This strategy has been developed as a general framework which underpins the selection, management and evaluation of the collections of the Sir Alex Ferguson Library and Archive Centre. It outlines the library’s approach to providing high quality collections, supporting the University’s strategic goals for learning, teaching and research. It covers the library’s general collections, archives and special collections, theses and University research outputs.
Guiding principles
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Our University mission is to transform lives through excellent education and research that is accessible and impactful for the people of Glasgow and our communities locally, nationally and internationally. To support this mission, the library's Collection Development Strategy adopts the following guiding principles.
Work in partnership with the University community to ensure that collections are continually developed to meet learning and teaching needs, support research activity, and reflect the diverse nature of 21st century scholarship and publishing. Contribute to and support the growing global availability of Open Access content and open educational resources. Strive to provide equitable access to all users, responding to their changing and developing needs. Advance the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategies by developing inclusive and diverse collections. Work with the University community to develop collections that enrich the health and wellbeing needs of users alongside their work and studies. Safeguard the integrity and usability of our unique collections through proactive preservation. Where possible, promote vendors that most closely align with institutional values, sustainability goals, and the sector’s next generation open access requirements.
Strategic priorities
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In line with the University mission, Strategy 2030, and our collections strategy guiding principles, the library has identified the following strategic priorities for 2025 to 2028. These strategic priorities will be addressed through the library’s Operational Plan to ensure that the Sir Alex Ferguson Library will continue to be the heart of the University, dedicated to transforming lives through accessible and open, high-quality resources, services and staff.
Education We will provide comprehensive support for learning and teaching by equipping students with essential digital skills and ensuring an inclusive library space. By providing accessible, high-quality resources and services, we strive to enhance student success, foster a sense of belonging, and equip graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in their careers and contribute to society.
Research We will support the University to foster a vibrant research culture and enhance collaboration by offering comprehensive resources and dedicated spaces for interdisciplinary work. We are committed to ensuring seamless access to extensive research materials, maximising the impact of research through effective dissemination and sustainable practices, and providing training in research methodologies, data management, and digital literacy.
Engagement We will foster a vibrant community by enhancing collaboration and integrating our library resources into diverse initiatives. We aim to create a supportive environment that prioritises wellbeing and are committed to promoting inclusivity and accessibility, supporting innovative research and creative projects, and strengthening lifelong learning and information literacy skills at every stage of education and professional development.
Selection, acquisitions and deposits
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The library aims to make effective use of available budgets and will balance any competing needs according to strategic priorities. The library will prioritise acquiring online resources where available, appropriate and affordable. The number of online or print resources purchased will be calculated according to anticipated and actual usage patterns and in alignment with our acquisitions policies. The library is a member of collaborative procurement framework agreements for the supply of print and electronic books, serials, and databases to the Higher Education institutions of Scotland, under the Scottish Confederation of Universities and Research Libraries (SCURL). Where suitable, resources will be purchased from suppliers included in these Agreements. Material may also be acquired which supports the wider needs of the institution and its users, for example, user wellbeing, supporting postgraduate researchers and research staff, and continuing professional development. The library will endeavour to consult with the wider University community when developing their collections and will provide mechanisms for users to directly influence resource selection. The library purchases materials that represent a wide variety of viewpoints and the inclusion of any title in our collections does not constitute endorsement or promotion of the work in question. The predominant language of most collections is English, but material may be acquired in any language should there be a requirement to do so. Material in Scottish Gaelic and the Scots language will also be collected where possible to support Scotland's other official languages in the library. The library manages all research outputs that are deposited in, or made accessible through, the University’s institutional repository, ResearchOnline . The library will acquire unique records of enduring informational, evidential, legal, historical or cultural value according to agreed selection criteria. The library will collect and preserve material published by the University as part of its Special Collections, ensuring the long-term accessibility of our institutional output. Donations are not normally accepted, unless for archives, due to space constraints and administration costs. Any donation accepted is on the understanding that it becomes part of the library collections and will be subject to normal collection management processes.
Access
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Where possible, online resources will be sourced from publishers and suppliers offering fully accessible user platforms and which supply content in accessible formats. When considering online resources for purchase, these will be subject to additional selection criteria, including:Platform functionality Suitable and secure authentication methods Technical platform requirements, e.g. reporting and user management Access levels and licensing conditions. The library has an e-first policy, prioritising purchase of online resources where possible. Print copies may be supplied when included on a resource list, and where online versions are unavailable in a suitable format or prohibitively expensive. Resources will be recorded in the library management platform and discovery layer according to internationally agreed standards for bibliographic description, to aid discoverability and allow the exchange of data with other systems and software.
Resource lists
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Academic staff should provide the library with details of any new or existing module resource lists for each trimester. These should be submitted to the library within the expected timeframes stipulated by the Resource List team. Items on resource lists will be purchased according to the tags assigned by academic staff and student numbers, and in alignment with our acquisitions policies. The tags reflect if the items are core reading for students, additional resources to support learning, or background reading for further understanding. The Resource List team will monitor usage and ensure sufficient access to resources, including acquiring additional print copies or increasing electronic availability as required. The Resource List team will purchase new editions of any items tagged as Essential reading annually, unless advised otherwise by academic staff. Where appropriate, the library will provide digitised extracts of copyright-protected materials listed on resource lists under the terms of the Copyright Licencing Agency's Photocopying and Scanning Higher Education Licence, offering secure access to print publications and digital content not otherwise available in suitable format.
Institutional repository
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The ResearchOnline portal provides access to the University's online collection of published research material. The Glasgow Caledonian University Publications Policy (2025) is available online . The library manages all research outputs that are deposited in, or made accessible through, the University’s open access repository. In accordance with University regulations an electronic version of every doctoral thesis awarded by GCU will be deposited in the institutional repository, ResearchOnline . The library also holds a collection of doctoral theses from earlier years, in print format.
Management and evaluation
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Managing Demand To support access to materials beyond the library’s own holdings, individual users can request items through resource sharing arrangements with national and international consortia. These partnerships enable borrowing from other academic libraries via interlibrary loan services. For all online resources, the library will monitor their usage and purchase additional copies or models where necessary. The library will also monitor the usage of print collections, and reallocate resources based on demand. Evaluation The library will consult annually with academic staff and regularly review resources to ensure the collections remain relevant to teaching, learning and research activities. A regular audit of print resources will be conducted to ensure that our systems accurately reflect our holdings. Deselection Stock that is no longer relevant to support the teaching, learning and research activities of the University may be withdrawn and ethically disposed of. This allows the library to release space for new purchases in response to changing curriculum needs. Damaged, missing or lost items of stock which have continued usage will be replaced if possible where funds permit. The library adheres to the principles of the UK Distributed Print Book Collection and uses Jisc Library Hub to compare UK holdings prior to deselecting any stock. The library is a signatory to the Last Scottish Copy Policy developed by SCURL, the National Library of Scotland, and the Scottish Library and Information Council.
Archives and special collections
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The Archive Centre is part of the library and adheres to the principles set out thus far in the Collections Development Strategy. This part of the strategy outlines collection development approaches for the following:
archives, defined as collections of records that are created or collected by an individual or organisation in the course of their activities and are preserved because of their enduring value special collections, defined as materials that are distinguished by their rarity, format, subject matter, or provenance, and are housed separately from general library collections. Acquisitions The only methods of acquisition we accept are donations from external donors and internal transfers from within the University. We do not accept loans or deposits. Our acquisition strategy is passive and routine. We do not actively seek acquisitions. Potential acquisitions are reviewed by Archive Centre staff and library management to assess suitability. During periods of limited resources, the Archive Centre will adopt an accrual-only policy. Accruals to existing collections are assessed for acquisition on a case-by-case basis. We take a responsible and sustainable approach to acquisitions. Archive collections are intended to be retained permanently which has long-term financial, legal and managerial implications for the library. We will not accept collections that we cannot sort, describe and make available within a reasonable timeframe. Collecting criteria We will consider acquisitions that can enhance learning, teaching and research at the University and/or have a relationship with existing holdings and subject areas. The main subject areas of our archives and collections are Scottish left-wing politics, trades unions, campaign and pressure groups; Scottish social work, social policy and child welfare; Scottish public health; and Scottish social enterprise. Acquisitions must hold enduring historical, informational and evidential value. In acquiring archives and special collections, every effort will be made to avoid competition, conflict and duplication with the collecting policies of other archives and libraries. We will seek to liaise with other institutions when necessary to ensure that material is secured in the most appropriate place of deposit. The physical condition of the material being offered must not be so poor that it would prohibit access. Careful consideration will be given before accepting collections with significant access restrictions, particularly material that contains special category data as defined in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Rationalisation of collections The Archive Centre will carry out periodic appraisal of its holdings. This may result in deaccessioning of collections or items within collections. The outcomes of rationalisation will result in more useable and well managed collections. The Archive Centre will not undertake deaccessioning based solely on financial considerations. Deaccessioning will follow a formal review process which will be documented, open and transparent. This policy is guided by the legal and ethical frameworks set out in the International Council on Archives (ICA) Code of Ethics and the National Archives Code of Conduct.
Strategy review This strategy will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to reflect the strategic priorities of the University.
