Collections Policy

1. Purpose of the Policy

1.1 Library collections include all physical and online resources managed by Library Services.

1.2 This policy supports current and future OU students and staff to access library collections by setting out the principles that guide the development and management of our collections in the delivery of the OU’s mission.

2. Scope

2.1 The OU’s archival collections are out of scope of this policy.

2.2 Open Research Online (ORO), Open Research Data Online (ORDO) and the Scholarship Exchange are out of scope of this policy.

3. Principles

3.1 We manage collections of content to support the current and future learning, teaching, scholarship and research needs of OU students and staff.

3.2 We work collaboratively with OU students and staff to identify, acquire and increase the use of diverse resources that demonstrably support the OU’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

3.3 We prioritise acquiring content in online format because of the increased access that this provides to all OU students and staff. However, where no suitable online version is available, we will continue to acquire content in physical format to support research, scholarship and module production needs.

3.4 We manage systems and processes to enable effective use of Library content.

3.5 We work in partnership with OU students and staff to improve the usability of content.

3.6 Library Services is committed to intellectual freedom. Except on the grounds of illegality, we will not exclude, withdraw from availability, or restrict access to any material because it is controversial or might be judged offensive by some. The presence of any resource(s) within the Library's collections does not imply its endorsement of the ideas or opinions expressed.

3.7 We use an evidence-based approach to our decisions around content.

3.8 We influence publishers and other suppliers to make content available in formats and using technology that is accessible to all OU students and staff.

3.9 We work with sector partners and suppliers to improve the inclusiveness of the metadata that we use to describe and discover our content.

3.10 Where appropriate, we promote the use of Open Access content and support Open Access publication infrastructures.

4. Criteria for Acquisition

4.1 Library Services use the following criteria to make decisions about acquiring content:

Relevance to the teaching, scholarship and/or research interests of the OU
Supports the OU’s development of a more inclusive curriculum
Currency, bearing in mind areas where information dates rapidly and areas where collections of historical material are required
Value for money, in discussion with stakeholders
Where appropriate, the content covers all four nations in the UK
Available in formats and using technology that is accessible to all OU students and staff

4.2 We do not acquire duplicate copies of physical items, except in exceptional cases.

4.3 We do not acquire subscriptions to print journals, except in exceptional cases.

4.4 We do not accept donations of physical material, except in exceptional cases. A case will need to be made in writing to the Associate Director of Library Services (Student and Academic Services), endorsed by an Associate Dean of the Faculty concerned. Unsolicited donations sent to Library Services will be managed in a sustainable way.

5. Alternatives to Acquisition

5.1 The Resource Sharing and Inter-library Lending service provides OU staff and postgraduate research students (but not taught masters students) with access to content not held in our collections.

5.2 We provide information about accessing other library collections, including via the SCONUL Access scheme.

6. Special Collections

6.1 We safeguard a selection of print journals in perpetuity on behalf of the UK Research Reserve.

6.2 The University Archivist manages the OU’s Course Materials Archive.

7. Withdrawal Strategy

7.1 We may withdraw items from our collections where there is no reasonable expectation of current and future use in support of the OU’s learning, teaching, scholarship and research.

7.2 We use evidence-based decision making to inform withdrawal decisions, in discussion with stakeholders.

8. Budget

8.1 The Information Resources Budget (IRB) is used to licence and purchase library content that supports OU learning, teaching, scholarship and research. It is set annually through the business planning process, taking into account existing contractual commitment and the recommendations of the Director of Library Services.

8.2 Funds are allocated to cover recurrent subscriptions for databases, journals and other items as well as one-time purchases, such as books and archival collections.

8.3 The IRB is managed in the context of internal need and external pressures including publisher price rises, global currency exchange fluctuations, and new publishing and pricing models.

8.4 We maximise the budget by recognising the need for access to be provided for all members of the OU as well as developing the breadth of the collection.

9. Glossary

Resource Sharing and Inter-library Lending

The Resource Sharing and Inter-library loans service is available to OU staff and research students (MPhil/PhD). It provides access to content not held by Library Services. Further information is available at Resource Sharing and Inter-library Lending.

Journal

A newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional activity.

Metadata

Data whose purpose is to describe and give information about other data.

Online Content

Electronic books. electronic journals, databases and datasets that Library Services provides access to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world.

Open Access

Peer-reviewed or scholarly material which is free to read online, free to share digitally and free to re-use subject to attribution.

Physical Content

Items such as print books, print journals, DVDs, and maps that Library Services provide access to at the Betty Boothroyd Library on Walton Hall campus.

SCONUL Access

SCONUL Access is a reciprocal scheme which allows many university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other libraries which belong to the scheme. The scheme covers most of the university libraries in the UK and Ireland. Further information is available at Using other libraries and SCONUL Access.

UK Research Reserve

Enables UK higher education libraries to de-duplicate low use print journal stock whilst ensuring the preservation of lending copies for ongoing accessibility by the whole community.

Other relevant policies

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement

Policies are inclusive of all Open University staff and Open University postgraduate research students, regardless of age, care experience, caring status or dependency, civil status, disability, family status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender reassignment, marital status, marriage and civil partnership, membership of the Traveller community, political opinion, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or trades union membership status.