A basic information collection is not sufficiently intensive to support any course or independent study in the area involved. It includes a wide range of basic monographs, complete collections of the works of more important writers, selections from the works of secondary writers, a selection of representative journals and the reference tools and fundamental bibliographical apparatus pertaining to the subject. It is intended to include all important reference works and a wide selection of specialized and major indexing and abstracting services in the field. Pertinent foreign language materials are included. Older material is usually retained for historical research.
Older material is retained for historical research.
RLG also developed the concept of national collection responsibility. A library that agrees to accept this responsibility for a given subject agrees to collect in the subject at the comprehensive level, process material in the subject on a priority basis, provide services nationwide for other research libraries and preserve the material dealing with the subject indefinitely. This summary of collection development policies for biotechnology serves as a statement of national collection level responsibilities and as a guide for those who wish to utilize the resources of the Libraries for this material. The complete collection development policies of the Libraries should be consulted for additional information. The national Libraries cooperate to ensure that significant literature in biotechnology is collected, retained and preserved at the national level and to make this literature accessible to the wide variety of researchers and practitioners throughout the United States.