Collection Development Policy

Statement of Purpose

Collecting policies are necessary to ensure that collection development is planned, rational, tied
to institutional needs and priorities, and realistic compared to repository resources. This policy
provides a framework for the acquisition of primary sources to support scholarship, education,
and the engagement of the Colorado State University community, scholars, and the broader
public. This collection development policy is driven by CSU’s University Strategic Plan, its
Academic Master Plan, the CSU Libraries’ Strategic Plan, and CSU’s land-grant mission.

Collecting Rationale

Archives & Special Collections seeks collection materials that:

• enhance, complement, or diversify established holdings
• foster connections among collections
• support the academic strengths of Colorado State University

Archives & Special Collections seek collections through donation and very select materials by
purchase. Material accepted into Archives & Special Collections will supplement existing
collecting areas or strengthen weak areas that have been identified as areas of interest by this
policy. Acquisitions that do not fall into existing collecting priorities may be made in anticipation of
changing research needs and interests.

Collecting Priorities

Archives & Special Collections’ holdings have been shaped by past collection development
policies, starting with rare and unique materials, followed by the University Archives, and the more
recent additions of Colorado agriculture and water. Current collection development efforts aim to
reflect a more inclusive and diverse representation of perspectives and experiences, both building
on strengths and addressing longstanding gaps within our holdings. CSU faculty, scholars, and
alumni are of particular interest in these areas:

• women and underserved groups and individuals in the fields of Colorado agriculture and water
• food justice involving sustainable and equitable food production, land stewardship, and
  labor rights
• environmental sustainability including energy use, biodiversity, and climate change
• veterinary medicine related to animal welfare and translational medicine

Responsible Collecting

When choosing whether or not to accept materials, Archives & Special Collections will consider
attendant costs of processing, housing, preserving, and providing long-term access. Donors will
be directed to appropriate repositories if their material falls outside the scope of this policy.

Subject Areas Collected

Archives & Special Collections subject strengths include Colorado agriculture and water,
university history, and second-wave feminism. The majority of materials are from the twentieth
century, although earlier as well as twenty-first materials have also been collected. The following
subject areas are noted below as either active or passive collecting along with their collecting
goals of either high, medium, or low priority.

University records and history (active)

As required by the Colorado Records Act for Higher Education and CSU’s Policy on Records
Retention, the University Archives is the repository for permanent records related to CSU’s history
created by departments, offices, colleges, the Board of Governors, and the President’s Office.
Faculty have also been acquired along with student organizations, publications, and theses and
dissertations.

Collecting focus (medium except otherwise noted):

• faculty who have made significant contributions to their field
• student organization records that capture the history and traditions of CSU
• Rocky Mountain Collegian and other publications
• theses and dissertations (high)
• Web harvesting will be selectively used to supplement the documentation of CSU’s
  planning and response to the Covid-19 pandemic. (low)

Agricultural and natural resources (active)

This collecting area has focused on historically important agricultural and natural resources
including animal, grain, and labor associations, companies involved in crops grown in Northern
Colorado.

Collecting focus (medium except otherwise noted):

• food justice and sustainable agriculture practices (high)
• women and underrepresented communities in agriculture related to production and
  natural resources management (high)
• Colorado craft brewing
• legalization, production, and marketing of cannabis products
• Web harvesting will also be used to selectively supplement collections on Colorado’s
  cannabis industry. (low)

Water resources (active)

This subject area has focused on the study and development of water resources in Colorado,
including legal, engineering, agricultural, and environmental aspects, and recreational uses.
Collecting focus (medium except otherwise noted):

• women and underrepresented communities in engineering and the environment (high)
• environment and ecology (high)
• groundwater, ditch and irrigation companies and/or districts
• water associations and organizations
• water law and policy (low)

Local and regional history (passive)

This subject area includes local history along with social and cultural topics of individuals in
Northern Colorado that complemented existing collections in the University Archives or Special
Collections.

Collecting focus (low):

• Immigration experience of Germans from Russia to Colorado

Special collections (passive)

Special collections consist of rare and unique print materials from the circulating collection and
select topical areas including second-wave feminism and Colorado artists’ books.

Collecting focus (low):

• Second-wave feminism, particularly complete runs of serials
• Equine and veterinary medicine

Teaching collection:

• Colorado artists’ books, small press titles, and chapbooks to support instruction

Veterinary medicine (active)

This new collecting area focuses on historically important innovations and advances in the field of
veterinary medicine.

Collecting focus (high):

• research and teaching by CSU’s faculty in the areas of equines and small animals, and animal welfare
• translational medicine, particularly infectious and immune diseases, and regenerative
  medicine

Sustainability (active)

This new collecting area focuses on environmental sustainability in Colorado, building off the
historically important work done at CSU.

Collecting focus (high):

• School of Global Environmental Sustainability
• Engines and Energy Conservation Lab
• individuals, and organizations connected with environmental research and sustainability