about the Collections Committee
committee charge
The Collections Committee will develop and maintain the University Libraries collections in support of the curricular, programmatic, research and service needs of the UB community:
FISCAL/BUDGET
Serves as an advisory body to the Directors Council on materials budget issues:
- Makes recommendations on the allocation of annual materials budget according to the research, instructional and service priorities of the university.
- Recommends priorities of action in the event of mandated budget reversions/reductions or significant budget increases.
- Reviews materials expenditures on an on-going basis, including the monitoring of economic trends and pricing models affecting materials expenditures. Makes recommendations for addressing such trends and models.
- Manages the ULELECT and ULEJNL funds.
- Works with the CTS Acquisitions Department to review spending calendars, fund encumbrance schedules, and fiscal rollover procedures.
- Recommends internal financial management changes (e.g., the creation, merger and management of acquisition funds) as appropriate.
COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT
Identifies and analyzes collection-development issues, shares information on best practices in collection development and develops collection-development action plans:
- Prioritizes University Libraries collections needs in relation to the short-range goals and long-range mission of the institution.
- Assesses the collections-related needs of users and potential users.
- Evaluates collection strengths and weaknesses.
- Establishes and reviews collections policies and procedures.
- Studies collection development and management workflows to improve the efficiency of collection-development related operations.
- In conjunction with appropriate technical services, access services, systems, ETC and CIT staff creates policies and procedures for bibliographic control and access. Works with appropriate groups to insure that materials are represented in the online catalog, Libraries web pages, university portals and course-management systems.
- Through collaboration with relevant groups, conceives and supports methods to advance the evolution of collections in the digital arena, including digitization projects.
- Makes recommendations regarding expensive purchases (both one-time and ongoing) and journal cancellations. Identifies new electronic resources of system-wide interest and reviews them in relation to the Libraries collection priorities. Arranges for system-wide or multi-unit acquisition of resources. Acquires resources using ULELECT and ULEJNL funds.
- Maintains wish lists for large-ticket items.
- Works closely with the Preservation Officer in reviewing preservation policies and procedures as well as in the identification of ways in which the University Libraries could participate in the Coordinated Grant portion of the New York State Program for the Conservation and Preservation of Library Research Materials.
- In conjunction with the CTS Acquisitions Department, reviews approval plans, blanket-order profiles and other acquisitions methods. Develops new purchase or approval plans as needed.
- Works with CTS and the development office in creating policies for acceptance of gifts and assures that such policies and related procedures meet university requirements.
- Recommends best practices that facilitate resource sharing and coordinated collection development. Sends members to SCAC to coordinate system-wide cooperative collection development and management activities.
COLLECTION MANAGEMENT
Identifies and analyzes collection-management issues, shares information on best practices in collection management and develops collection-management action plans:
- Develops and facilitates weeding policies. Coordinates the work of selectors in making preservation and retention decisions.
- Reviews and evaluates the need for materials in multiple formats, e.g., print and digital, and develops policies to guide their selection and retention.
- Maintains communication with preservation services and other library groups concerned with preservation and collection maintenance. Examines preservation issues as they affect the collection management and development program; works with the preservation officer to maintain awareness of salvage priorities.
- Works with appropriate groups to develop plans for housing collections based on analysis of university program requirements, collection growth and use.
- Recommends policies and procedures for managing the print collections including inventory procedures, major shifts within or between facilities, and use of the Libraries Annex. Works closely with access services and the Annex Task Force in tracking and reporting major collections moves.
COMMUNICATION
Acts in an advisory capacity to the Directors Council in providing information to the university community regarding collections:
- Serves as a focus for information dissemination on collections issues for the University Libraries. As the need arises, the committee may prepare memos, reports and white papers for consumption by the UB community, faculty groups, faculty advisory committees, deans, the provost and/or the president. All such communications will be shared with the Directors Council before general release.
- Offers assistance and support for selectors in establishing and maintain effective communication with their departments and in facilitating communications with users regarding collection resources.
- Coordinates collection, organization of and library-wide reporting of collections statistics including University Libraries expenditures on various categories of materials (e.g., print subscriptions, electronic subscriptions, monographs) over time, relationship of collection growth to dollars spent, and how the University Libraries collections and expenditures compare with those of its peers. Provides collections statistics to the Statistics, Metrics and Survey Development Committee.
- Conducts special quantitative and qualitative studies of materials. Conducts assessments of data-gathering practices (relevant to collections) in order to simplify data compilation, analysis and presentation as well as to facilitate use of the data in decision-making and strategic planning.
- Works with access services committee to track costs for providing access to information not owned at UB.
EDUCATION
Creates and maintains a professional-development program in collections:
- Identifies and addresses educational needs of collections staff across the University Libraries.
- Develops and delivers a training program for new and continuing selectors, drawing upon the expertise of senior selectors, acquisitions personnel, vendors and others.
conducting business
Members
Members of the Collections Committee are appointed by the University Libraries Directors Council and serve renewable terms.
Meetings and Minutes
The Collections Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Attendance is open to committee members and invited guests. Meeting minutes are taken and posted to the Committee's website.
- View the current meeting schedule.
Content provider: Austin Booth
Comments: lib-staffweb@buffalo.edu
Last update:
3 August, 2006