COLLECTION POLICY
PROFILES FOR SPECIFIC SUBJECT FIELDS The
information in the individual profiles is recorded in the form
of answers to
a questionnaire used in the annual interviews with the Academic
Schools.
COLLECTION PROFILEUnder
Review - Comments to Sue
Beatty, Technical Services Librarian
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this document is to identify the basis on which
the collections of the Academy Library
are being developed. It is stressed that this Collection Profile is
a dynamic statement and will be adjusted regularly as developments
take place within the University College and academic courses change
in emphasis.
STATEMENT OF POLICY AND OBJECTIVES
The Library has responsibility for maintaining a well balanced
collection and for the provision of materials which best serve
the objectives of the University College, the Military program
and the students, both now and in the future. With due regard to
the resources of nearby Libraries and with an eye towards the possibilities
of cooperative acquisition programs with other Libraries in the
Canberra area, the collection is built in concert with
its clientele providing support for the total program of the University
College, i.e. :-
The University College in its teaching and research;
Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in Arts, Applied Science and Engineering.
Military studies and the professional career training of Officers.
PRIORITIES
Library materials will generally be acquired in accordance with the following
priorities, in descending order of importance :
Materials to support the current teaching and course work of the academic and
military programs of the Academy.
Materials required for the research needs of the University College.
General reference works and works in subject fields not directly related
to University College programs but which are of such importance that they
belong in any scholarly Library.
Materials to assist administrative personnel in the effective performance
of their work.
For financial reasons a more vigorous definition of priorities
may be necessary. In these instances the following guidelines will
generally be observed :
When lack of funds limit acquisitions, current publications
of lasting and scholarly value will be given priority over older
and out-of-print materials.
Publications in English will be given higher priority.
The resources of relevant ACT Libraries will be relied upon to augment
the Library's collection.
Materials will be acquired in another suitable format if originals are
not available or too expensive, e.g. microform.
Material will not normally be acquired in multiple formats, e.g. online
and print.
Indices, abstracts or serials available in an online format will be preferred
to hard copy versions unless technical factors are unfavourable.
Duplicate copies will be purchased only if justified by heavy and continued
use.
Except for material being added to the Course Reserve or Reference collections,
paperback editions of books will be preferred to the more expensive hardback
editions.
Variant editions of titles held will be acquired only if they are "standard
editions" or contain important changes. This does not apply to updated
editions, scientific editions etc.
Publications received by the Library are added to the appropriate collection
under the conditions specified in the Academy Library Collection Descriptions
Document.
SELECTION RESPONSIBILITY
Selection of the Library materials is a joint activity
of the Teaching Staff and the Library. Schools are asked to recommend
the acquisition of materials in their subject areas to support
their teaching, research and the academic course work.
The military component of the academy is continually changing
and time is limited for any concerted effort in the selection of
military materials. Titles may be ordered and guidelines recommended
but the selection and development of the collections is coordinated
in the Library.
To facilitate liaison between the Library and the Academic Schools,
Liaison Librarians are nominated to act as contact points
for particular schools. The Schools also nominate representatives
for Library liaison. Annual interviews are held in order to
revise and update selection and
collection
building
profiles.
Students and Library users seeking to have items added to the
collections are encouraged to submit requests to the Library for
reference to the Technical Services Librarian. These will be given
serious consideration whenever the material requested meets the
guidelines of this statement.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
In the selection of Library materials the following considerations are applicable
to almost all Library acquisitions :
the relevance of the subject matter and its usefulness with respect
to other materials already in the collection or its availability,
including :
the representation of all sides of controversial issues;
the avoidance of materials which merely duplicate, either outright or
in substance, materials already held;
the avoidance of expensive materials of limited use when they are already
held in the area.
the inclusion of a title in recognised bibliographies and indexes.
the cost of material in comparison with other equally useful
items.
the form of the material in comparison with other available forms
of the same material.
GUIDELINES
COVERAGE
The Collection Profile is designed to cover the pattern of collecting for the
year of record.
DEFINITIONS
Library Materials
Includes books, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, films,
sound recordings, video cassettes, maps, pictures, photographs,
prints, electronic resources, and other recorded
material whether written or in some other form.
STRENGTH OF COLLECTIONS
Library collections are particularly strong in Military
History, Military Art and Science, Strategic Studies, Australian
Literature, American History and Engineering. These areas will
continue to
be developed
in depth. Objectives in developing these collections are :-
Military History, Military Art and Science
and Strategic Studies
The Australian Defence Force Academy is the largest military academy in Australia
and its Library has a responsibility to develop these collections, building
on existing strengths, and in the provision of research facilities for scholars
in the military field.
Current material: All new military publications of a serious
nature published in English are acquired. Publications may also
be purchased in foreign languages if not available in translation.
Retrospective Material : Older out-of-print materials, reprints
and retrospective microform collections are purchased depending
on the availability of funds.
Australian Literature
The Library supports the School of Humanities and Social Science's strong emphasis
on Australian Literature, and
attempts to acquire current publications of significance as well as major
retrospective works. The Library has a major Australian
Literature Manuscript Collection in support of scholarly
research and the eventual issuance of definitive critical editions of notable
works of Australian Literature. In addition, the Library has an
archive of video-taped readings and interviews involving significant Australian
writers.
American History
The Library has a strong collection in American History, particularly for the
revolutionary war period and from 1860 onwards.
Engineering
Undergraduate and postgraduate courses are offered in Civil Engineering, Electrical
Engineering and Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. As the major engineering
collection in the ACT, the Library supports engineering studies to research
level.
Apart from providing limited research materials in other areas
the Library's main priority is to support the undergraduate and
graduate studies of the University College.
POLICIES CONCERNING SPECIAL
TYPES OF MATERIAL
Periodicals
Periodicals most in demand are those which deal with current
reporting either generally or in a specific subject field. In most
fields of scholarship, technical research and creative writing, important
new theories, discoveries, trends and viewpoints appear first in
journals
and are frequently dealt with in more detail than when they are later
incorporated in books. Consequently the building of periodical collections
in various subject areas needs to parallel the building of book collections.
An effort is made also to provide periodicals in areas of interest
where books are not numerous and in those subject areas, especially
engineering, science and technology, where information goes out
of
date rapidly. Increasingly, periodicals are provided in electronic
format.
Reference Materials
The Library collects a broad range of reference material
in various formats to support the curricula but also to encourage
and stimulate the
intellectual growth of the student.
Newspapers
The Library subscribes to representative major local,
state ,national and appropriate overseas newspapers, but to depend
in the main on retrospective files held on electronic databases
or held by the National Library
and the Australian National University.
Reprints
Expensive reprints are not ordered until the out-of-print market is checked
for non-availability and comparison of price.
Rare Books
Rare books shall be purchased as they are required to fulfil
the aims and functions of the college and its curriculum.
Microforms
Normally materials are purchased in microform when available in no other form.
Exceptions are made when factors such as speed of delivery, retention practice
and cost are dealt with more favourably in a microform format.
Audiovisual
Audiovisual materials can develop perceptions, present ideas and relay other
messages and information that are not readily transmitted through printed
media. General policies and objectives outlined for book selection are applied
in the same way to these materials with additional considerations, such as
quality of sound, photography, colour reproduction, etc., which are used
as criteria where appropriate. The audiovisual collection includes a range
of formats, i.e.audio and video cassettes, DVDs, slides, etc., each of which
is chosen for suitability in relation to content and purpose.
In addition the Library makes full use of the AVCC copying provisions
to acquire broadcast material relevant to the teaching and research
requirements of the University College.
Electronic Format
Material is purchased in electronic format where this provides
the most efficient and cost effective means of providing access
to the required information. The Library purchases online access
to electronic journals and databases which fall within the collection
profile.
Manuscripts
The Library actively collects the manuscripts and papers of significant modern
Australian authors.
and also material relevant to Defence and Strategic
Studies provided this is not in competition with the Australian War
Memorial.
Theses
The Library acquires post-graduate and selected Honours theses produced within
the academic programme of the University College. These are submitted to
the Australian Digital Thesis database.
The Library seeks to collect theses on Defence and Strategic Studies
and Australian literature.
Gifts
Gifts of either Library materials or money to purchase them are solicited and
encouraged provided they fit within the Collection Profile. The Library
is a recognised recipient of gifts under the Cultural Gifts programme which
allows donors to gain tax reductions based on the value of their donations.
Gifts provide many valuable additions to the collections, but the following
factors need to be taken into consideration :-
Only in unusual circumstances will a gift collection be accepted which has
restrictions attached as to location, etc. Such gifts would need to be considered
on an individual basis.
Unrestricted gift material will be utilised in a manner suited to the
best interests of the Library and University College.
Exchange
Exchange of material may be arranged between the Library
and other institutions provided that suitable material is available.
The Library endeavours as far as possible to acquire University
College publications and materials of merit in order to develop
a worthwhile exchange program. In particular, the Library has subscriptions
of the School of Humanities and Social Science's publication War
and Society
available for exchange. A concerted effort is made to acquire the
publications of other military academies.
Cooperation
The Library joins in schemes for regional cooperation as
far as possible to ensure maximum utilisation of its own resources.
Holdings of local Libraries are checked prior to ordering expensive
items or placing subscriptions. The Library loads all its holdings
and new orders to Libraries Australia, the National Bibliographic
Database. In particular, the Library cooperates with the
Library of the University of New South Wales at Kensington for
the purchase of electronic resources. The Library also has reciprocal
borrowing
agreements at the staff and
Post
Graduate
level with the Australian National University, the University of
Canberra, the Canberra Campus of the Australian Catholic University
and the Kensington Campus of the University of New South Wales.
16-02-2006
