Selection Policy
Contents
Editor's note: Choice’s recently revised Selection Policy, prepared by Choice editors in consultation with the Choice Editorial Board and approved by the Board in June 2004, appears below. It updates the 2001 Selection Policy, which was published in the October 2001 issue of Choice. This comprehensive policy document outlines the major criteria that guide Choice subject editors in selecting print and electronic publications for review and provides a brief statement of scope for each subject area.
Introduction
Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, founded in 1964, is a publication of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. Choice's primary mission is to assist librarians who build collections at the undergraduate level by providing concise but critical reviews of current scholarly books and electronic resources.
Nearly 7,000 reviews are published annually in print (magazine and card) and electronic (Choice Reviews Online) format. Because most titles are reviewed within six months of publication, Choice usually provides the first professional, postpublication commentary on scholarly works.
Choice reviewers are primarily teaching faculty from institutions across the United States and Canada, individuals selected for their subject expertise, their active involvement with undergraduate students and curricula, their diverse viewpoints and backgrounds, and their sensitivity to scholarly trends. Reference publications are reviewed by practicing academic librarians, many of whom are subject specialists with advanced degrees.
Selection of titles for review is made by Choice subject editors, most of whom have experience as college or university librarians with responsibilities for collection development. They examine more than 22,000 scholarly and trade publications annually and monitor publishers' catalogs, professional journals, and online resources for print and electronic publications of potential value to undergraduate collections.
Due to the high volume of materials received, Choice is able to review only a small percentage (roughly 25-30 percent) of the titles submitted. All reviewing decisions are based on an examination of the finished book or electronic product.
This policy statement outlines the major criteria used by Choice editors in selecting print and electronic publications for review and provides a brief statement of scope for each subject area.
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