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Collection Guidelines - Collection Development

Collection development is a collaborative activity between library staff and academic staff of the University. Requests or suggestions for new resources that support the teaching, learning or research activities within the University are encouraged and handled according to procedures framed within a broader context of budget guidelines and priorities.

Requesting Monographs

Requests for monograph material should be sent to either your Liaison Librarian or to the Acquisitions Monograph section. An online request form is also available.

Requests are sorted and ordered according to urgency and priority. Prescribed or recommended reading list titles are given the highest priority and are ordered immediately. Other high priority titles such as those needed urgently to support teaching, learning and research or course development are also ordered immediately. Other requests are ordered if the budget allocation for the school permits.

Expensive monograph items ($500-$2000) are referred to the Library’s Faculty Manager for approval before ordering. Notable purchases of over $2,000 are referred to the Library’s Collection Advisory Committee before ordering can proceed.

Please feel free to discuss any queries regarding the purchase of new monograph materials with your liaison librarian or Zara Nockles, Acquisitions Librarian - Monographs.

Reading List ordering formula

The ordering of reading list resources to support teaching units or courses is treated as a high priority by the Library. Reading lists for all units are checked each semester and orders are placed according to a formula that takes into account the number of enrolments at each campus where the unit is taught, whether the title is a prescribed or recommended text and the number of titles on the reading list.

Whilst the Library endeavours to provide access to reading list resources, the Library does not undertake to provide sufficient copies to ensure that every student will have access to these resources at all times.

Prescribed and Recommended Reading List Ordering Formula - as at July 2011

Requesting Serials

Requests for serial material (journals or electronic databases) should be sent to either your Liaison Librarian or to the Acquisition Serials Section.

Online request form is also available:
New Journal or Database Request form

Requests for the purchase of new serial material are reviewed by the Library Manager for each Faculty. All purchase recommendations are then considered by the Library Collection Advisory Group. Purchase decisions are made according to priority and budget availability.

The serial budget for each school is normally fully committed each year. Some additional funds may be available each year to support high priority new titles that are needed for new courses or research work or for high priority new databases or packages. It is important that any urgent requests are discussed with your liaison librarian so that the Library is aware of your teaching or research needs. Requests that cannot be met by the available budget are added to each school’s serial wishlist and reviewed each year as funds become available. There is an option at renewal time each year (before July) for Schools to nominate titles for substitution i.e. low priority titles can be cancelled to allow new high priority titles to be subscribed to for the following year. However, the increasing purchase of electronic journals in fixed packages, means that some journals may not be available for individual substitution.

The Library’s policy is to purchase the electronic format of new journals rather than print if available. The exceptions to this are identified in:
Guidelines for maintaining print journal subscriptions when electronic access is available

If you have further queries regarding requesting or trialling a new journal or database please contact your Liaison Librarian or Susanne Glynn, Electronic Resources Librarian.

Trial databases

The Library offers trials of new databases or eresources to allow students and staff the opportunity to evaluate their suitability and use. Feedback from trials is used to inform possible purchase decisions.

Trials of new electronic resources can be arranged by contacting your Liaison Librarian or filling in the Request a Database or Electronic Resource Trial Form. All trials are arranged and coordinated by the Library Acquisitions section.

Access to the trial resources is available via the new resources and trial databases link on the Library Website. At the end of each trial it is important that a full evaluation of the resource is made and sent to serial.orders@deakin.edu.au.

Formats

Deakin University Library acquires materials in a range of formats to support the University's teaching, learning and research activities. General guidelines include:

• Electronic access is the preferred delivery option for the Library’s journals and databases
• Print monographs are still actively acquired to support teaching, learning or research
• E-books are of increasing importance to provide greater access to a wide range of monograph materials and to high use materials
• E-reference resources are generally preferred over print reference materials
• DVDs are the preferred format over VHS
• Web hosted databases and electronic resources are preferred over locally hosted resources
• Microform is still acquired when appropriate but digital versions are preferred

Please note that digital formats are normally subject to licensing restrictions: see licenses and copyright.

Duplication

The Library endeavours to minimise duplication where possible. When scholarly materials are published in multiple formats, the Library will usually acquire material in one format only in order to best utilise the Library’s information resources budget.

Online access to journals is the preferred delivery option but some exceptions exist and are detailed in the following guidelines:
Guidelines for maintaining print journal subscriptions when electronic access is available

Duplication of reading list resources may be necessary to meet immediate student needs and a formula is used to guide the number of copies purchased (see Reading list formula). Where available, an electronic version of reading list texts is also purchased.

Duplication of books not directly related to specific units or courses is generally avoided, however some exceptions exist eg. core, seminal, reference, general, current affairs or high use resources.

Licenses and Copyright

Information resources provided by Deakin University Library are subject to license and copyright law and all users are legally obliged to comply. All use of electronic resources subscribed to by Deakin University Library is for educational, research or personal use only. Information must not be used for commercial purposes or re-sold in any way. Any copyright resides with the original author or publisher.

All requests for licensed information resources are checked against the University Contracts Policy and must meet a range of specific selection criteria: Selection criteria for electronic information resources.

User rights for licensed resources are documented in resource licensing records and communicated via the library catalogue. Restrictions are displayed under 'Licensing & Resource Information' for the individual resource.