About Shared Print

Strategic Direction

“The overall aim of [shared print collections] is to further optimize the management of information resources for students and faculty by reducing unnecessary duplication, leveraging shared assets (such as regional library facilities), and expanding the information resources available systemwide, while meeting the information needs of library users at each campus.”

–Systemwide Strategic Directions For Libraries 2004.04.01, University of California University Librarians. April 2004 Section 4.1, p.12.

Goals and Objectives

The overarching goals for Shared Print collections are:

To facilitate the development of more comprehensive and diverse research collections available to UC library users throughout the system through efficient collaborative methods for the prospective acquisition of research resources.
To accelerate the development of shared collections to provide substantial opportunities for campuses to avoid costs or to reallocate RLF and campus library space for other uses.
To integrate UC Shared Print collections with broader regional, national and international shared collections.
To preserve the scholarly printed record, where print remains the archival medium of choice, at the lowest possible unit cost.
To ensure UC library users can readily discover and access shared print collections held within UC or by other libraries.
To facilitate collaborative, holistic collection planning for physical resources in conjunction with broader collection planning among UC Libraries.

In addition, specific goals for the development of shared print monograph collections are:

To develop and maintain a significant print collection of record to support the UC mission of teaching, research and patient care.
To provide robust, efficient access to UC users to the formats (print and electronic) that best support research and teaching.
To create an ecosystem of monograph collections and cooperative partnerships within which users can readily access shared, retained print monographs, and library staff can make local collection management decisions in a UC systemwide, regional or network-level context.