Collection management policies and guidelines

Quick Guide to Approval Plans

The University Libraries acquires new books via three main channels.  1) We get some books sent automatically via an approval plan with select vendors. 2) We get some as part of ebook packages. 3) Subject liaison librarians have funds allocated for discretionary purchases. This guide is focused on our approval plans.

These agreements provide for the automatic receipt of new materials in print and electronic form matching the Libraries’ predetermined specifications, which consist of publisher lists, subject profiles, and other parameters governing academic level, edition, language and price. Our publisher lists include US and UK university presses, along with numerous trade publishers and scholarly and scientific societies.

Books received on approval generally arrive faster, with a larger discount, and with a lower expenditure of staff resources than books that are ordered individually. Those desiring a newly-released book likely to come on approval should not hesitate to request the title, because it is only by this means that we can make sure that they will be notified of its arrival.

We maintain the following approval plans with GOBI:

• A faculty authors plan for monographs authored or edited by members of the Virginia Tech faculty
• A plan governing recently published award-winning books
• A plan governing award-winning books for young adults
• A plan for new print books from selected small publishers

The GOBI plans also serve to identify new ebook titles which are made accessible as part of library initiatives in the area of demand-driven acquisitions.

We maintain the following approval plans with Worldwide Books:

• A plan for print books and exhibition catalogs in art and architecture

We will be glad to share further details of these plans. The library’s subject liaisons can access the details of the GOBI plans through their password-protected accounts. 

Patrons interested in knowing more about any of our current plans should contact Edward Lener, Director of Collections and Technical Services, 540-231-9249.

Approved October 25, 2022