Collection Policies

The UC Libraries have subject selectors working in coordination with the Associate Dean for Collections.  Together they work to collect and to provide access to the intellectual and physical collections appropriate to the mission of an educational institution, and specifically to the schools, departments and programs of the University of Cincinnati.
 

  Collecting principles
  The electronic collection
  The Electronic Resources Committee (ERC)
  OhioLINK
  Extending collections through access
  Approved subject policies
 

Collecting principles

Subject selectors develop the collection by choosing appropriate materials

• for the subject area/discipline
• with an understanding of the needs of the university
• with specific reference to the academic mission of departments, programs, schools or colleges

The Electronic Collection

The University of Cincinnati Libraries is an increasing electronic environment. While continuing to build collections in the traditional formats, including especially print, the University of Cincinnati Libraries is increasing access to vast electronic resources for UC community members.  These include UC specific initiatives as well as initiatives through OhioLINK - Ohio Library and Information Network .
 

The Electronic Resources Committee (ERC)

Within the libraries of the University of Cincinnati is the Electronic Resources Committee (ERC).  This committee, chaired by the Associate Dean for Collections, deliberates on the purchase of electronic resources deemed to be broad in coverage for the whole university community.  The ERC advises the advises the Library Directors' Council, the group of library directors of the four jurisdictions of the libraries of the University of Cincinnati.  The committee considers recommendations from subject selectors, as well as options presented by OhioLINK to its community. 
 

OhioLINK

The University of Cincinnati Libraries builds its collection with an understanding of its relationship to the State of Ohio's collection, as represented in OhioLINK 

Participation in sharing – the University of Cincinnati Libraries collection is a part of the shared OhioLINK central catalog, the statewide database made up of the library collections of OhioLink members throughout the State.  While developing its own collection, the University of Cincinnati Libraries participates in building the state collection to satisfy state needs.  This includes an understanding of the sharing of nearly 50 million books aand other library materials cooperatively in the State.  The agreement allows UC users access to the same collection.  Access is available to a broad array of resources purchased centrally and available electronically through OhioLINK.  These include access to more than 100 electronic research databases available at the OhioLINK Research Databases link as well as to millions of electronic articles through the Electronic Journals Center , thousands of images, videos and sounds and over 39,000 theses and dissertation from Ohio students.

Participation in development – the University of Cincinnati Libraries is also involved in active participation in OhioLINK's CIRM (Cooperative Information Resources Management) Committee.  The Associate Dean for Collections serves on this committee which, among other things, steers the development of the collection of databases which make up a significant portion of OhioLINK's centrally available resources.  Selectors also participate in subject groups to discuss and recommend resources to be added to the collection.  In addition, there is movement toward cooperative collection development partnerships in Ohio, allowing institutions to concentrate their collecting efforts in specific areas, thereby freeing up resources somewhere else in the State.
 

Extending collections through access

• Interlibrary loan/document delivery - gaining access to resources not own at UC libraries
• Instruction - services including instruction in access and use of the collection
• Free Web materials - identify and "add" to the collection freely available material through UCLID ( University of Cincinnati Libraries Catalog Menu) or      through subject or library web pages, to the collection developed by purchase and gift.