Collecting Levels

Throughout the Collection & Resources Development Policy there are references to different collecting levels for each collection. The following is a list of collecting levels and their definitions.

Basic information level

A collection at this level provides up-to-date materials which introduce and define a subject and indicate the variety of information available elsewhere. Material collected at this level includes:

• dictionaries
• encyclopedias
• standard and significant works
• handbooks
• manuals
• films
• sound recordings
• some popular or major journals
• access to appropriate digital databases.

A basic information collection can support general inquiries, school and some undergraduate instruction, as well as information at a non-specialised level. It is not sufficiently intensive to support advanced undergraduate courses.

Intermediate level

A collection at this level provides resources adequate for imparting and maintaining knowledge about most topics in the subject area. It also provides more extensive coverage of the subject, including some specialised materials. Material collected at this level includes:

• seminal works and journals on most aspects of the subject
• works by well-known authors
• works that provide more in-depth discussions of research, techniques and evaluations
• fundamental reference sources and bibliographic works
• access to appropriate specialised digital resources.

This level can support all undergraduate and most postgraduate course work, as well as the more advanced independent study and work-based needs of public and special library users.

Advanced level

A collection at this level provides resources for imparting and maintaining knowledge about all aspects of the topic, including specialised areas. These materials are more extensive than the intermediate level but less than those needed for doctoral level research. Material collected at this level includes:

• an almost complete collection of core works
• a broader collection of specialised works by lesser-known, as well as well-known authors
• an extensive collection of general and specialised reference works, monographs, journals, indexes and abstracts
• a selection of resources in other languages including well-known authors in the original language and a selection of subject-specific materials in appropriate languages
• defined access to a broad range of specialised digital resources.

This level supports post-graduate programs as well as other specialised inquiries.

Research level

A collection at this level contains both current and retrospective resources, with historical material maintained. Material collected at this level includes:

• major published source materials
• important reference works
• a wide selection of specialised monographs and journals
• access to an extensive range of owned or remotely-accessed digital resources.

This level provides materials in all appropriate formats and languages including original materials and ephemera. Older material is retained and systematically preserved to serve the needs of historical research. This level supports postgraduate and independent research.

Comprehensive level

A collection at this level includes, as far as is reasonably possible, all significant works of recorded knowledge (publications, manuscripts, and other forms) in all applicable languages, for a necessarily defined and limited field. This level strives to be as exhaustive as far as is reasonably possible, in a specifically defined field of knowledge. It includes older material retained and systematically preserved to meet the needs of historical research.