Now is a good time to be letting Access and Collections know about Semester 2 teaching needs (we’ll be letting LLOs about this too).  Some tips are:

• There is money in the budget to buy books!  Unfortunately some austere messaging in recent times has created an impression that the Library doesn’t have money to buy books.  The good news is that we do and orders can be sent to our team at acquisitions@libr.canterbury.ac.nz or via our Recommend a resource for the Library form (you can find this under ‘Contact us’ from the Library home page)
• Our Information Resources Policy along with our purchasing guidelines inform our purchasing.  The guidelines are just that – guidelines – rather than absolutes or rigid policy statements.  There is room for common-sense decisions and flexibility as needed
• Anyone in the UC community can make recommendations – not just LAC staff, not just Library Liaison Officers or subject librarians. So if you notice worn out books or the need for replacements (eg the high demand collection), or if you hear about a book we need but don’t hold it, please let us know
• For high demand texts LAC will try to get the hardback version where possible however there are some caveats and exceptions.  For example hardback may not be available as a format choice.  LAC doesn’t always receive timely notice to purchase a needed text.  Purchasing hardback can mean a delay of a number of weeks which creates frustration when the need is urgent.  In this situation purchasing locally from UBS is a better (quicker) option.  (Moral of the story: the more notice we get about needed texts, the better)
• 1 and 3 user only eBooks – we generally recommend avoiding these where possible
• eTextbooks – available in some cases and where cost-effective.  However eTextbooks also present some difficulties.  For example we have drawn a line with some publishers where the costs are truly phenomenal.  We have written a paper for Library Committee outlining some of the limitations the Library has supplying textbooks in electronic format.  This paper has recently gone to Academic Board for discussion as well
• Related: it’s probably useful for staff to be aware that LAC may not respond to all recommendations coming from outside the UC community (we frequently receive recommendations from authors and other passionate parties all over the world recommending works on all sorts of topics).  You can also direct anyone outside of UC who fronts up at a desk to our Recommend a resource for the Library form