains a "special collection" on this topic, the following are included as far as is reasonably possible and in all applicable languages:
  • exhaustive collections of published materials;
  • very extensive manuscript collections;
  • very extensive collections in all other pertinent formats.
  • Older material is retained for historical research and is actively preserved.
  • A Comprehensive Level collection can serve as a national or international resource.

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