Guidelines for Acquiring Library Resources

  1. Introduction

    2. The University of Macau Library (The Library) is committed to providing readers with diverse and integrated resources (including books, journals, multimedia materials and electronic resources) and efficient services to support learning, teaching and research, as well as to promoting academic progress and social development in Macau. The Guidelines are prepared with intent to enhance the library collections and better meet the needs and development of the University.

  2. Objectives of the Guidelines

    • Support the university curriculum and meet teaching needs;
    • Foster learning and research;
    • Encourage academic progress and local social development

  3. Selection of Library Materials

    4. Recommendation by Library Users
    The Library encourages students and faculty members to recommend any books, journals, multimedia materials or electronic resources to enrich its collections.

    Library Selection
    The Library selects information resources according to the core curriculum of the University. It contacts with academic units actively so as to enhance and ensure the usefulness and effectiveness of library resources.

    Gifts and Donation
    The Library is grateful for any gifts of books, conference proceedings, multimedia, manuscripts, and other materials that fall within the scope of its collecting portfolio. It greatly appreciates donations of materials that will support and sustain the Library's continued growth and excellence.

    Copies Control for Library Materials
    Basically, the quantity of each material held by the Library is limited to no more than four copies.

    In consideration of library budget, only one copy of each material is collected normally for the Library, except for the following cases:

    • Information resources on Macau, i.e. information resources released or published in Macau, created by organizations of Macau, or by persons born or having stayed for a significant period of time in Macau, as well as with contents related to Macau;
    • Works created by staff or students of University of Macau;
    • Materials with the signature of the author (or editor, etc.);
    • Frequently loaned materials

    For more details, please refer to Guidelines for Copies Control of University of Macau Library.

  4. Committee for Library Resources Acquisitions

    5. Acquisitions of items of high value, high price or controversy should be raised to the Committee for Library Resources Acquisitions (the Committee) for review and discussion. The relevant decision made by the Committee should be verified by the University Librarian, who also instructs the follow-up action according to the relevant procurement procedures.

    The Committee consists of 5 members, namely, Associate University Librarian, one representative from the Public Access & Reference Unit, the Special Collection Unit and the Technical Process Unit of the Library respectively, and Functional Head of Technical Process Unit.

    For more details, please refer to Guidelines for Committee for Library Resources Acquisitions.

  5. Weeding

    6. To ensure up-to-date and relevant library collections, as well as to release room for placing newly acquired materials, the Library carries out the weeding program regularly and irregularly. The following are the major criteria for withdrawal:

    • Damaged items, or items in poor physical conditions;
    • Outdated or superseded items