May 2003
- UNB Libraries (F) Mission Statement
- Description of Existing Collections
- Freedom of Expression in Research Libraries
- Real and Potential Benefits of Electronic Resources
- The Atlantic Scholarly Information Network (ASIN)
Return to Collections Development Policy
Appendix A
UNB Libraries (F) Mission Statement
The UNB Libraries support the teaching and research programs at the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University and acts as a resource for the wider community by exploring, acquiring, organizing, preserving and mediating access to information.
In pursuit of this mission the Library will become the intellectual commons for the academic community where people and ideas interact in both the real and virtual environments to expand learning and facilitate the creation of new knowledge.
(Statement developed by the Academic Planning Committee and presented to Library Board October 25, 2002.)
Appendix B
Description of Existing Collections
(To be completed)
- Archives & Special Collections
- The mandate of the Archives & Special Collections department is to collect books, pamphlets and periodicals relating to New Brunswick in particular; books on the Maritimes in general that include significant New Brunswick material; and historical and literary papers from the Atlantic region.
- Furthermore, the department collects all periodicals published and circulated by the University, and in the absence of an official University records management programme, the department endeavours to collect and organize as many of the official records of the University as space and personnel resources allow.
- Engineering
- The Engineering Library collection supports the teaching and research needs of the Faculties of Computer Science and Engineering. It includes specialized indexes (Applied Science and Technology and Compendex) and reference materials that are critical to supporting the faculties’ programs. These tools include: handbooks, standards (Canadian and American), industrial catalogues, technical reports and conference proceedings. The Library’s undergraduate senior reports and vertical file papers are listed in the ENLIST database. Periodic reviews are conducted to ensure that the collection’s resources meet the requirements of the professional accrediting organizations, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) and the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS).
- Government Documents, Data and Maps
- UNB Libraries is a full English Language Depository Services Program (DSP) library and receives Canadian federal government publications in print and electronic formats through the Program. UNB Libraries is also a full depository library for the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank and is designated as a European Communities reference centre. The Government Documents, Data and Maps Department also collects government publications in a variety of formats from all federal government departments, agencies, commissions and crown corporations outside the DSP. At the provincial level, the Department works to build a broad collection of key reports and legislative tools, with a particular emphasis on complete coverage for the Atlantic Provinces. In addition, The Department selects major publications from all national and international jurisdictions.
- The Government Documents, Data and Maps Department collects atlases, maps and related discovery tools, and through UNB Libraries is a full depository for print and electronic maps and files produced by Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN). The Department, with UNB Libraries and partnership in the Data Liberation Initiative (DLI), acquires print and electronic publications, as well as administrative, financial, cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys as numeric data files. Further, the Department receives spatial data files through consortial or contractual agreements with Service New Brunswick and other agencies and organizations.
- Reference
- The Harriet Irving Library Reference Collection supports the teaching and research of faculty and students in UNB’s Faculties of Arts, Nursing, Kinesiology, Education, and Administration as well as all disciplines taught at St. Thomas University. The collection serves faculty and students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Types of materials collected are: encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries, yearbooks, directories, and other frequently consulted materials and materials of continuing interest. Subject bibliographies are collected selectively and printed subject indexes and abstracts are collected if there is not an electronic equivalent. Most materials collected are in English. Unilingual and bilingual dictionaries are purchased for all major languages and some minor languages. Non-academic reference titles of general interest to the public (e.g., travel guides, coin/stamp catalogues, recreation materials) normally are not collected.
- Materials usually are collected in print format, although some titles occasionally are purchased in microform, CD-ROM and web formats.
- The Reference Collection is a non-circulating collection.
- Science
- The collections of the Science and Forestry Library support the teaching and research needs in the faculties of Forestry and Environmental Management, and Science. The Library makes available, in print and electronic formats, key discipline-based indexing and abstracting sources such as Biological Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts, Forestry Abstracts, General Science Index, GeoRef, MathSciNet and Physics Abstracts. Reference materials include specialized sources such as taxonomic guides, handbooks, identification guides or keys, dictionaries and encyclopedias.
- In addition to relevant monographic and periodical/serial materials, the Library holds undergraduate forestry theses and departmental master’s and doctoral theses. The Library also collects technical and research reports from Canadian and US forestry research stations.
- Acquisition of material along with periodic review ensures that the library’s resources meet the accrediting requirements of professional bodies such as the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB, for Forestry Engineering), the Canadian Forestry Accreditation Board, the Canadian Society for Chemistry Accreditation and the American Chemical Society.
Appendix C
Freedom of Expression in Research Libraries (REV. 01/89)
All persons in Canada have a fundamental right, as embodied in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Bill of Rights, to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity.
It is the responsibility of research libraries to facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge, opinion, intellectual activity and creativity from all periods of history to the current era including those which some may consider unconventional, unpopular, unorthodox or unacceptable.
To this end research libraries shall acquire and make available, through purchase or resource sharing, the widest variety of materials that support the scholarly pursuits of their communities
(Canadian Association of Research Libraries)
Canadian Library Association Statement on Intellectual Freedom
Approved by Executive Council ~ June 27, 1994; Amended November 17, 1983; and November 18, 1985
All persons in Canada have the fundamental right, as embodied in the nation's Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity, and to express their thoughts publicly. This right to intellectual freedom, under the law, is essential to the health and development of Canadian society.
Libraries have a basic responsibility for the development and maintenance of intellectual freedom.
It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity, including those which some elements of society may consider to be unconventional, unpopular or unacceptable. To this end, libraries shall acquire and make available the widest variety of materials.
It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee the right of free expression by making available all the library's public facilities and services to all individuals and groups who need them.
Libraries should resist all efforts to limit the exercise of these responsibilities while recognizing the right of criticism by individuals and groups.
Both employees and employers in libraries have a duty, in addition to their institutional responsibilities, to uphold these principles.
Appendix D
Real and Potential Benefits of Electronic Resources
- Generally, for a relatively small increment over the cost of current print subscriptions, the publisher provides access to all of its titles, resulting in expanded access to information and lower per-title costs.
- In most cases, backfiles are provided with electronic access to the publisher`s file. This adds significantly to the value of the electronic packages, driving down the per-volume and per-article cost.
- The average annual inflation on electronic journals has tended to be significantly lower than that of print subscriptions.
- Choosing electronic over print results in reduced physical space requirements.
- Statistics show that much greater use is made of electronic journals than of the corresponding print (again impacting on the per-article cost).
- Web-based resources provide the ability to conduct library research 24 hours a day, seven days a week from on- or off-campus.
- Unlike the print model (one issue, one reader), many users can access the same journal issue and even the same journal article simultaneously.
- Licenses generally guarantee permanent access rights to the online content purchased.
(Jocelyne Thompson, Rationale for Electronic Resources, November 20, 2002)
Appendix E
The Atlantic Scholarly Information Network (ASIN)
- VISION:
- To be the Atlantic resource for scholarly information.
- MISSION:
- To foster student and faculty success and satisfaction in pursuit of their scholarly goals by providing exemplary access throughout the Atlantic region to information resources and services.
- GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
- In order for ASIN to be a successful enterprise, it is understood that for library users, access to information resources and services will be:
- global in scope
- convenient
- easy to use
- timely
- restriction free
- For the participating members of ASIN, access to information resources and services will be all of these and:
- connected to national and international networks
- highly integrated
- demonstrably cost effective
- co-operative
- STRATEGIC ACTION ITEMS (to be reviewed annually):
- The success of the ASIN will depend upon a foundation of user-centred policies for collections, services and communications. In terms of user-centred resources, these will include:
- co-ordinated collection building
- a common access interface to all collections
- enhanced access to regional special collections in all subject areas
- a regional bank of skilled library personnel
- User-centred services will include:
- co-ordinated services for timely information delivery throughout the region
- a regional technological infrastructure consistent with national and international standards for information exchange
- on-going regionally co-ordinated development of library services in co-operation with other Atlantic regional user groups.
(Adopted by CAUL, February 11, 2000)
Send comments to jlt@unb.ca