Suggest new resources
Ordering Library resources
University of South Australia staff and students are encouraged to suggest books, journals and other resources to be purchased for the Library collection. All recommendations must comply with the Library’s policy on purchasing resources to support teaching, learning and research.
Books
Books on reading lists
The Library aims to acquire all book titles listed in course outlines, subject
to availability. There is a significant price difference between locally
purchased books and those from overseas vendors. For budgetary reasons the
Library may use overseas vendors. Please allow sufficient time eg 2 months
for the Library to purchase books for your course.
Textbooks
Students are expected to purchase text books.
High Demand
Collection
If you wish to place textbooks for your course on High
Demand Collection first check that these items are actually held by the Library. Please ensure
that they have been placed on High Demand Collection before giving reading lists to students. Order new items at least two months
before they are required to allow time for acquisition and processing.
Further reading (i.e.
titles other than textbooks)
The Library will acquire single copies of books described as further reading.
The purchase of extra copies is subject to negotiations between you and the
Manager, Academic Library Services.
Books for research
The Library acquires scholarly texts in support of the University’s teaching,
learning, research and strategic directions, including books that contain
the scholarly output of University staff and students. Requests for books
costing more than $250 need to be approved by the Manager, Academic Library
Services.
Audio visual and other formats
The Library recognises the diversity of the university community and will acquire resources in any format provided it has the capacity to acquire the equipment that is needed to access them. Requests to purchase audio visual material and realia (eg models, kits, games) should be sent to your Division’s Academic Library team. If possible they should contain vendor and/or manufacturer information. Please be aware that there may be restrictions on the Library purchasing some audio visual resources (such as cdroms) due to licensing or copyright issues.
Journals/databases
The Library subscribes to individual journal titles and to a number of journal collections from major publishers. The advantage of journal collections is that they provide access to hundreds of additional titles for very little more than the cost of the original individual titles. The disadvantage of such collections is that one can not cancel an individual title from the collection without losing access to the entire collection.
Each year the Library receives requests to subscribe to additional journals and databases and each year the cost of its subscriptions to existing titles increases above the CPI and its budget allocation. To manage its subscriptions and ensure that its collections are aligned with the strategic direction of the University, the Library has in place policies and evaluation criteria for the selection and retention of journals and databases.
New titles compete with current subscriptions for funds and are evaluated against other titles supporting the teaching and research of a Division. Budget limitations normally require cancellation of titles of equivalent cost before an order for a new subscription can be placed.
Subscription Review – new subscriptions and cancellations
The Library Materials Budget is reviewed annually to reflect University priorities. Key stakeholders from each academic Division and research concentrations are consulted. The review cycle has four phases.
April - Managers, Academic Library Services seek the advice of Divisions and Research concentrations in determining priorities in the selection and retention of individual journals and database subscriptions.
If a request for a new title is accepted and it is being fully funded from a Division or Research concentration an order can be placed immediately.
July - Divisions and Research concentrations provide their Manager, Academic Library Services with their list of titles for selection and retention.
August-September – The Manager, Academic Library Services confirms or rejects requests from Divisions/Research concentrations.
September-November – Library Materials Budget is finalised; titles are cancelled and titles of equivalent cost are ordered.