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COLLECTION MANAGEMENT - SECURITY OF COLLECTIONS POLICY

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Statement of Policy & Text
The King Library will take all reasonable measures to protect its collections and other property from loss, theft, or mutilation and to protect its building from unauthorized intrusion.

(See specific security measures in Requirements & Guidelines below.)

Need for the Policy
The King Library has a duty to protect its collections and to follow mandated requirements of other policies related to security.

  • Portions of this policy are mandated by the SJSU Academic Senate.
Requirements & Guidelines
The Library controls the entrance and exit of users, library staff, and custodial staff.

  • Electronic anti-theft systems are positioned at all public exits.

    • If any person leaves the building by an emergency exit, an alarm will sound in the Library Security control room monitored by University Police Department personnel.

    • An unauthorized person leaving through an emergency exit or service exit will be visually recorded by video cameras covering the exterior and interior of the building.

  • Key cards are used to:

    • Control and record the coming and going of staff after hours.

    • Restrict unauthorized staff and patrons from sensitive areas.

The Library ensures that employees are:

  • Aware of collection security policies and procedures.

  • Trained to implement these policies and procedures.

All persons who exit the building are subject to search and detention for a reasonable time by staff designated to do so by the King Library and must be informed of this possibility through posted signs.

  • University Police Department personnel, in consultation with the Public and University Library Administration and legal counsel, determines the type of circumstances that are required for conducting searches and conveys this information to the appropriate staff.

  • A sign is placed at the security kiosks at the public & university exits stating:
    “TO PREVENT THE THEFT OF BOOKS AND LIBRARY MATERIALS, STATE LAW AUTHORIZES THE DETENTION FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD OF ANY PERSON USING THESE FACILITIES SUSPECTED OF COMMITING ‘LIBRARY THEFT’ (PENAL CODE SECTION 490.5)


The University Police Department, has primary juristriction for providing security in King Library.

  • As part of administering the Security program, the Security Officer develops active working relationships with colleagues and seeks the advice and the assistance of appropriate personnel, such as legal counsel, emergency planners, and outside consultants from law enforcement agencies.

  • The Security Officer is also an active participant in any planning for response to natural disasters.

A Security Planning Group, composed of the University Police Department Security Officer, one or more heads of special collections, and other appropriate personnel, plans preventive measures against theft and mutilation. These measures include, but are not limited to:

  • Ensuring that materials are marked to show proof of ownership

  • Maintaining secure and accurate ownership records of all acquired materials

  • Eliminating unsecured cataloging backlogs

  • Conducting inventories, especially in special collections

  • Reviewing collections to identify valuable materials in open stacks that need to be removed to more secure locations

  • Evaluating new and improved devices designed to protect the collections from natural disaster or theft

The Library shall monitor theft and loss through regular audits of the collection.

  • An inventory of university collections shall be ongoing.

  • If there is some evidence of substantial theft and loss in particular portions of the collection, and if there has been no recent general audit, an immediate inventory of the portion of the collection in question shall be conducted.

  • If an audit reveals a high theft rate, necessary measures to reduce the theft rate shall be taken.

The Facilities Manager manages installation, regular maintenance, and necessary replacement of flood control equipment, fire suppression equipment, earthquake mitigations, and other repair and equipment necessary to assure the physical safety and conditions of the collection in the event of flood, fire, earthquake, or disaster.

  • Installation, regular maintenance, and necessary replacement of this equipment always occupy the Library’s highest budgetary priority, after any measures necessary to assure public safety.
Applicable Personnel/Departments
All Library Staff especially, UPD Library Facilities Coordinator Special Collections Administrators Circulation

Approval(s)

Reviewed and approved by: Signature/Name Date of Approval
ULB            
UPD            
KMT       5/7/03    


Distribution
http://sjlibrary.org/legal/policies.htm

History & Dates
Category of Policy: Administrative/Operations
Author(s): SJSU Administrative Officer, Luann Budd
SJPL Senior Analyst for Facilities, Alan Decker
Authorized by: Core Team, 5/7/03
Date Written: 3/13/03
Date Effective: 9/5/03
Date(s) of Revision(s):4/11/05

References
A. ACRL guidelines for the Security of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and other Special Collections, April 1998

B. ACRL Guidelines Regarding Thefts in Libraries, January 2003.

C. LAMA: Library Security Guidelines Document, June 7, 2001. Amer. Library Assoc.: Security Guideline Subcommittee of the BES Safety & Security of Library Buildings Committee.

D. Library Policy for SJSU (6. Security of the Collection), Academic Senate of San Jose State University

E. Safe and Sound: Protecting the Collections of the Library of Congress. LC Information Bulletin, June 1998

F. UW Libraries Operations Manual…Policy on Library Disruptions. Volume 1, Section B, No.4.

G. Service Level Agreement Between King Library and UPD

ID#: PL_253
Supersedes/amends: King Library Security Policy


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