The U of T Scarborough Library collects and maintains materials that support the academic and research programs and student experience at U of T Scarborough. These collections are made discoverable via LibrarySearch, the Library’s Discover Archives platform, and the Library’s local Islandora digital collections infrastructure. 

The purpose of the U of T Scarborough Library 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 users about the principles by which materials are selected for inclusion.

Introduction

Collection Development is the process of building collections of both print and electronic materials over time, within a set budget, based on ongoing information needs of the Library's users. It also includes the creation of selection criteria, resource sharing, replacement of items, and routine de-selection. At the UTSC Library, stewardship is also an important part of our collection building and maintenance. We develop collections of campus knowledge creations such as publications by UTSC authors, faculty research data, and student outputs.

Librarians hold the ultimate responsibility for developing and maintaining the Library’s collections 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.

Selection guidelines and criteria for the collection

The Library’s collection is developed to support and enhance the teaching, learning, and research activities and goals of the University of Toronto Scarborough, as well as student experience. Books and serials are organized according to the Library of Congress Classification System, and the collection covers multiple subject areas.

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
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
Written, edited, or representative of research by U of T Scarborough authors
Reflective of the broader Scarborough community

Languages

U of T Scarborough Library collects materials primarily in English. In some subject areas and collections, sources in the original language are essential. In these cases, sources are ordered or acquired in non-English languages as appropriate. As program requirements change and focuses shift, language criteria are readjusted.

Diversity of content and authorship

Selectors seek materials that represent the U of T Scarborough community, including works by underrepresented groups and that represent various perspectives and knowledges. Activities to create inclusive collections are detailed in the University of Toronto Libraries Collections Diversity Plan.

Library users

The U of T Scarborough Library’s collections support the research interests and curricular needs of its primary users: undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, librarians, and staff at U of T Scarborough. As part of the U of T Library system, the U of T Scarborough Library also shares resources and provides access to users across the three campuses.

The U of T Scarborough Library provides some collections access to alumni, external researchers, and members of the public. The print materials in the Library are available for anyone to access in person during our regular opening hours. Borrowing privileges and/or access to electronic resources are only available to the public with a library membership.

The U of T Scarborough’s digital special collections are openly available and fully accessible to users both in and outside of University of Toronto.

Our community of users may access the Archives and Special Collections by contacting the archives to book an appointment.

Information about alumni, researcher, and high school student access to print or e-resources found in the Library catalogue, can be found on our Alumni and Other Visitors page.

Accessibility

The U of T Scarborough Library acquires materials in a variety of formats and ensures newly acquired media is compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). For more information about access options, see the Library’s page on Accessibility Services.

Intellectual freedom

The U of T 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.”

Acquisition of materials

U of T Scarborough Library works with vendors, local bookstores, and community partners to add materials in a variety of formats to the Library’s collections accessible through the catalogue. For more information about acquisitions into the archives as well as our physical and digital special collections, see the Archival and Special Collections Development section below.

Approval plans

A significant portion of the Library’s collection is developed through the use of a shared approval plan containing profiles that are tailored to the many programs offered at the university. Librarians review the books that automatically arrive on approval and make profile adjustments, as needed. Title by title selection supplements the approval plan, with librarians selecting books outside of the profile parameters to meet the more specific needs of the collection and the university. 

Electronic resource licensing

The Library purchases and subscribes to digital resources including databases, streaming media, data sets, and digital platforms which require licensing. Electronic materials which are relevant to the collection are acquired when a licensing agreement can be reached, privacy impact assessment criteria can be met, access can be made available to educational institutions, and the resource can be made available to the whole UofT community. Some electronic resources are purchased through consortial agreements.

Local purchasing

The Library builds relationships with local bookstores where materials cannot be found elsewhere (including works by local authors, zines, books from independent publishers, etc.) and are not already represented through other agreements. Additionally, the Library works with booksellers to build approval plans and regular purchasing agreements when possible.

Community requests

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. All requests are considered by a librarian before purchase. Faculty are encouraged to email their liaison librarian to make collections requests.

Resource sharing

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.

Additionally, 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.

Duplicates

U of T Scarborough Library does not generally collect a local copy of an item already in the U of T Library system, 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.

Exceptions are made for faculty requests, as well as for UTSC-authored/edited titles. The Library aims to acquire one print copy of new titles by UTSC authors and label it as such in the catalogue to improve access and discovery.

Course reserves

The course reserve collection provides access to faculty-selected print and electronic 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.

For information about how instructors can request course reserves, see Course readings and reserve support.

Archival and special collections development

University related records*

The Archives collects materials from faculty, alumni, departments, and campus organizations which document the history and evolving culture of the Scarborough campus. This may include material such as photographs of events and promotional items which help tell the story of the campus. Materials will be assessed for historical value by Archives staff.

Personal and professional records created, received, used, and maintained by faculty associated with the University of Toronto Scarborough may be collected by the Archives.

*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 and personal records

The Archives and Special Collections accepts donations from individuals (including faculty and alumni), families, and organizations of private and personal archives, which support the teaching, learning, and research mission of the University. Materials will be assessed for value by Archives staff. Donations will be considered for inclusion based on many factors including:

Relationship to research and teaching at the University
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

Materials donated by private individuals/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.

Digital special collections

The U of T Scarborough Library’s Digital Collections are a branch of the Library’s collections managed by the Digital Scholarship Unit (DSU). They extend the principles of the Collection Development Policy into the digital environment and embody the Library’s values of access, stewardship, and community engagement.

Our digital collections are developed in close collaboration with faculty and community partners, reflecting both distinctive research interests and the unique histories, cultures, and geographies of Scarborough. In this way, the Library contributes locally and participates in a global network of memory institutions dedicated to preserving and providing access to unique cultural and scholarly resources across generations.

U of T Scarborough Library’s digital collections support discovery, storytelling, and intellectual freedom, while affirming our role as both a local steward of Scarborough’s knowledge and an active contributor to the global accessibility and sustainability of information resources.

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, or student experience. 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 acquisitions. The deaccessioning of personal or private material donated to the Archives will be done in accordance with the signed Deed of Gift.

Keep@Downsview

Keep@Downsview is a collaboration of the University of Toronto, McMaster University, the University of Ottawa, Queen's University, Western University, and Memorial University to preserve Library items in a shared high-density storage facility located at the University of Toronto's Downsview campus. This program preserves and maintains valuable collections built over time, ensuring that these resources will be available for generations to come.

Materials held at the Downsview preservation site are requestable via the Library’s catalogue and delivered either electronically to your device or physically to your specified Library location.

U of T Scarborough Library Collection Development Policy

Related to

Collections and User Services