Book Acquisition (for Staff)

In AY 2014/15, the XJLTU Library has proposed a new book acquisition model. The acquisition model was agreed and approved in the University Library Affairs Committee Meeting.

Bases on the Library's budget allocation formula, 70% of library budget on book acquisition will be allocated to each school, academy and teaching center before a new academic year begins. At the same time, subject profiles, which identify every subject areas pertaining to a department’s teaching and general research and define the scope and depth of the collection development within those subject areas, have been compiled by the Library. In this way, more faculties could make their own decisions on book selection, and the XJTLU Library’s collections can be more well-built and well-balanced, and the library budget can be used more cost-effectively.

To ensure the rational use and cost-effectiveness of the Library’s budget for books allocated to each academic department, and to optimise the Library’s entire print collection, subject profiles are compiled by Academic Liaison and Reference Librarians. They serve as important standards in non-digital collection building of the University’s diverse subjects, helping to identify every relevant subject area for each academic department and to define the scope and depth of the collections development within those subject areas.

Collection depth indicators, or levels, are assigned to each subject area in the subject profiles. The Library employs the collection levels developed originally by the Research Libraries Group (RLG) to indicate the depth and intensity of each subject area.

Collection depth indicators/levels:

• 0 = Out of Scope
• 1 = Minimal Level
• 2 = Basic Information Level
• 3 = Instructional / Study Support Level
• 4 = Research Level
• 5 = Comprehensive Level

Normally, academic departments should select and recommend books within the scope of their subject profiles. The Library will review the book titles recommended by each department based on subject profiles before making purchasing decisions. Collection depth levels will also be used during purchase decision making or other relevant operations. Within budget, materials which fall into the subject areas with higher collection depth levels will be given priority to during purchasing. Books for individual research purposes should be suggested individually through OPAC system, with adequate reasons provided. To save budget and improve the usage of library collections, the Library strongly recommend academic staff to obtain research books of limited research interests using other methods first, for example, through inter-library loan.