Publications

The Institute for Regional Studies since its founding has made the collecting of North Dakota publications a priority, developing an impressive collection of over 5,000 volumes that touch on almost every facet of the state's history. Strengths include county, community, church, family, business and organization histories; microforms; atlases; periodicals; and works of fiction.

A detailed outline of collecting levels by subject, based upon the Library of Congress classification system, has been developed for the Institute publications collection.

Collecting Areas
Monographic materials directly related to the history and development of North Dakota and Dakota Territory. Also collected are works broader in geographic or topical scope that include North Dakota
Works of fiction and poetry written by North Dakotans or former North Dakotans. Also included are works of fiction that are set in North Dakota
Dissertations and theses that have been developed using the resources of the Institute's collections
Works published by the Institute for Regional Studies
Periodicals and newsletters published in the state, on a selective basis
Microforms and audio-visual commercial publications that relate to the above categories

Collecting Level
The Institute attempts to collect North Dakota materials at the Comprehensive Level, as far as is reasonably possible. This level includes all significant works of recorded knowledge and in all applicable languages. This level of collecting intensity is one that maintains a "special collection." The aim, if not the achievement, is exhaustiveness. Budget limitations will impact the ability to collect at this level.

Collecting Priority
A priority has been established in the purchase of North Dakota publications for the Institute's book collection. This policy will be implemented when the established annual acquisitions budget is inadequate in acquiring current publications. This policy does not apply to publications that are donated to the Institute.

Highest priority

Works that have a deadline to reserve copies prior to being printed General histories of the state and its ethnic groups County and community histories Church histories Indexes, bibliographies, guides, etc.

Low priority

Works that likely will remain in print Family histories and genealogies Works of fiction by North Dakota authors Music sound recordings Works that are broader in scope than just North Dakota (i.e. a work on the Northern Great Plains)

Gifts
Gifts of North Dakota related publications are welcomed and encouraged. All donations must be within the scope of the Institute's publications collection policy. All donations are formally acknowledged and gift plates are placed in each publication prior to it being cataloged.

Duplication
The collecting and adding of multiple copies of publications to the Institute rarely is done, except highly used titles. Current or anticipated future use may justify the purchase of an additional copy.

Transfer of Material Between General Library and Institute Collections
Materials located in the general library collection that fall within the scope of the Institute's collection may be transferred to the Institute's collection. Conversely, materials not falling within this policy that are in the Institute collection or donated to the Institute may be transferred to the general library collection. Coordination of such transfers will be made between the Institute archivist and the appropriate subject librarian.

Rare Books
The Institute does not maintain a rare book collection, although some of the items in its collection are indeed rare and monetarily valuable. The Institute will not purchase materials simply because they are rare.

Collection Development Responsibility
The Institute, as a department of the NDSU Libraries, receives an annual acquisitions budget from which it purchases monograph and serial publications for the collection. The Institute archivist is responsible for identifying and determining what publications are ordered and added to the Institute collection. Recommendations are welcome by the archives staff, library staff and the public.

Acquisition
The responsibility for the ordering and payment of identified materials is with the NDSU Libraries Acquisition Department, based upon the order recommendations submitted by the archivist.