RICHARD WELSH LIBRARY

Textbook Acquisition Policy

1.       Policy

It is the general policy of the Richard Welsh Library at NewSchool of Architecture and Design not to purchase copies of textbooks.  Textbooks are defined as monographs specifically intended for work in the classroom environment.  This policy does not apply to supplemental reading materials. Recommended readings are typically acquired for the collection as a matter of course.  

2.       Rationale
There are a number of reasons the library does not purchase textbooks:

1. One copy is usually not sufficient for an entire class. Buying multiple copies for all classes that need them is prohibitively expensive
2. Textbooks are updated regularly and repetitive purchasing over time is prohibitively expensive
3. The library has traditionally been resourced to purchase material for research and to supplement that used in the classroom, not basic curriculum material.  Purchase of textbooks would fall outside of the library’s traditional mission and beyond our current level of funding
4. Space considerations make it impractical to maintain growing collections of textbooks in library stacks

3.       Exceptions

Exceptions to this policy will be considered by the Librarians on a case-by-case basis. Possible exceptions include:

1. A specific request by a member of faculty
2. Textbooks that broadly support NSADs teaching/research interests