The U of T Scarborough Library collects and maintains materials that support the academic and research programs at U of T Scarborough. These collections are made discoverable via LibrarySearch and the library’s Discover Archives platform.
The purpose of the U of T Scarborough collection development policy is twofold: it helps library staff to meet collection goals as they relate to the goals of the library, and it informs patrons about the principles by which materials are selected for inclusion.
Introduction
Collection Development is the process of building useful, balanced collections of both print and electronic materials over time, within a set budget, based on assessed, ongoing information needs of the library's clientele. It also includes the creation of selection criteria, resource sharing, and replacement of items, and routine de-selection.
Librarians hold the ultimate responsibility for developing and maintaining the library’s collection based on their knowledge of the collection, expertise with collection tools and resources, and understanding of the information and resource needs of the library’s community of users. Selection processes are cooperative and can involve consultation with faculty and departments.
Intellectual Freedom
The University of Toronto Scarborough Library supports the Canadian Federation of Library Associations statement on intellectual freedom, particularly that “Libraries have a core responsibility to safeguard and facilitate access to constitutionally protected expressions of knowledge, imagination, ideas, and opinion, including those which some individuals and groups consider unconventional, unpopular or unacceptable.” The library is committed to “provide, defend and promote equitable access to the widest possible variety of expressive content and resist calls for censorship and the adoption of systems that deny or restrict access to resources.”
Selection Guidelines and Criteria for the Collection
The library’s collection is developed to support and enhance the instructional and research activities and goals of the University of Toronto Scarborough. The collection is organized according to the Library of Congress Classification System, and it covers multiple subject areas. English is the primary language of materials collected by the library, with exceptions for foreign languages based on the curriculum and faculty research.
The library focuses on adding newly published materials to the collection that are authoritative and/or ground-breaking in their fields; however, librarians can make retrospective selections to fill gaps or respond to requests with consideration according to selection guidelines.
Specific criteria for individual selections include some or all the following:
- Relevance to the curriculum
- Relevance to faculty and student research
- Readership level
- Suitable format
- Cost
- Availability
- Language
- Reputation of publisher
- Reputation of author
- Strength of present holdings in same or similar subject
- Distinctive features (bibliography, foot/endnotes, index, maps, diagrams, etc.)
- Demand
- New edition or re-print: added content that significantly improves value
Languages
U of T Scarborough Library collects materials primarily in English. In some subject areas, where sources in the original language are essential, sources are ordered in the original language. As program requirements change and focuses shift, language criteria are readjusted.
University Related Records*
Personal and professional records created, received, used, and maintained by faculty associated with the University of Toronto Scarborough may be collected by the Archives. This can include records relating to teaching and research and galley proofs from publications.
*Official University Records are acquired, preserved, and made accessible by the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library.
Private Records
Private donations from individuals, families, and organizations are collected in the following areas:
- Scarborough history
- Immigration history
- Food Studies
- Sports/Physical Education
- Global Asian Studies
- Urban Development
- Human Geography
- Environmental Sciences
Personal Records
Personal records, faculty records and the records of campus organizations will be accepted in accordance with the terms negotiated with the Archivist and documented in a formal donor agreement. Materials donated to U of T Scarborough Library become the property of the University.
Donations will be considered for inclusion based on the following factors:
- Relationship to existing holdings.
- Physical condition of the records.
- Resources required to make the material available to researchers.
- Terms of restriction, legal rights, and/or other requests from donors.
Requests for Acquisition
The library provides the opportunity for its community of users to suggest titles for acquisition through an online form located on the library website, which directs the request to the appropriate librarian. These forms are available to all library clientele, and requests can also be made directly to a librarian. All requests are considered by a librarian before purchase.
Duplicates
U of T Scarborough Library does not generally collect more than one copy of an item unless this is warranted by heavy usage of the same item already in the collection. Additionally, U of T Scarborough Library will not automatically accept a donation of an unnecessary duplicate into its collection.
Course Reserves
The course reserve collection provides access to faculty-selected items in high demand for current courses. The reserve collection varies by semester. Faculty submit their lists of requested items to the library with enough time for the library to acquire or organize the materials before the next semester begins.
Gifts and Donations
The U of T Scarborough Library will be pleased to consider donations of materials that support current curriculum and research conducted at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Over the years the generosity of donors has contributed to U of T Scarborough Library’s collections.
General Guidelines
Gifts and donations of books, serials, microfilms, or other materials will normally be accepted by a designated librarian. It is important to be aware that the library is selective in the materials that it accepts and reserves the right to accept or refuse any potential gift or donation. The evaluation of gifts and their processing involves a substantial amount of library resources.
Due to constraints such as space, repair, binding, and property costs, and the mandates of the collection development policy, the library reserves the right to dispose of materials by various means including sale, gift, or exchange with other libraries.
The library does not accept:
- textbooks
- serials (journals, magazines, newspapers)
- trade paperbacks
When accepting large collections that require valuations or gift-in-kind receipts, approval from the Head Librarian will be required. The designated librarian will base their decision on the library’s collection development policy, which includes the following checklist:
- Item is within the scope of the library’s collection
- Item in not an unnecessary duplicate
- Item is in good physical condition (free of mold, dust, damage, marks)
- Processing and maintenance costs
- Restrictions (such as how the materials can be used)
- Currency
- Superseded editions of items in the collection
- Additionally, the University of Toronto Scarborough Library may accept or refuse a gift or donation based on:
- Best interests of the library
- Conditions of use of gifts or donations the library deems appropriate
- Limit to intellectual or academic freedom in any way
- The library does not automatically accept collections from university departments. These items will need to meet the selection criteria as outlined above.
Materials acquired through a research grant may be donated to the library, but they do not qualify for a tax receipt.
The donor will assume the cost of transporting the items to the library should the donation reside outside of the greater Toronto area.
Procedures for Donation
Prospective donors should contact a librarian to discuss the gift or donation. Generally, the following procedure will be followed:
- The library prefers to consider and select materials while the donation is still in its original location
- A list/bibliography of all items may be requested from the donor
- If this cannot be compiled, the library will accept the collection, but will only retain items based on criteria outlined above
- Whenever possible, the library will send unwanted materials to appropriate alternate locations. If the donor wishes, refused material will be returned
- The designated librarian and the U of T Scarborough Development Office will determine which collections will require a valuation and gift-in-kind receipt.
- In cases where the provenance of a donation or gift is unclear, it may be necessary for the library to request proof of ownership before accepting the donation.
- When deemed appropriate by the designated librarian and the U of T Scarborough Development Office, the library will arrange for a qualified appraiser to conduct a valuation. A valuation is conducted once the donation becomes property of the library through the Transfer of Ownership statement, issued by U of T Scarborough Development Office.
- Valuation is conducted for materials that the library retains only and should include a description of materials donated. The valuation is made based on fair market value. Fair market value is accepted as "the price that property would bring in the open market between a willing buyer and a willing seller, acting independently of each other, and each having all the facts pertaining to the materials." Donations to the Library are considered charitable donations and may be eligible for tax receipts subject to Canada Revenue Agency regulations. Tax receipts will not be issued for gifts that have a fair market value of less than $500.00. For gifts with a value of $1,000 or more, a Deed of Gift form will have to be completed and signed by the donor. Also, tax receipts cannot be guaranteed in the same calendar year unless received before October 31st.
Collection Maintenance
Collection maintenance involves structured and periodic review of the collection to identify materials that are outdated, severely damaged, or no longer relevant to curricular or research needs. Collection maintenance occurs under the leadership of librarians. The purpose of de-selection, or weeding, is to keep the collection current and relevant, and to make room for new acquisition.
Deaccessions in the archives will be recorded and all reasonable attempts to contact the original donor will be made. Alternatively, another institution may be contacted to house the material. If neither of the above two methods succeed, then records will be securely destroyed. De-accessioning of material may be conducted for the following reasons:
- Records duplicate what is already in the library’s holdings.
- Records do not have a direct relation to the U of T Scarborough Collection Development Policy or the U of T Scarborough Library, Archives & Special Collections Policy.
- Materials are hazardous to the holdings.
- Records are damaged either through natural decay or through accidental damage.
- U of T Scarborough Library can no longer care for the records in a way that preserves and ensures their long-term viability.
Resource Sharing
The U of T Scarborough Library participates in an Interlibrary Loan system, which allows our users to request and borrow materials from libraries and institutions outside of the University of Toronto. This system also ensures that our library provides materials to eligible external institutions and users.
The University of Toronto Libraries system is comprised of many libraries across the three campuses. The Intercampus Delivery service gives users access to materials only available at a library on another University of Toronto campus. This service is helpful to the U of T Scarborough Library in supplementing our collection with the materials collected by larger libraries, as well as those with more specialized collections.