Collection Guidelines - Collection Development
Print and electronic book selection
Electronic books
Electronic books are an increasingly important resource collection available to students and staff as they offer the following advantages:
- 24X7 access to both on and off campus students and staff
- A broad range of subject areas and topics available immediately
- Many ebooks available simultaneously to multiple users
- Immediate availability to users wherever they are located (as long as internet access is available)
- Useful functionality including searching, printing and downloading options
- No need to place holds, lend out, renew, return or shelve
- Integration with some journal databases to allow full content searching across both books and journals
- Some value-added content available in many ebooks including additional links, exercises, images etc.
- Better support online education
The Library will actively seek to acquire electronic books that:
- Support the teaching, learning and research of the University
- Provide greater access to high demand or prescribed and recommended reading list titles
- Provide greater access to a wide general collection covering a broad range of topics and discipline areas to support general study and research across the University community
- Provide up to date, current and easily accessible reference information
It is recognised that the selection of electronic books must take into account:
- User friendly functionality including searching, printing, downloading
- Platform stability and robustness
- Satisfactory DRM (digital rights management including copyright and licensing conditions)
- Satisfactory pricing
Print books
Print books continue to be a core resource for many students and staff. Their unique advantages include:
- Ease of use and readability
- Portable and able to be used anywhere
- Ability to visually browse and scan content easily
- Ability to read lengthy content more easily in print than online
- Ability to annotate, page mark and refer back to content easily
- Good image quality for graphic material
- No internet charges or downloading restrictions
- More attractive to users in terms of appearance
- Allow access through BONUS to other libraries
- Allow walk-in access
The Library will actively select print books that:
- Support the teaching, learning and research of the University
- Provide a current, core, relevant and attractive collection suitable for shelf browsing and borrowing
- Are high use, prescribed or recommended titles that should ideally be available both electronically and in print format with multiple copies available
- Are titles that may be more suitable in print due to the need for lengthy or intensive browsing or reading
- Are titles whose content is heavily illustrated or graphic
- Are titles not available in electronic format or where the electronic format is embargoed or omits content
- Are titles where the electronic format does not offer adequate browsing or access is problematic
- Are titles where the license does not allow the University to effectively use the title for teaching, learning or research
Multiple Copies
Where the Library acquires both the print and the electronic format of a book, the multi-user access to the electronic book is seen as being the equivalent to 3 print copies. The recommended reading ordering formula for multiple copy print books will be adjusted accordingly.
Ebook User Behaviour
The Library recognises that electronic books are still an emerging trend and many titles will be required in both print and electronic formats in the immediate future. However, it also recognises that user behaviour can change rapidly with emerging technologies and there is a need to monitor and evaluate client usage behaviour in order to adapt acquisition practices as usage patterns change.
Book allocations
The Library notes the financial challenge in supporting the ongoing acquisition of books in multiple formats and the need for careful consideration and justification for multiple format requests. From 2010, book allocations assigned to each school will be used to acquire both print and ebook individual titles. Requests will need to be marked with preference for print, electronic or both.
Ebooks are a rapidly emerging format with the implications for collection development still uncertain. Please send any comments or feedback on this guideline to Janine Epps, Manager Collections & Access.
Last revised February 2011
