Multi-Volume Sets Project (MVS) ARCHIVE: Special Characteristics of MVS qualified materials

Sets must be imprints relevant to Japanese studies that cost in excess of ¥l00, 000 (about $1,000). There is no cost ceiling; however, when there is a scarcity of funds the committee may reduce the level of funding granted for any materials.

MVS is intended only to support the purchase of those expensive multi-volume sets that, while important for research, are somewhat specialized and would not fit within ordinary acquisition plans because their purchase would strain library budgets. MVS will not support materials considered essential to any library.

All sets funded by MVS must freely circulate through interlibrary loan. MVS permits the charging of ILL fees in accordance with the loan policies of individual holding institutions.

MVS principally funds Japanese language materials however important research sets that may be published in Japanese and another language may be considered.

NCC especially encourages applications that will purchase materials in new and emerging areas of scholarship not widely represented in current North American collections. Whenever possible preference will be given to such applications.

Second-hand titles may be proposed for MVS funding assuming the following provisions:

• The vendor of those titles promises to hold them pending the MVS grant decision, made by March 1st each year;
• The vendor provides written assurance that the condition of the proposed volumes is at a level that will permit the materials to freely circulate through ILL in accordance with MVS policies; and,
• The applying institution provides a copy of the vendor's written statement regarding the above as part of their application for each second-hand set being proposed to MVS.

The MVS Committee has provisionally included electronic materials such as DVD's and CD-ROM's (as was done with videotaped materials in the past). Applications for non-print materials such as videocassettes, DVD's and CD-ROMs must be accompanied by a copy of the licensing agreement from the publisher that clearly states that its terms allow for the proposed materials to circulate freely through interlibrary loan in accordance with MVS Guidelines.

Publication date for MVS funding:

Sets should be fully published two years prior to the MVS grant year, therefore for 2010-2011 by the end of calendar year 2008.

In the case of very long collections, sections that are published separately, sometimes called ki or yunitto, may be applied for providing an institution commits to purchase future sections of the set when published.

MVS makes no commitment to funding future portions of such large sets, however when possible MVS seeks to support an institution's commitment to such cooperative collection development and pending the availability of funding, may support the purchase of additional sections when they are fully published.

Except in rare and very well documented circumstances, MVS will not fund the purchase of materials published more recently than two years prior to the grant year. Exceptions may occur in the case of very small print runs that may be sold out before two years have elapsed.

a.    Qualified materials must be imprints relevant to Japanese studies that cost in excess of ¥l00, 000 (about $1,200). There is no cost ceiling.

b.    Qualifying sets must be fully published two years prior to the MVS Award year; therefore for 2012-2013 they must have been published before the end of calendar year 2010. As for a very large set, of which sections are published in a discrete sub-set such as 1-ki or 1-yunitto, individual sub-sets qualify for MVS funding providing the applicant makes a commitment to purchase the rest of the entire sub-sets when they are published and become available. The Committee looks favorably on such major purchases, and when funds are available, may support the applicant’s commitment to acquire full sets.

c.    Qualified materials must be important for research and teaching, and somewhat specialized. MVS will not support materials considered essential to any Japanese collection.

d.    Preference will be given to materials in new and emerging areas of scholarship not widely represented in current North American collections.

e.    Important research and teaching materials in Japanese and other languages may also be considered while MVS principally funds Japanese language materials.

f.    Second-hand titles may qualify for MVS funding only when the following two documents are submitted by the vendor to accompany each application:

• The vendor assures the availability of the materials pending the MVS grant decision.
• The vendor assures that the physical condition of the materials is fit for ILL circulation.

g.    Electronic materials are provisionally considered qualified for MVS. Applications for electronic materials such as videocassettes, DVD's and CD-ROMs must be accompanied by a copy of the licensing agreement from the publisher which that clearly states that its terms allow for the proposed materials to circulate freely through interlibrary loan in accordance with MVS guidelines.

h.    Qualified materials must freely circulate through interlibrary loan. MVS permits the charging of ILL fees in accordance with the loan policies of individual holding institutions.