These guidelines are geared toward the inclusive selection practices of UMBC Library for duplicate gifts. There may always be exceptions to these guidelines. The Collection Management Librarian should be consulted when there are questions.

The adding of duplicates follows a few basic criteria:

• If use of these materials supports the collection and/or if use of these materials is expected to be relatively high

• Gift needs to be in acceptable condition

• Suitability for the collection : i.e. probably not Hardy Boys, but yes to Winnie the Pooh in Russian, or childrens science books, no (usually) to bodice rippers/romance/etc yes to science fiction(for either Special Collections or stacks).

• No to older Reference materials (can be a judgement call by Ref)

• Yes,(sometimes) if there's a copy in reference, on reserve, in Special Collections, in circulation, etc. usually to add to stacks

• Yes to rare books (usually)

• Try not to add duplicate bookstore type paperbacks unless in great shape, they don't last that long. Paperback textbooks tend to be bound better and last longer

*Duplicate copies to be added:

• Current textbooks (published within last 4 years)

• Literature(timeless) and history (unless textbook)

• Recent computer books (within last 4years)

• Social sciences books within last 15 years depending on topic, (unless seminal work in the field)

• Science books: depends on topic and age (unless seminal work in the field)

• History of science books (to support Human Context in Science and Technology program)

• Language book (sometimes, depends on age and condition)

• Dictionaries (occasionally) offer to Ref, or add to stacks

• Later editions than owned

• Very high use titles (possibly even add a third copy) or if other copies are in worse shape than the one in hand (can then weed one in stacks)

• Science fiction titles, offer to Special Collections, then add to stacks if they decline

• If a title is held in Special Collections or Reference may want to consider adding a copy to the stacks

• Copies by faculty/staff authors, (one for Special Collections, one for stacks - 2 total)

Duplicate copies not added:

• Most childrens books, except science for children, or foreign language for children.  May want to compare with copy on shelf if copy in hand is in good condition

• Study guides

• User manuals

• Romance novels

• Moldy or damaged books

• Encyclopedias (unless current year)

• Earlier editions than owned

• Heavily marked books (underlining, notes in margins, etc)

• Cookbooks, unless very popular or seminal work

• Older textbooks, dependent on subject matter and other similar titles in the collection

• Old computer books

• Duplicates of sets of titles, not even one or two volumes of the set.  I://ILL/CM/Gifts/Guidelines for selecting from duplicate gift titles

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•  5/31/05 RBM