Collection Development Manual > Libraries & Collections > Special Collections > Oregon Collection

Oregon Collection

Collection Policy

Purpose of the Collection

Multnomah County Library has collected materials on the subject of Oregon since the library was founded in 1864. Many of these materials are now part of the Oregon Collection, a reference collection of materials describing the cultural, social or political life of Oregon and its communities. Some types and formats of materials are generally excluded, such as photographs and manuscripts. However, as new formats are developed, they may be added to the Oregon Collection (electronic resources are a recent example).

The focus of this special collection is materials about Oregon that are important to the Multnomah County Library and its users. Items collected are retained for their current importance and for their lasting value to the library and its users. Administration of the Oregon Collection is undertaken with the awareness that the allocation of space in the library is of concern.

Acquisition Policy

Materials are added to the Oregon Collection when they represent the cultural, political, or social life of Oregon and its communities, and when they are significant, unique, and of lasting importance. Only cataloged materials are added to the Oregon Collection. This policy covers materials in all formats.

For the purposes of this collection, the term Oregon refers to the state of Oregon (since 1859), and to the Oregon Territory (prior to 1859). Significant items related to the Westward Movement are considered within the scope of the term "Oregon Territory." Items describing a wider area than the state of Oregon after 1859 are acquired if they treat some aspect of Oregon extensively and authoritatively. Fiction and non-fiction materials are acquired if they deal with Oregon as a subject. State of Oregon and Oregon Territory documents and other federal and local government documents of lasting value (and that deal with Oregon or its communities as a subject) are added as well. Materials are acquired in electronic rather than paper format when possible and appropriate.

More specifically, the collection may include:

Important non-fiction materials that discuss Oregon extensively
City directories and telephone books for Oregon and communities within Oregon
Significant maps of Oregon localities
Selected documentary films and motion pictures
Selected sheet music and recorded music that treats Oregon as a subject
Very selected publications of local organizations (annual reports, directories, etc.)
Significant fiction describing life in Oregon at any period, or that has Oregon as a major subject
Government documents regarding or describing Oregon. State of Oregon documents are added comprehensively through the Oregon depository program, and then weeded after five years. Additional State of Oregon publications are sometimes included. Other documents acquired may include federal, state, and regional government publications and publications of Multnomah County or the cities of the Portland metropolitan region.
Selected periodicals the library deems to be of anticipated long term importance, including periodicals of local significance and selected Oregon newspapers
Juvenile and Young Adult materials using the guidelines above

Within the parameters of this policy, sections within Central Library including the John Wilson Room have the responsibility and authority to add materials in their subject areas and specialties to the Oregon Collection.

Cataloging Policy

Titles may be purchased both for the Oregon Collection and the library's circulating collection. All new Oregon materials will be cataloged as they are acquired, so that they will be accessible to the public. In particular, a special effort is made to provide cataloging for new electronic materials, so that they are accessible by subject. However, only newly acquired materials are given new cataloging records; this policy does not mandate that older materials be retrospectively converted. Oregon Collection materials, including items from the juvenile, young adult, and branch library collections, will have an O preceding the call number.

Loan and Use Policy

The Oregon Collection is a permanent reference collection. Items in the Oregon Collection do not circulate, apart from very rare exceptions at the discretion of Central Library section reference staff. Rare materials housed in the John Wilson Room are subject to the restrictions of that special collection.

Oregon Collection videos, DVDs, cassettes, CDs and other alternate formats (any materials requiring special equipment in order to view or play them) may be checked out on special loan, but only if the library does not own copies in its circulating collection.

Weeding and Discarding Policy

While the Oregon Collection is a reference collection that is archival and historical, there are circumstances where weeding and discarding are necessary:

When materials are irreparable and no longer usable (for condition)
When materials are extraneous: this may include duplicates, materials which were of passing interest, items deemed no longer useful, or materials with information that is represented elsewhere (e.g., travel guides)
When items no longer fit the parameters of this policy

Materials that are weeded from the Oregon Collection may be added to the library's circulating collection, or discarded, or they may be offered to another institution. (That is, when a group of items no longer meet the Oregon Collection guidelines, and the library decides that the items in question will be well-used as a part of another institutions' collection, they may be offered to that institution.) Maintenance of the Oregon Collection includes an obligation to regularly evaluate materials against the above criteria.

Preservation Policy

Finances permitting, the library will undertake to preserve and restore materials within the Oregon Collection, including regular vacuuming and cleaning of the Oregon Collection stacks. Where possible and appropriate, Oregon Collection materials may be reproduced for preservation purposes (e.g. Metsker maps of Oregon).

Given the growing cultural and monetary value of this special collection, efforts to preserve it will be increased. By March 2004, each Central Library section will identify the two most important titles, sets, or special collections for preservation. The library will establish a task force by June 2004, which will be charged with making recommendations for environmental improvements or for moving the collection.

This revision of the Oregon Collection Policy was completed in December 2003. The committee responsible for the revision was headed by Deanna Cecotti and Carolyn Myers. Committee members were: Kate Carter (Children's Library), Janet Irwin (Humanities), Meg Eisemann (Materials Selection), Ruth Pollock (Periodicals), Jayne Freshour (Popular Library), Mary Goldie (Science & Business), and Jim Carmin (Wilson Room). Emily-Jane Dawson was responsible for writing the revision.