Collection Themes
These themes were drafted by Collections Council, discussed with Subject Councils, and adopted 9/16/03.
They are intended to help deepen and shape future discussions of the Library's theme #7 on collections: "The Library identifies and protects the depth and quality of its distinctive collections and expertise, which are of vital importance to the mission of the nation's premier public research university."
In some cases these themes are in tension with one another — a fact of our UCB Library life in which we are always seeking the best balance between conflicting and competing priorities.
Overall Goals for Collections
- We develop library collections in alignment with and in support of excellence in current campus research and teaching.
- We build and preserve library collections for the long term in recognition that needs will vary by discipline.
- We identify collection strengths and continue to build upon those strengths.
Strategies for building and managing collections
- We develop broad and meaningful measures of collection development success — both to guide our own work and to use in reporting to campus administration, faculty, and ARL.
- We actively acquire and/or create electronic collections as appropriate, recognizing that the proportion of print to electronic will vary by discipline.
- Local subject and format specialists continue to build and manage collections. Their expertise is required to make the best collection decisions; to develop successful access strategies; and to work with faculty to ensure the best research and instructional environment for the campus.
- We garner support for the Library's role in managing hybrid collections in print, electronic, and other formats — tasks that are complex, staff-intensive, and expensive.
- We aggressively pursue strategies for archiving and preserving materials in all formats, recognizing that these enterprises are essential and challenging.
- We initiate new and review existing cooperative collection and resource sharing agreements at UC and beyond.
- We actively support new scholarly publishing models and educate the academic community about them.
- We provide excellent, user-centered, discovery tools that utilize current, accurate, and integrated records.
- We improve coordination and alignment between the changing nature of our collections, selector priorities, and technical services processes and procedures.
- We seek donor funds to enhance our ability to build and preserve collections.
