Selection

Selection is a cooperative activity undertaken by clients and library staff. In conjunction with the general principles for collection development, there are specific criteria for selection of online, print and multimedia information resources:

• purpose
• audience
• scope
• presentation
• price
• currency of information
• ease of use and accessibility
• choice of format
• authority (i.e. relative standing as resource and that of its publisher)
• likely level of use (particularly relative to cost)
• availability from other sources
• competing products (including those already held)

Selection Aids

The Library provides the following selection aids to schools and to librarians, in electronic or print format, as available:

• promotional material from publishers
• new title information provided by major library vendors

Librarians also monitor publisher and association web sites, book reviews, blogs and online discussion lists to ensure all relevant publications are considered for selection.

Reading Lists

The Library takes an active role in assisting course coordinators to compile reading lists.

Textbooks

In support of teaching and learning, priority goes to the purchase of textbooks and other resources on course reading lists. While students are expected to purchase textbooks, the reality is that many do not. The Library therefore acts as a "safety valve" by purchasing limited numbers of all textbooks.

UQ's Policies and Procedures Library (PPL) procedure 3.10.03 - The Course Profile - states:

• 4.3.1 Required Resources
• A list of required texts, readings, online and electronic resources using the appropriate referencing style for the discipline. Details of resources that will be available in the UQ Bookshop and Library must be made available no later than 12 weeks prior to the commencement of the course.
  
• 4.3.2 Recommended Resources
• A list of recommended texts, readings, online and electronic resources using the appropriate referencing style for the discipline. Details of resources that will be available in the UQ Bookshop and Library must be made available no later than 12 weeks prior to the commencement of the course.

Multiple copies are acquired in relation to expected demand. The following algorithm is used:

1 copy per course + 1 copy per every fifty students

For titles with considerable demonstrated demand or a demonstrated need for copies in more than one branch library, the Library will acquire copies above the algorithm. The above strategy ensures a higher percentage of titles being available on the Library shelves when they are needed.

Copies of most textbooks are located in the High Use collection of the appropriate branch library.

PPL procedure 1.50.08 states the lecturer must ensure that: a text book, written by a staff member, may be approved as required reading in a course:

(1) if income is being received, the Head of School or Director of Centre approves the setting of the text, and ensures that:

• expert outside assessors have judged the book to be superior to competing texts in the field; or
• the book had already been set as a prescribed text in a similar course at another tertiary institution; and
• sufficient copies of the text, as specified in the Library's Collection Development Policy, are lodged in the relevant Library for use by students; or

(2) if the staff member is receiving no income from sales.

Journal articles, book chapters, coursepacks and learning guides

The Library makes available copies of journal articles and chapters of textbooks cited on reading lists. The following guidelines apply:

• preference will be given to linking to existing licensed information resources rather than making a new electronic copy and storing locally
• all copying must comply with the educational copying provisions of the Australian Copyright Act and University policy PPL policy: 6.40.09

If a coursepack (i.e. book of readings) or learning guide is sold by the University or an agency of the University, such as The Co-op Bookshop, PPL procedure 30.40.02 requires that multiple copies must be deposited and made freely available from either the Library or the school/centre/faculty office. The latest edition only of such resources is retained by the Library.

Past examination papers

The Library makes available end of semester examination papers upon release by the Examinations Section. Access is available via:

• online limited to UQ staff and students
• where possible, in bound full sets, in the Social Sciences and Humanities and Fryer libraries
• at Architecture and Music, Gatton and Law branch libraries - relevant exam papers only.

Sample exam papers are made available where official exam papers have restricted access.

Enquiries about School-based examination papers should be referred to the relevant School.

Online Resources

Licences

The Library negotiates licensing agreements with data owners or providers. All agreements must be approved by the Associate Director, Collections and Information Resources, and be signed by the University Librarian on behalf of the University. Site licences are preferred. Usage of online resources is carefully monitored to ensure that the Library takes advantage of the most cost-effective licence.

Access

The Library will maximise access to electronic resources by:

• strongly preferring IP address validation whenever possible. Password access is accepted when this can be masked by authentication processes and IP validation is not available.
• negotiating licence and access conditions that permit all registered staff and students access to the data in a timely manner and in a location of their choice (e.g. in school offices, at home, while in other than their regular campus or place of study)
• cataloguing each resource and updating records and links as required

Archival access

Some purchased web-based resources are accessed remotely from vendor sites. As the Library has no control over external sites, there are potential risks associated with access.

The Library thus has a strong preference to acquire archival access to electronic resources, and to purchase rather than subscribe to these, so that continuing access can be guaranteed.

Ebooks

In general, if a title is available in both print and electronic format, the Library will purchase the online version. The Library prefers to acquire the following types of ebooks:

• web-based
• those covered by a site licence
• purchased rather than leased

There are exceptions to this policy. Print will be purchased for locations where access to the Internet is problematic. or where print is preferred by the requesting academic.

A growing demand for ebooks in academia is evidenced around the world. It stems from patron desire for access to material 24/7, remotely, and (when an option) also via handheld devices. Further, electronic formats facilitate the concurrent use of resources by multiple readers. The Library actively seeks platforms that support voice output capability for the print disabled.

To date, the availability of electronic textbooks is small. Publishers are grappling to create purchase models that satisfy their revenue quotas as well as meet customer needs.

Journals

The Library's policy gives preference to online access to journals over print format, where choice is available.

Where possible, electronic journals are obtained under a site-wide licence to allow access regardless of the user's location. In general, print titles are not duplicated across campuses unless justified by demand. However, some duplication of titles exists across the hospital libraries. Allocation for these titles is included in the funding provided by the hospitals.

Approval of new journals largely follows the application of the general principles listed above.

Journal subscriptions are both relatively expensive per subscription, and increase in price at faster than the inflation rate. If left unchecked, journal subscriptions will consume an ever-increasing percentage of the Library's budget. Therefore, all requests for new subscriptions and expensive backsets must be submitted to the appropriate librarian for submission to the Collection Management Group for consideration. Each request will be examined on a case by case basis.

Cancellation of print subscriptions is actively pursued. Print backruns of titles will be replaced by electronic format when ownership of the electronic version or perpetual access can be guaranteed, and when the latter does not omit desired text or images found in the printed format.

Open access journals

Like many academic institutions around the world, the Library is carefully investigating support of open access (OA) journals. Once identified and quality confirmed, Green Road OA journals (no cost to authors, or readers) are listed in the catalogue. The Library supports a limited number of true Gold Road OA journals (authors pay a fee to publishers; access for all is free) by partly contributing towards author fees through organisational subscriptions. The Library is careful to avoid supporting hybrid OA models, where publishers double dip by charging authors publication fees and libraries subscription fees for the same content.

Databases and datasets

The Library licenses access to selected databases of aggregated electronic resources such as abstracting and indexing services (A&I's), full text journals, books and other resources. If there is evidence that clients are retrieving this data via web-scale discovery tools such as SUMMON and Google Scholar, A&Is will be cancelled.

Datasets of interest include numerical, statistical and geospatial resources, as well as standards and patents.

Multimedia

The Library collects and provides access to a wide-range of multimedia, for teaching and research purposes. The general principles of selection also apply to multimedia. The availability of suitable equipment, both within branch libraries and by the Library's customers, is an additional consideration. There is no separate fund for the purchase of multimedia. Schools frequently provide additional funds to purchase expensive resources.

Radio and Television Programs

Television and radio programs are regularly recorded off-air by the Library's Teaching and Learning Service. Programs useful for teaching and research may be catalogued and placed in the Library's collection, or access may be provided via streaming from a catalogue entry.

Access is restricted to UQ students and staff. All material not nominated for retention will be wiped after 14 days in accordance with the Statutory Licence provisions of the Copyright Act.

Placing Requests

There are two methods for submitting requests:

• Using the Library's online request form
• Contacting your librarian with the relevant details:
  • annotating publisher catalogues
  • a paper form available from your librarian
  • electronic documents, e.g. EndNote, RefWorks, Word, emails

The final decision on whether to order the title and commit Library funds rests with the Associate Director, Collections and Information Resources as delegate of the University Librarian. The Associate Director may consult with members of the Library's Collections Management Group.

Purchase of Library Material Directly by Academic Staff

While it is not common practice, there are times when academic staff are able to purchase items for the Library collection that may otherwise be difficult to acquire through normal ordering processes. This commonly occurs at conferences, or with visits to countries where there are difficulties in purchasing materials. The guidelines:

• one-off purchases of books, conference reports, and multimedia (i.e. excludes subscriptions) may be made
• wherever possible, prior consultation should take place with the relevant Librarian
• due to the complexity of format compatibility, the purchase of multimedia material must first be discussed with Library staff
• the material must fit within the guidelines specified in the Library's Collection Development Policy, and relevant subject policy
• the material must be in excellent physical condition
• proof of payment must be retained (e.g. credit card slip, cash register docket etc.)
• the item must be forwarded to the Library along with a Request for Purchase submission and proof of payment
• reimbursement is in Australian dollars. If the original purchase has been in overseas currency, it will be converted to Australian dollars at the rate active on the day of reimbursement

University School Based "Bench Collections"

University policy limits the building of collections housed in Schools and Centres. Under Section 3.2 Financial Delegations for Expenditure, Section 4.8 (Library Materials) of the Financial Management Practice Manual states:

Schools may purchase books and other information materials from School or research funds for housing either in the University Library or in the School. Allocations from Library funds are to be used solely for the purchase of material through the Library and to be housed in the University Library.

It is not the intention of Senate that Schools should create large internal library collections or that Schools should house unique material which ought to be available to the University community through the University Library.

It is preferable for library and other information materials to be ordered through the Library but where this is not done, Schools shall advise the University Librarian of the material which is being purchased.

When a book or other item of a type normally housed in the Library is purchased for housing in a School and a copy is not held in the Library, the University Librarian may purchase a copy for the Library and charge it to the Library allocation of the School concerned.

Material Received on Deposit

eSpace

The Library manages The University of Queensland's digital institutional repository, eSpace. It is the single authoritative source for the research outputs of the staff and students of the University. It is integral to the University's ERA and HERDC submission processes. eSpace is indexed by Google at a metadata or full text level (depending on item access permission), exposing UQ research to a worldwide audience. eSpace also houses open access publications and other digitised materials created by the University such as print materials, photographs, audio materials, videos, manuscripts and other original work. UQ Research Higher Degree theses are also lodged here.

University of Queensland Theses

Electronic copies of University of Queensland higher degree theses for research Masters and Ph.D. degrees are lodged with the Library. The work is to be available immediately for consultation or copying for the purposes of research or study unless the dean, after considering the written request of the author or advisor, determines that there are sufficient academic or commercial reasons to justify delaying access to the thesis. Delay of access may be approved initially for a period of 18 months. The period of delay of access may be extended up to 3 years (including the initial period). See section 4.18 of the General Award Rules for details.

Additional copies may be made available in a branch library. Electronic versions of Research Higher Degree theses are lodged with UQ eSpace. With the author's permission, theses may be made open access.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS): Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURFs)

The University subscribes to CURFs. The agreement between the AVCC (The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee) and the ABS allows the University's researchers to obtain access to unidentifiable record data from most of the key ABS social and labour household surveys.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) deposit

As an ABS Library Extension Program member the library receives access to the electronic version of the ABS statistics data. A small number of print-only titles are also received and are housed in the Social Sciences and Humanities Library. Additional ABS publications are purchased as required.

European Documentation Centre deposit

Under the terms of the deposit the Library receives a copy of all European Union publications deposited with the parent body. Material is housed in the Law Library.

Gifts and Exchanges

Gifts of materials relevant to the Library's collection foci are welcomed as a valued source of augmenting and enriching the collection. Gifts are selected for inclusion in the collection in accordance with the guidelines established in the collection development policy for the relevant subject.

In general, a gift is not accepted if the donor wishes to place any limitations on its use or disposal. The Collection Management Group may consider requests for special treatment of significant collections. Gifts are accepted on the understanding that items which are not selected for inclusion in the collections, are: offered to other libraries, UQ Alumni, or discarded, as appropriate.

Academic schools are encouraged to consider sending copies of conference proceedings received as a result of attending conferences funded by the University, to the relevant branch library.

A limited exchange program is maintained, whereby copies of selected journals published by The University of Queensland are exchanged with other universities for their publications.

Document Delivery

The inter-library loan and document delivery service is designed to supplement the Library's own collections, particularly to support the research activity of the University.

The service will:

• be available to all members of the University research community, including postgraduates and undergraduates
• be a predominantly free service (express delivery charges are billed to the requestor)
• route requests for material published in the last 12 months to the School's librarian for placement via the Library's normal ordering system. The material is included in the Library's collection and lent to the researcher
• place all requests via the Library system
• include whole documents, such as theses and microforms, in the Library's collection, and lend to the researcher
• ensure all requests adhere to the Copyright Act 1968. For more information on copyright, see the Library's website.

For more details, see the Document Delivery page.

Out of Print Books

It is permissible under the educational copying provisions of the Copyright Act to make one or more copies of whole books which are out of print, provided that the book is commercially unavailable. Under these provisions, the Library is not required to first borrow the book from another library, nor is a special copyright declaration form required.

Access is restricted to UQ staff and students.

Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Policy

The University of Queensland Library purchases materials representing a wide variety of viewpoints. On occasion, some materials may be considered controversial. The acquisition of, or access to, such material does not imply approval or endorsement of the content by the Library.

The Library does not add or withdraw, at the request of any individual or group, material chosen or excluded on the basis of its stated selection criteria. No information resources will be censored or removed because of disapproval of the author's political, social, moral or other opinions.

Library collection development policies are guided by the ALIA Statement on Free Access to Information adopted in 2001, and recommendations by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).