I.    Purpose of Approval Plans

Like other major research libraries throughout the country, the University of Oklahoma Libraries acquires a number of new books through approval plans. The two most important reasons libraries adopt approval plans are: (1) to ensure receipt upon publication of all important new books in designated collection categories; and (2) to provide a means of acquiring automatically books which would otherwise be ordered individually, thus saving time of classroom faculty, librarians, and staff in generating and processing orders. 

II.   What is Received on Approval Plans

Approval plans should be taken into account when requesting book purchases to avoid ordering titles which will arrive automatically. The more rigorously approval books are monitored and reviewed the better approval profiles will conform to academic needs. Please bring your library liaison's attention to titles which you think fit the approval profile but were not received, and books which you consider inappropriate for the approval plans. Subject profiles and lists of publishers covered are available from your library liaison. 

General Scope and Coverage

Approval plans generally include the following:   

1.  Publishers: Trade publishers, university presses, societal publishers, small presses, and museums. 
2.  Subjects: All subjects included in OU's Main Campus academic programs, except Geology and Geophysics. 
3.  Publication Dates: New imprints (retrospective publications are not included). 
4.  Bibliographic Type: Monographs (periodicals and other serials are not included).

General Exclusions

The following are not included in the approval books plan:   

1.  Juvenile works 
2.  Books priced over $200.00 ($300.00 for Science/Technology plan) 
3.  Reprints 
4.  Freshman and Sophomore level texts and laboratory manuals 
5.  Pamphlets under 50 pages 
6.  Collections of articles previously published 
7.  Works published privately by the author 
8. Popular treatment of subjects 
9.  Heavily illustrated books with little or no text (except photography and architecture)
10. Spiral and loose-leaf books (except music)

Approval Notification Slips

When titles are excluded from the approval books profile, electronic notification slips for covered publishers are sent instead.  

III.   Approval Plans Currently in Use in the University of Oklahoma Libraries

The following approval plans are currently in use in the OU Libraries: 
 
Social Sciences/Humanities Plans   
1. Subject coverage: Social Sciences, Business, Humanities, and Fine Arts
2. Vendors: Gobi Library Solutions (YBP)
3. Countries of publication: United States, Canada, and Great Britain
4. Languages of publication: English and translations into English

Science/Technology Plans  
1. Subject coverage: Science and Technology
2. Vendor: Gobi Library Solutions (YBP)
3. Countries of publication: United States, Canada, and Great Britain
4. Languages of publication: English and translations into English

Art Plan
1. Subject coverage: 20th century art; selections in ancient Mediterranean, Byzantine/Coptic, African, Ancient Egyptian, Near Eastern and Islamic, Far Eastern, Oceanic, Native Central and South American, Native North American; major titles on pre-20th century art; selected European arts from 300 through the 19th century
2. Vendor: Worldwide Books
3. Counties of publication: Various; primarily U.S. and European countries
4. Languages of publication: primarily English, French, Italian, German, Spanish