The general acquisition policy and acquisition plans lay out the guidelines for the subject libraries. They detail the aims of acquisition activities for library staff, users and the university departments ensuring uniformity, long-term perspective and relevant and effective use of funds.
General guidelines
Uppsala University Library shall collect printed and electronic documents, but also manuscripts, maps and pictures, to support research and the teaching of postgraduate and undergraduate courses at the University.
The quality, uniformity and breadth of the collections shall be guaranteed with a long-term perspective bearing in mind possible future areas of research and education.
All items integrated into the collections, irrespective of how they were acquired, shall be subjected to an objective control.
Areas of responsibility
Uppsala University Library is organised into library groups with the following areas of responsibility:
- Humanities, theology and sociology
- Law, social sciences and teacher training
- Cultural heritage collections
- Medicine, pharmacy, technology, natural science
An acquisition plan is to be drawn up for every area of responsibility. Important aspects of these plans are: levels of acquisitions, principles for assigning main responsibility, general subject, linguistic, geographic and chronological limitations.
The subject libraries shall continually, and in close co-operation with their departments, define the core areas for each field. When new research is being planned, the question of resources for new purchases must be raised.
Continuous co-operation between the various subject libraries is vital for who does what and how.
The acquisition plans are to be reviewed annually to ensure that they meet the needs of research and teaching.
Routine acquisition work
Routine acquisition work such as following new publications, selection, orders etc. is to be managed by specific librarians. An acquisitions librarian is to be appointed for each area of responsibility and a good working relationship established with the relevant department. Over and above this a reference group, consisting of representatives from all the library groups, will deal with the acquisitions work on a general level.
Electronic media
Uppsala University Library follows the development of electronically published information and it buys more and more material in this form, namely databases, e-journals and e-books. Digital acquisition is subject to the same guidelines as printed materials. In those cases where material is proffered in packages, selection at the title level is not possible. Selection of free electronic resources must conform to the same criteria as other acquisitions.
When acquiring electronic media that spans more than one subject, it is of the utmost importance, that the subject libraries concerned work together. Decisions about new resources and other changes concerning such media will be taken by the University Library’s management group in co-operation with the reference group for acquisition.
Journals
When purchasing journals, electronic versions are to be given priority. The greater part of such media is offered in packages which means that an overall decision must be made concerning the content. As far as possible electronic archives are to be established.
Uppsala University Library has, with funds from Bibsam, drawn up a plan for preserving printed journals, see Överenskommelse om bevarande av tryckta tidskriftssviter [pdf] and Tidskriftsfördelning [Excel]
Reference literature
A number of general reference books such as up-to-date manuals and reference works are to be made available at every subject library. When purchasing reference literature, electronically published versions are to be given preference since they afford greater availability and can be updated more quickly.
Course collections
Each subject library is responsible for acquiring set course books. The minimum is one copy of each book assigned to the A and B levels.
Theses and student papers
Theses from Uppsala University will be distributed to the relevant subject libraries.
Essays and degree projects at all levels are generally not collected. However certain of these are available electronically as a result of a number of initiatives. The responsibility for registering and archiving them lies with each department.
Second-hand book dealers
Use is made of antiquarian or second-hand book dealers in certain situations e.g. gaps in the collections, missing books or classical works that have not been bought earlier.
The conservation section of the Cultural Heritage group is responsible for the acquisition of older and unique materials relevant to their field.
Donations are received on the proviso that the Library retains the right freely to make decisions concerning all donated items.
Interlibrary loans – acquisition
A working relationship must be established between interlibrary loans and acquisitions. Requests for interlibrary loans of books published within the last few years, that fulfil the acquisition criteria of the University Library and that can be expected to be delivered within a reasonable time, are to be converted from interlibrary loan requests to acquisitions.
Purchase suggestions
The Library receives suggestions for new purchases from researchers, lecturers and students. The suggestions are accepted if they conform to the Library’s criteria of relevance and quality.
There is a form for purchase suggestions at [link].
In addition researchers may follow new publications using a subject portal from DawsonBooks. For more information: contact your library [link]
Legal deposits
The Swedish Legal Deposit Act stipulates that Uppsala University Library shall receive one copy of all Swedish printed matter. On arrival these deposits are, in accordance with a plan, either distributed to a relevant subject library or destroyed.
Controversial material
Uppsala University Library shall support the principal of the freedom of expression. In regard to research this means that even controversial material may be acquired.
Weeding policies
Uppsala University Library is an academic library with a remit to build collections of good quality and continuity for research, higher education and the preservation of our cultural heritage.
The book collections in the subject libraries are to be checked and weeded at regular intervals in accordance with the basic principles outlined above. This work is to be done by a subject librarian in co-operation with a representative of the relevant department.
The following criteria are to be followed when weeding:
- back issues of journals that exist in electronic form and where the archives are dependable may be weeded out
- multiple copies of books no longer current may be weeded out
- certain books and journal runs may be weeded out as long as it is done very restrictively and with the needs of future research in mind
Allocation of funds and budget
Uppsala University Library takes as read that the money earmarked for media and other resources will be dimensioned to suit the demands that are detailed in the University’s goals for research and teaching.
Suppliers and contracts
Uppsala University has signed contracts with specific suppliers of books, journals and electronic media in order to ensure rational and advantageous acquisition procedures.
