Linscheid Library
Collection Development Policy for Special Collections

The Special Collections Department exists to preserve and make available books and research materials in certain defined categories for East Central University faculty and students and for members of the local and scholarly communities. The materials will support the teaching, cultural, and research activities at ECU, and provide a unique record of East Central Oklahoma. The Special Collections include the East Central University collection, the East Central Oklahoma Collection, the Manuscripts Collections, and the Rare Books Collection. Acquisition of these materials is the responsibility of the Special Collections Librarian. Appropriate input will be sought from the Acquisition Librarian and liaison librarians.



The East Central University Collection:

The East Central University Collection will include the following:

  1. Publications about the University, its activities, and personnel. These will be collected comprehensively. Ephemera (notices of events, etc.) will not be collected.
  2. Books written by ECU faculty members and distinguished alumni. These will be comprehensively collected. An effort will be made to acquire autographed or inscribed copies of the books.
  3. Dissertations of ECU faculty members, selectively collected. Those which pertain to other areas of collecting interest (e.g. Pontotoc County) will be comprehensively collected.
  4. Honors theses will be comprehensively collected.

The East Central Oklahoma Collection:



The East Central Oklahoma Collection contains published and unpublished materials on local history, books published by area publishers, and outstanding books written by local authors. The focus of the collection is on East Central Oklahoma, especially Pontotoc County and environs. Because there is an extensive collection relating to the state at the University of Oklahoma, the only general materials which will be housed in Special Collections are those items which are rare or unique or which are particularly susceptible to damage or loss. Items relating to East Central Oklahoma generally, and Pontotoc County specifically, will be sought and comprehensively collected. These might include monographs; manuscript collections; published or unpublished records of individuals, businesses, or groups; maps; or photographs. Genealogical materials will not be collected, but will be referred to the Pontotoc County Historical and Genealogical Society. Special emphasis of this collection, because of the nature and history of the region, are as follows:

  1. Local History Collection: Comprehensively collected. (An effort will be made to acquire primary and secondary source material on the history of non-Native American minorities in the area, an area which has been greatly neglected.)
  2. Oilfield History and Culture Collection: Comprehensively collected. The location of the Fitts oil field near Ada and the connection with Robert S. Kerr make this an important area of the collection. Engineering and geological aspects of oil will only by collected as they illuminate history.
  3. Five Civilized Tribes Collection: Since Ada is the headquarters of the Chickasaw nation, those materials which relate to the Five Civilized Tribes in general and the Chickasaws in particular will be selectively collected. Because the University of Oklahoma has an extensive Indian collection and because the Chickasaw Nation maintains its own library, peripheral materials will neither be sought nor housed in Special Collections. (ie materials related to the five civilized tribes but having no other relevance to the collection.)
  4. Oklahoma Politics: Materials compatible with the Martin Hauan collection of political advertising will be selectively sought. Special interest will be given to political advertising, ephemera, memoirs, and papers of East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma politicians.
  5. Oklahoma and War: Materials compatible with the Crawford collection and several other collections related to war will be selectively sought. Special interest will be given to materials that bring an Oklahoma perspective to the issue of war.

Current Manuscript Collections:

Currently ECU owns four collections of manuscripts or other materials which belonged to individuals who were significant in the development of East Central Oklahoma or which reflect important aspects of Oklahoma life.

  1. The Admire Collection. Papers of James L Admire (1869-1956):
  2. The papers, maps, and letters of 89er James L. Admire, who operated a successful farm management service in Hugo, Oklahoma, provide insight into agriculture in Southeastern Oklahoma in the 1920s.
  3. Crawford Collection. Papers of Judge Johnson Tal Crawford:
  4. A Pontotoc county district judge Johnson Tal Crawford was a member of the Military Tribunal which conducted the Nazi War Crimes Trials at Nuremberg. In addition to photos, transcripts, letters, and other background documentation, his papers include his multi-volume set of the trial proceedings. This set is a gift of Elwood and Gloria Kemp.
  5. Leaders of World War I Autographed Photo Collection:
  6. The World War I collection is host to a number of letters and photographs that record the memorable events and personages of the first World War. This collection was kindly provided by E.A. MacMillan.
  7. Martin Hauan Collection. Political Campaigns:  A gift from distinguished alumnus Martin Hauan, this collection includes political advertising on tape, videotape, and film, as well as printed speeches, memorabilia, and books, all associated with the campaigns of various Oklahoma and nationally known politicians.

The library will seek manuscript materials that will directly enhance or expand these collections as well as a small number of significant monographs that will aid in their interpretation. In general, the Special Collections Department will seek additional manuscripts only in areas already selected for development or closely related to those areas.

Rare Books Collection

The mission and financial structure of ECU does not permit the library to engage in developing a rare book collection in any subject area. Therefore, rare books will not be purchased unless they significantly enhance one of the other areas already selected for development or unless a strong research or instructional need is shown.

Areas of the ECU, East Central Oklahoma, or Manuscripts Collections which should, as funding permits, be enhanced by the addition of rare or scarce materials include:

  1. Early East Central Oklahoma materials. (Comprehensive)
  2. Outstanding books by local authors or faculty members. (Comprehensive)
  3. Books pertaining to the history, culture, and folklore of the oilfield. (Comprehensive).
  4. Books pertaining to the Chickasaw Indians. (Selective) Books pertaining to others of the five civilized tribes. (Highly selective)
  5. Books by or about politicians in the Martin Hauan collection. (Selective)
  6. First editions of significant fiction or nonfiction works about Oklahoma or western culture.
  7. Books about world leaders during WW I and about Oklahoma's participation in the war. (selective).
  8. Books about the Nuremberg trials, especially memoirs of judges, advocates, etc. (highly selective).

Books from the circulating collection may be transferred to the rare books collections at the discretion of the Special Collections Librarian if they meet sufficient criteria for definition as a rare book. A book should be referred to the Special Collections Librarian if it meets any of the following criteria:

  1. It is one of a limited edition of 250 or less.
  2. It was published prior to 1900.
  3. It is a unique edition; it is inscribed or autographed by an important author; it is a first edition of significance; or it has significant manuscripts or other material inserted.
  4. It is irreplaceable material of major importance which is subject to loss or damage, including items which are small, fragile, or expensive.
  5. It is in need of protection because of condition or value.

Acquisition

Acquisition of materials for Special Collections will occur in the following ways:

  1. Routine Book Donation: Liaison librarians may forward donated items that they consider good candidates for Special Collections to the Special Collections librarian for consideration.
  2. Solicitation: Materials that are in keeping with the collection goals of the department will be actively solicited. The Ada Evening News will be monitored and contacts made with identified members of the community who may be able to donate or provide leads to relevant material. Anyone donating material will be asked to sign a donor agreement.
  3. Purchase: Books deemed as highly relevant to the collection goals of the department may be purchased as funds allow.

Deaccessioning

Materials found to be no longer relevant to the collection goals of the department may be removed from the collection. No donated manuscripts will be removed unless the library is in possession of a signed donor agreement which allows for the possibility of deaccessioning. Before any item is withdrawn from Special Collections, careful consideration will be given as to why it was originally placed in the collection, what it currently contributes to the collection, and how it is best disposed of. Disposal may occur in the following ways:

  1. Transfer: Materials considered to be neither rare or unique, but still meeting the needs of the Linscheid Library community, may be transferred to the circulating collection.
  2. Relocation to Another Library: Items that meet another libraries' collection goals may by offered to that library. The materials may be given or traded to the library.
  3. Discard: Materials considered to have no lasting value may be discarded.

Revised July 2008