Media Plan for Linköping University Library
Introduction
The acquisition of media resources at Linköping University Library is permeated by a user perspective. The Library’s goal is to provide users access to information relevant to teaching and research conducted at Linköping University. Copies of literature that is required reading at courses shall be available at the campus where the course is given. The Library provides access to a wide range of electronic resources that are available to many users simultaneously and independent of physical location.
The University Library shall acquire print and electronic resources within LiU’s research fields as support for undergraduate and postgraduate level education and research. Acquisitions are made based on users’ needs and, as much as possible, upon request.
Work with acquisitions is to be flexible in order meet the changing circumstances within the university as well as in the world at large.
A library open to the public
Linköping University Library is open to the public and serves as a resource for the community. Users that are not affiliated with Linköping University as a student or employee have access to electronic resources on a walk-in basis.
The bulk of the Library’s collections are available to other libraries via interlibrary loan.
Acquisition of media resources
Acquisitions are made in several different ways:
- By purchase of individual print books, e-books and e-book packages
- By subscriptions to print and electronic journals, journal packages and databases
- By different models of patron driven acquisition of e-books, such as Evidence based selection
- By selection of legal deposit material
- By (to a lesser extent) donations and gifts
Orders
Employees and students at Linköping University, as well as students enrolled at other universities, can order material from other libraries as interlibrary loan and submit purchase suggestions. Such requests should have relevance for research and education activities and be submitted via the designated web-based order form.
To simplify the process for users, there is a common order form for interlibrary loans and purchase suggestions. When placing an order, there is the option to specify one’s preferences regarding print or electronic edition. LiU employees have the option to order journal articles via Get It Now.
The Library does not keep watchlists of items that at the time of the purchase request were out of print or otherwise unavailable.
Purchase suggestions and interlibrary loans
An interlibrary loan request of a book in print is regarded as a purchase suggestion if it falls within subjects of interest to the university’s education programmes or research fields. The Library will decide on a case-by-case basis if the item shall be acquired as an interlibrary loan or as a purchase. We do not execute interlibrary loans of books in the Library’s own collections that are currently checked out. Interlibrary loans of fiction are only carried out if made for the purpose of research.
Holdings
Our collections comprise both print and electronic material. The print material is owned by the Library. Electronic resources are either available via subscriptions, owned by the Library or Open Access. All types of material, independent of model of acquisition, are incorporated in our collections only after an impartial review process.
The changing nature of electronic collections means that content can be added to existing subscriptions but also, for various reasons, be removed. For example, journals may be transferred from one publisher to another, material can be removed due to copyright reasons, and agreements can be terminated. Terms set by suppliers may be revised beyond the Library’s control. If a frequently used resource is removed from one of our subscriptions, we will usually take up an individual subscription for that particular resource or purchase it in some other way.
Procurement
As part of a government agency, Linköping University Library acquires media resources by procurement. The acquisition of electronic resources is to a large extent made via license agreements with publishers, primarily through the National Library of Sweden (Bibsam consortium), but also through local procurement.
Electronic resources
When taking up a subscription, we will discriminate in favour of an electronic edition, if available. When purchasing a book, we will acquire an electronic edition whenever this is possible and appropriate. Electronic resources have many advantages, such as better availability, multi-user access, lower handling costs and require no physical storage.
Access to electronic resources
Linköping University Library signs local and national agreements that provide access to electronic resources for LiU users. LiU students and employees gain access with their LiU-ID. Other users have access to electronic resources on a walk-in basis.
The agreements stipulate the rights to access for different types of users and varies depending on publisher and supplier.
Linköping University Library strives for agreements that provide open access to publications and supports the Open Access movement on both national and international level.
Donations and gifts
Generally, Linköping University Library does not accept gifts or donations. In the cases where gifts are incorporated in our collections, they are to be requested by users and relevant to research and teaching activities conduced at Linköping University. The Library will always reserve the right to dispose of gifts as it sees fit.
Course textbooks
Textbooks related to courses are acquired according to the Library’s Textbook Policy, which stipulates that:
- For each mandatory textbook title there should be one textbook reference copy and at least one copy for check out in a current print edition. However, the Library is not committed to supplying all students with their course literature.
- Textbook reference copies shall be available at the campus where the course is given.
- To enhance the availability of textbooks, an e-book version is provided whenever possible.
Course compendia are not provided by the Library.
Legal deposits
Linköping University Library is one of seven libraries in Sweden that according to the Law of Legal Deposits receives without charge one copy of every publication intended for distribution in Sweden. With no obligation to preserve every publication, we are able to make a selection of what legal deposit material we add to our collections. The selection is mainly decided by research and teaching needs at Linköping University.
Management of collections and selective disposal
The main principle regarding collections is that they should consist of the most well-used and requested material. Selective disposal is carried out continuously according to the Library’s Selective Disposal Policy. Reasons for deselecting an item can be that it is damaged, that a new edition has been published, or low usage (in the case of non-unique items).
The Library has a special responsibility for material published at Linköping University, although this does not include archiving responsibilities.
The Library also has a commitment in accordance with the TGV plan (a national preservation plan for technology libraries in Sweden) to preserve international print journals in computer science, electronics and electrical engineering.
Evaluation of electronic resources
Ahead of renewals of subscriptions each autumn, a review is made, mainly based on usage statistics. Acquisitions and collections management shall reflect user needs and demand.
Special needs
Students with permanent or temporary print impairment can, through the Library, get access to literature in alternative formats.