UC Library – Ngā Puna Mātauraka
From Physical Collections to Learning Spaces Project
The UC Strategic Vision Tangata Tū, Tangata Ora, Engaged, Empowered, Making a Difference sets
out a pathway for UC and the Library for the next decade as we support learning, teaching and
research in innovative and effective ways.
This year has accelerated the University’s ongoing transformation to online learning and research.
The Library is fully engaged in this transformation, providing online services to students and
academics wherever they are. Learners, teachers and researchers depended upon the strength of
our online collection during the pandemic. The online teaching and research materials were backed
up with Library staff providing access to printed information resources as required.
Another strength of our Library is the high demand from students for the PJH Library as the premium
learning, study and resource space on campus. Our future Library will continue to be a premium
innovation and creative space that brings together students from across the disciplines to try out
new ideas in a safe and supportive environment that contributes to student learning and wellbeing.
One of the contributors to this ongoing transformation is a project to reduce the low use print
collections. We know from international research that a smaller print collection, that focuses upon
the materials and disciplines which are really valued, will get greater use. Additionally, we are
excited about the possibilities for enhancing the spaces for students for quiet study and for
interactive, technology enriched, creative learning.
We will continue to cherish and protect our unique New Zealand, Pacific, Macmillan Brown and
special collections which are out of scope for this project.
Global context
Research libraries everywhere are growing their online research
collections as the amount of material available online rapidly
increases. Open access to scholarly literature has increased the
amount of material freely available. There are global and national
agreements between libraries ensuring long term access to
materials.
In terms of standard practice in academic libraries, we are aligned
with other leading libraries in continuously reviewing our research
collections.
Globally, there is a trend for academic library buildings to provide more space for shared learning
now that so much of the collection is online, as the side table shows.
Our digital journey
For the last eight years the Library has had a just-in-time approach to information resources and
purchased digital materials in preference to print. Our data shows that 95% of usage was digital
materials, which reflected the percentage of
expenditure.
Total Library print issues per year
From 2009 to 2019 the use of the print collection
has declined so that issues of books and print
journals in 2019 was 75% less than what they
700000
were in 2009. The decline from 2018 to 2019 was
600000
500000
12%.
400000
Our systems for document delivery are fast and
300000
200000
efficient. It is often more cost-effective to obtain
100000
materials digitally than to retrieve them from
0
Store.
The extent of the shift to using online material for
teaching and research over the past decade across most of the University has shaped the project
goals. We are also taking a different approach to this project in recognition of this transformation.
We see different patterns of usage in different disciplines so consultation with academics about the
criteria will be discipline specific.
Project goals 2020-2024
1. The five year goal is to reduce print collections by a third. We will primarily focus on
withdrawing material from Store and some low use material from Central Library/PJH and
EPS Libraries.
2. Repurpose the space for creative adaptive learning and study spaces.
2020 project
3. The focus for 2020 will be clearing the equivalent of a floor in the PJH/Central Library. This
will be accomplished by withdrawing material from Store and relegating some material from
PJH to Store. We will also withdraw a small amount of low contention material from
PJH/Central Library including duplicates no longer in current use and subject areas no longer
taught.
4. The following materials are out of scope for 2020
a) Monographs issued or purchased in the last 15 years.
b) EPS Library.
c) Alternative formats.
d) Classics, History, Geological Sciences, Fine Arts and Ethnology as the physical
collections are more heavily used.
References
“Tangata Tū, Tangata Ora – Engaged, Empowered, Making a Difference”, the UC Strategic Vision 2020-2030
Research Libraries as Catalytic Leaders in a Society in Constant Flux: a report on the ARL-CNI Fall Forum 2019.
Jan 2020.
Mary Lee Kennedy, “ARL, CNI, EDUCAUSE Form Strategic Partnership to Advance Research Libraries’ Impact in
a World Shaped by New Technologies,” Association of Research Libraries, August 16, 2019,
Cox, John (2018). Positioning the Academic library within the Institution: A Literature Review.
New Review of
Academic Librarianship, 24(3-4), 219-243
. DOI: 10.1080/13614533.2018.1466342
1 Tyrer, G., Ives, J., & Corke, C. (2013). Employability skills, the student path, and the role of the academic
library and partners.
New Review of Academic Librarianship,
19(2), 178–189.
