Many of you are familiar with the CHOICE review cards that for many years the library distributed to departments. A few years ago we canceled the print cards subscription and moved to an online subscription to Choice Reviews.
While we realize that many people liked the cards, they were also very limiting; only one person ever had access to each card, while many people might have potentially been interested. In an attempt to take better advantage of the increased flexibility possible with our online subscription to CHOICE, we are now distributing CHOICE reviews via e-mail.
Here’s how the process works:
Four to six times each year, your liaison librarian will e-mail each member of your department a list of reviews. You may indicate your selections directly in a reply e-mail, or you may print out the list and mark your selections there.
If you respond via e-mail, please send the e-mail to your department’s book coordinator (chair or bibliographer), to Rhonda Gilbraith (rhonda-gilbraith@bethel.edu), our Collection Development Librarian, and to your departmental liaison librarian. If you prefer to respond in print, please give your selections to your chair or bibliographer, who should forward the list to Rhonda Gilbraith.
Please include your “Ordering Priority” so that we can effectively manage your department’s book budget.
1 = Essential book - Order immediately
2 = Useful book - Order now if our department’s book budget is healthy. Otherwise, wait until April and order if the department’s book budget is underspent. If the department’s book budget is overspent, the book will be ordered the next fiscal year.
3 = Optional book – Wait to order until April. If the department’s book budget is underspent, then order. If the budget is overspent, the book will not be ordered either this fiscal year or next.
If you would like a specialized selection search, apart from the normal broad subjects of Biology, Education, etc., please notify your departmental librarian.
As you can see, we are trying to involve liaison librarians more fully in this process. We recognize that each department and book coordinator may handle book purchasing differently. So please process orders in a manner that is most efficient for your department. As always, suggestions for improvement are appreciated!
Adapted with permission from Calvin College's Hekman Library
Contact your Library Liaison to learn more,
-OR-
Contact the BU Library Research Assistance Desk and we will put you in touch with your liaison.
Research Assistance Desk:
651.638.6224
refdesk@bethel.edu