Smith Circulation Manual

Weeding

Reserve Materials considered to be weeded are:

• Older editions replaced by new ones
• Books seldom used within a 6-month period  
• Books requested to be taken off reserve by Course Instructor
• Additional copies of reserve materials to be placed in general circulating collection

The Reserve collection is reviewed for weeding once a year by the Head of Access Services and Collection Librarian.

Faculty Copies on Reserve Materials may be placed on reserve by the faculty of Rutgers by contacting the Head of the Access Services Department or by completing a “Reserve Reading/Reprints” request form at the front desk.

Requesting Copies

All requests on copies for Reserve Collection should be forwarded to the Head of Access Services Department. If an item is available in the stacks, it will be brought up to the Circulation department for processing. If requested item is not available in the Library, the request is reviewed by the Library Director to determine if the item will be purchased by the Library. Then the Cataloguing Department processes the materials for the Reserve Collection.

Access to Special Collections "The History of Medicine"

• The University Libraries recognizes the importance to researchers of gaining access to information contained in Special Collections. Every effort is made to accommodate researchers to ensure adequate and timely access to materials held in the Barbara M. Peck History of Medicine Room and the Stanley S. Bergen, Jr., MD University Archives.
• Ongoing efforts are made to expand access through both internal and external funding sources.
• The University Libraries Department of Special Collections is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• No access to the collections is permitted on week nights, weekends, or during holidays when the Library is open.
• Special Collections is currently staffed by one FTE professional, the Archivist, who routinely requests that researchers, especially those from off-campus, schedule an appointment to use rare books, archives, or manuscripts. This request ensures that staff can adequately prepare for the visit beforehand and bring together any needed materials.
• Staff in the Information & Education (I&E) Department provides reference service and access to limited types of resources in Special Collections when the Archivist is away.
• I&E staff are trained to provide ready reference assistance and can retrieve 20th-century books and journals for patrons, as well as limited materials from the Archives.
• During these periods and in the evening, with prior arrangement made with the Archivist, certain materials can be made available for patrons' use in public areas, with supervision and security provided by the I&E or Circulation staff.
• These specially requested materials should be placed on hold in the Circulation Department.
• A photo I.D. is required to use the materials. 
• A core group of Special Collections' users has been identified and is permitted access to the department when the Archivist is away.
• These users are routinely informed about an upcoming extended absence. [SEE separate list of names, which includes core users’ affiliations. These users may work in the Peck Room without supervision, but may need limited assistance locating 20th-century cataloged books, journals, subject, or biographical files.
• They may have previously arranged to view certain rare books or manuscript collections, which will be pulled by the Archivist and left out in a conspicuous location with their names affixed.
• Under special circumstances, I&E staff may provide additional or extended service.
• Circumstances warranting such service include contact by the Rutgers President’s Office or the office of the New Jersey governor. In other words, requests received from the highest authority within the University or State, and only if assistance cannot wait until the return of the Archivist.
• If such service is provided and the patron is already onsite, I&E staff must use caution and discretion when providing Special Collections materials to the patron. I&E staff should always supervise the use of materials, either by staying with the patron in Special Collections or closely supervising them (and the materials) in the reference area.
• If it is unclear whether access should be permitted, or other questions arise regarding the legitimacy of the request or the requester. In that case, these should be referred immediately to Library Administration – either Richard Jutkiewicz or Tony Nguyen.
• Whenever reference assistance is rendered to patrons in the absence of the Archivist, the assisting librarian should complete a “Special Collections Reference Request” form and notify the Archivist. Any need for follow-up by the Archivist should be noted on the form. Please make sure the contact information is complete.
• All users have access to information about the department's book holdings through the University Libraries' online catalog, Alma, as well as to archives and manuscripts holdings through the department's Web page. The URL is: http://www.umdnj.edu/librweb/speccoll/special_collections.html

Key to History of Medicine Room

• The Special Collections area is not keyed to the master key, and the limited distribution of the unique key is paramount.
• I&E staff should obtain the key from Library Administration if access to the department is needed, ensuring that the door is relocked when the task is completed.