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Collection Statement

August 2018

1. Introduction
The University of Canberra Library (henceforth called the Library) supports the University’s mission by providing access to scholarly and other selected information resources that support the learning, teaching and research needs of the University. The Collection Statement includes principles, selection practices and guidelines about the acquisition of, and provision of access to, materials in all formats for the University community.  

2. Purpose  
The Collection Statement informs decisions about the scope and format of scholarly information made accessible in support of the University’s teaching, learning and research programs.

3. Definitions

3.1. “Collection” For the purposes of this Statement, “collection” is defined as any content which a Library business process specifically makes available to Library clients. This includes electronic content that is purchased or licensed by the Library, regardless of its digital location, and physical items that are managed by the Library regardless of its physical location.

3.2. “Scholarly Works”
For the purposes of this statement, “scholarly works” are defined as works generally based on original research or experimentation, and written by a researcher or expert in the field.  Most scholarly writing includes footnotes and/or a bibliography and may include graphs or charts as illustrations as opposed to glossy pictures.

4. Guiding Principles

4.1. Consultation
Library collection development practices are informed and guided by the requirements of the academic program of the University, inclusive of teaching, learning and research. The Library identifies the requirements of the University through participating in the New Course Approval process, liaison with Heads of Discipline, Course and Unit Convenors, and individual academic staff.

4.2. Principles for Accessing Scholarly Information

  • Acquire the essential scholarly information for course units, where possible providing access in digital form by the student's portal [MyUC Student Portal] with links to [the online learning management system] and advising on content gathering. Organise related copyright management (copyright clearance, the digital repository, metadata for effective retrieval at the Web page for each course unit via a link to the digital repository); make links to other [online] resources available on the Internet and to material also available in the Library only in printed form; and integrate basic information literacy training and IT literacy training within the curriculum for designated course units to ensure that all students know how to locate relevant scholarly information and use related technology.
  • Acquire information for research that is relevant to the University's designated research areas and provide higher-level information literacy training for research students and staff.  
  • Subscribe to on-line serials and print serials only where cost-benefits of an ongoing subscription can be demonstrated compared with on-demand document delivery or where the AVCC has negotiated a national site licence  
  • Satisfy all other information needs through on-demand document delivery services, including electronic supply, interlibrary loans and negotiated access and borrowing arrangements with other libraries  
  • The Library has a role in assuring equity of access to textbooks for all students, in keeping with Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) and the Higher Education Provider (HEP) Guidelines (2003, s8.5.1)
  • The approach involves library [Library staff with technology expertise] staff working closely with course convenors and research leaders to develop Information Resources Plans [Information Resources Plans for Disciplines, Programs and Research Institutes] based on the principles.  The focus is on accessing information content rather than on acquiring physical holdings of books and serials and delivering a sharply directed range of services that support the plans.

Endorsed: Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee, 2001, with the aim of achieving a financially sustainable model in the face of increasing costs of serials in both print and electronic format.

[text in brackets has been modified to reflect changing terminology and university organisational structure since 2001]

5. Selection practices

5.1 General
University staff and students are encouraged to make recommendations for the purchase of library materials. Suggest a purchase forms are available on the Library website. Final decisions for the purchase of Library materials rest with the University Librarian.  

5.2. Patron Driven Acquisitions
The majority of new eBook resources are selected via Patron Driven Acquisition (PDA). A large number of eBook titles are downloaded into the Library catalogue and the discovery layer. As Library clients use these resources, purchases are triggered and the resources are owned by the Library in perpetuity.

5.3. Language
Priority is given to publications in the English language. Exceptions to this will be made where non-English resources are required to support the teaching of languages other than English, or where the content is pictorial in nature and its acquisition is made based on this content.  

5.4. Duplication Generally, the Library does not purchase duplicate copies of material unless otherwise requested. Where duplication is requested it must be related to use or potential use.

5.5. Price
The value of material cannot be measured simply by considering its price. The price however, in addition to other selection criteria, will be considered when evaluating a potential purchase.  

5.6. Licence Terms
Materials will not be purchased where licence terms of the resource cannot be adhered to by the Library or where acceptable licence terms cannot be negotiated. Resources that require technical support or training beyond the Library’s standard support will not be purchased.

5.7. Open Access (OA) Information Resources
The Library actively identifies Open Access (OA) information resources and aspires to make these resources discoverable via federated searching, catalogue and subject guides.

5.8. Donations
The Library may accept donations of material provided they fall within the collecting guidelines of the relevant Information Resources Plan(s). Materials are accepted on the understanding that the Library has control over what is kept and what is discarded. Materials with special conditions relating to access or housing may not be accepted. The Library is an approved library under the Cultural Gifts Program; however, the Library will only accept donations which meet the needs of the University’s teaching and research.

5.9. Theses
Electronic and print copies of all UC PhD, Masters (Research) and electronic copies of Honours theses are accepted into the Library Collection.  Access to electronic versions of theses is made available from the UC Research Repository.  Other categories of theses may be accepted into the Library in response to requests from Faculty Deans.

5.10. Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) 
The Library may purchase material not held in the collection via Interlibrary Loan or Document Delivery.  The Library also supplies inter-library loan and document delivery items to other institutions.  Limited inter-library loans services are available to undergraduate students.

5.11. Online Content
Online content and/or software restricted to a specific cohort of students are generally not managed by the Library. Requests to vary this principle should initially be raised with the relevant Faculty Liaison Librarian.

6. Material types

6.1 Books – print and electronic
The Library will purchase electronic versions of books (eBooks) in preference to print. In doing so, the Library will take the suitability of format for particular discipline areas into consideration.  The Library prefers to acquire eBooks with a site licence.  

The Library prefers not to acquire eBooks that require:

  • Special handheld readers, particularly until an industry standard is developed
  • Installation on a single workstation

6.1.1. Required Texts – print and electronic
For the purposes of this Statement, required texts are the compulsory books for the unit determined by the Unit Convenor as essential for successful achievement of the Unit learning outcomes.  

Students are expected to purchase personal copies of required texts listed in Unit Outlines.  For reference purposes, the Library will acquire and make available required texts, preferring electronic format subject to the conditions in section 6.1.  Discovery and access for electronic format required texts will be provided by the Reading Lists service. Digitisation will only be undertaken when commercial supply is unavailable, and only in accordance with copyright regulations and electronic use licences.

Students are expected to purchase their own licenses for required content that permits individual dynamic updating of the eBook’s content.

Where electronic format is not acquired, the Library will purchase and make available a minimum of one print copy. Additional copies appropriate for the number of current Unit enrolments may be acquired. All print copies of required texts will be held in the Short Loan Collection.

6.1.2. Recommended Texts and Readings – print and electronic
For the purposes of this Statement, recommended texts readings are supplementary but recommended resources identified by a Unit Convenor to support successful achievement of Unit learning outcomes, and includes whole works, and book chapters. (See 6.2 for treatment of other types of recommended resources listed in Unit Outlines, such as journal articles.)

Students are not expected to purchase personal copies of a recommended text. The Library will acquire and make available recommended texts listed in Unit Outlines at a level to meet the needs of current enrolments, preferring electronic format subject to the conditions in section 6.1.

Discovery and access for electronic format recommended readings will be provided by the Reading Lists service. Digitisation of texts will only be undertaken when commercial supply is unavailable, and only in accordance with copyright regulations and electronic use licenses.  

6.1.3. Access to Recommended Texts and Readings – print
The Library will endeavour to purchase and make available appropriate numbers of recommended texts.  These will be held in the Short Loan Collection.

6.1.4. Access to Recommended Text and Readings – electronic
The Library will generally provide electronic access to recommend reading by linking to remotely or locally stored digital content, and providing discovery and access using the Reading Lists service. Digitisation will only be undertaken when commercial supply is unavailable, and only in accordance with copyright regulations and electronic use licences.  

6.1.5. General Collection Books – print and electronic
The Library will aim to collect recently published books that support coursework programs, research methodologies and the university’s areas of research strength, as identified in the Library Information Resources Plans. Generally, in-depth works relating to discipline research will be made accessible via interlibrary loan and not acquired for the General Collection.

6.2. Databases and Journals
Electronic is the preferred format for all databases, journal collections and individual journals, provided the platform, costs and licensing conditions are acceptable. Before purchase, careful consideration will be given to the following requirements:

  • Authentication IP and/or password  
  • ability to use EZproxy  
  • quality of the interface  
  • different costing methods, e.g. per simultaneous user and site licence  
  • the expected number of users  
  • licensing condition

6.3. Third-Party Learning Resources
Third-Party Learning Resources (TPLRs) are online courseware, not produced in-house, used for teaching students a subject or skill.  Examples of TPLRs include:

  • Websites that offer interactive tutorials
  • Material for self-directed computer-based training
  • Material for instructor-led classes
  • Material coordinated with distance learning, such as live classes conducted over the Internet
  • Course-specific online educational and/or assessment resources
  • For academic staff TPLRs may include set-up information, a course plan, teaching notes, and exercises

Before purchase, careful consideration is given to the requirements as listed above at 6.2 and also the following:

  • Evidence of effective use at other universities on similar courses
  • Price and availability of alternate TPLRs
  • Integration with the University’s Learning Management system via standard protocol such as learning tools interoperability (LTIs)

6.4. Newspapers
A large range of Australian and International newspapers are available online via the Library’s subscription databases.  

6.5. Maps
Maps are purchased to support the current teaching programs of the University. There is a preference for the purchase of electronic formats. Hardcopy maps are housed in a separate Map Collection and are available for loan.  

6.6. Multi Media
Video recordings will be acquired in support of the academic program. Video streaming will be used where possible for simultaneous access by a large cohort. Otherwise, video recordings in multi zone DVD format are preferred.

6.7. Computer Files
Computer files are made available on CD-ROM or in some cases via secure download from the Library website.

6.8. UC Publications
A minimum of two copies of all UC imprint publications are held by the Library. One copy is held in the University Deposit Collection (a closed archive) and a second copy is available for loan or use in the Library.

6.9. UC Research Output
Digital copies of research outputs from University of Canberra staff and research students are made available to UC staff and students via the UC Research Repository.  

6.10. Restricted Access Materials
The Library has a number of collections containing rare or unique items (e.g. University Deposit Collection and Clough Collection). Items held in restricted access collections must be read under supervision and are generally not available for loan. All initial requests for consultation should be made to staff at the Library Service Desk.

6.11. National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature (formerly the Lu Rees Archives of Australian Children’s Literature)
The Library houses the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature for the Children’s Book Council (ACT). This is a comprehensive collection of books, artworks, primary research materials and other resources about authors, illustrators, publishers and their creative works. The resources are publicly accessible, and visitors are welcome during the advertised opening hours. The collection statement and policy for the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature is available in a separate document.