The Special Collections Department of the Sandor Teszler Library seeks to supplement and complement the library's educational mission of supporting the academic programs of Wofford College.
In support of the College’s mission, Special Collections will:
The chief criteria for acquisition or transfer of a collection or item are the curricular, educational, and research value of the item or collections.
The Special Collections Librarian will consider the acquisition or transfer of new collections or items using the following criteria:
The evaluation of all potential acquisitions or transfers in whatever format shall include a consideration of the likely and potential costs to the Library for acquisition, cataloging, storage, preservation, and reference services.
Special Collections may purchase materials from appropriate vendors or sources to complement existing collections or in anticipation of new emphases. While purchases are ultimately made at the discretion of the Dean of the Library in consultation with the Special Collections Librarian, input and expertise from subject experts and faculty regarding the importance and utility of the items or collections, especially their potential to provide a basis for scholarly research and/or curricular use, will be sought by the Special Collections Librarian.
The Special Collections Librarian reserves the right to refuse gifts, and to dispose of gifts as appropriate.
Special Collections does not accept “over the transom” gifts, i.e. items or collections physically left with/at the Library without prior agreement.
All gift solicitations are reviewed by the Special Collections Librarian; faculty, administrators, and other parties are appropriately involved in a particular collection’s or item’s acquisition on an ad hoc basis.
Special Collections shall not provide any estimates as to the monetary value of cultural heritage items or collections.
Materials in Special Collections may be transferred to other institutions, sold, or otherwise disposed of in order to ensure Special Collections’ continued relevance to the College’s curricular and research interests. Input and expertise from subject experts regarding the importance and utility of the items or collections, especially their potential to provide a basis for scholarly research and/or curricular use, will be sought and documented by the Special Collections Librarian prior to the deaccession of items or collections from Special Collections.
This policy is reviewed regularly. Last update: 19 January 2021.