Collection principles

Acknowledgement of Country and People

The University of Queensland Library acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which the University of Queensland is situated.  We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

We acknowledge that our collections hold traditional intellectual property and cultural knowledge belonging to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Australia.  We support communities to protect the integrity of this information in these collections.

Collection principles

These principles guide the development of the UQ Library’s general collections by Library staff and communicate collection management priorities and professional practices to the University and the wider community.

The Library is committed to providing comprehensive access to high-quality resources that support the teaching, learning, research and community engagement mission of the University.

  • Selected resources will support UQ’s current teaching, learning and research needs.  
  • The collection is developed in response to, and in consultation with, the UQ community. The Library will actively communicate and consult with Faculties and Schools about needs, and action requests for resources where possible.  
  • The Library acquires resources in electronic format, where possible, to support timely and equitable access in line with the requirements of the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. Electronic resources are available only to applicable UQ staff and students.
  • The Library will avoid unnecessary duplication of resources.
  • The Library’s collections will be supplemented by providing UQ staff and students with access to document delivery services for academic purposes.
  • The level of collections and the effectiveness of the collections will be regularly assessed. Subscription resources will be evaluated using a range of measures, including:
    • usage
    • return on investment, including the availability of appropriate institution-wide licensing and sustainable business models
    • Availability of formats that support web accessibility standards and long-term preservation.
  • The Library does not generally accept donated materials into the general collection, directing enquiries instead to the Fryer Library, Alumni Friends of the University of Queensland Inc., and other collecting institutions.
  • The Library recognises that diverse collections contribute to an inclusive and respectful study and work environment. We will seek to acquire resources authored by, or created in collaboration and consultation with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and resources that support UQ’s areas of focus, including but not limited to people with disability, people with cultural and linguistic diversities, and people with gender, sex and sexual diversities.
  • The Library is a supporter of open access publishing and Open Publishers. It also actively supports academics in the use and development of UQ-created Open Educational Resources.
  • The Library acknowledges some resources and records may be generated by AI.

Related information  

Collection management guidelines

Collection management: learning resources guidelines

Review 

The Library Executive is responsible for overseeing the implementation and review of these principles in line with UQ’s strategic direction.

Last updated: October 2024