The library manages an integrated collection of physical and online information resources to support teaching, learning and research at Swinburne and selects, acquires and provides access to these resources for Swinburne Sarawak staff, students and researchers.
Resources are available at Swinburne Sarawak Library and online via the Swinburne Sarawak’s library website. Acquisitions Services is the central unit that manages acquisition, licensing and online access provision.
Our collection is managed by the library management system, Angka.sa2 and EBSCOhost. Discovery and access are provided through OPAC and EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS).
Library resources are selected and approved based on a range of criteria including:
We focus on selecting high use resources that support teaching, learning and research at Swinburne Sarawak. Approval from Dean/Head of School/Head of Management Unit is required for recommendations by staff and students. Library user is to check the requested title on the online catalogue (OPAC) before placing their request to avoid duplicate acquisitions.
Request for library materials can be made by completing the requisition form or send it by email to the relevant Library Liaison Officer or library staff. Full details are to be provided such as title, author and format (book, journal/magazine, video, DVD, etc.); publisher and date or edition; ISBN; name of requestor. If any of this information is missing, the order process will be delayed.
The library’s priority is to maximize access to online content to deliver information resources to the widest possible audience. Online formats are preferred where they meet the information needs of users subject to budget, licensing and technical requirements.
Evaluation and selection of physical and online resources for the library’s collection will take into account available physical and online infrastructure and intended use.
For physical resources this includes shelving, storage, booking, loan and use. For online resources this includes software and hardware requirements, authentication, limitations on access and intended use. As a rule, resources with requirements that limit their open and effective use will not be acquired.
Library resources are acquired to maximize access. Where possible, physical resources will be available in the general collection and online resources will be open to all Swinburne Sarawak users. Requests to limit use of physical and/or online resources must be approved by the lecturer(s) and library.
Copyright law and licenses are considered in the evaluation and selection of physical and online resources. As a rule, resources with licensing requirements that limit their effective use will not be acquired.
The library manages the library materials budget. We aim to acquire and provide information resources that maximize use and meet the needs of all library users. Due to costs it may not be possible to acquire or provide access to all requested resources. The library will make decisions based on the current and projected annual budgets, expenditures, and encumbrances.
Subscriptions or continuous orders commit the library to ongoing expenditure in future years. As a rule, new subscriptions may require cancellation of an existing subscription to an equivalent amount. Subscriptions will in most cases be considered on an annual basis.
Students are expected to purchase required textbooks. The library will acquire a limited number of textbooks and recommended readings. The library does not acquire class sets or online resources that can only be used in a classroom environment.
Most library collections are acquired for general use. Special collections with specific requirements for acquisition or use must be approved by the Library and the Head of Management Unit. Special collections form part of the overall library collection.
Electronic copy of all final year projects and theses are deposited with the library; which is accessible to only Swinburne community from library’s website.
Swinburne Sarawak staff may request that personal or departmental owned resources or items be temporarily loaned to the library collection. If accepted, loaned resources and equipment will be managed according to the usual library business rules regarding booking, loan and use.
Donations to the library will be considered according to the usual selection criteria applied to other resources. If accepted, donations will become part of the general library collection and subject to normal business rules including deselection.
The library will manage the physical and online collections on an ongoing basis and deselect materials that are no longer relevant, out of date, in poor physical condition, no longer conform to technical or licensing requirements, do not demonstrate ongoing usage, or that are being deselected to allow release of funds to acquire more relevant or cost-effective resources.
Proposals for acquisition of resources outside the scope of this policy must be referred to the Information Resources Manager or via your liaison librarian.
