York University Libraries purchased more books in 2004-2005 than any other Ontario university library, with the exception of University of Toronto Libraries. Books continue to be so important to the York community that the amount of collections base funding used to acquire books has not diminished in the last four years. Below are some strategies to assist us in continuing to provide excellent book collections for future scholars.
Special Collections
Special funds are revitalizing the development of research collections in the Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections at York; $30,000 in 04/05, $60,000 in 2005/2006 and $100,000 planned for 2006/2007. For example, this strategy made possible the purchase of a remarkable collection of gay and lesbian pulp fiction that will provide a rich research collection for future scholarly and curricular research – see the Archives article in this newsletter.
Two rare books frequently consulted by students were digitized and contributed to the Open Content Alliance (OCA) project, making them available on the Internet. Now students can read the books anytime without adding to the wear on the original item. The OCA project itself is trying to ensure that books in the public domain remain freely accessible to the people. Another part of the project is to design a printer that can print-on-demand a book from the Internet Archives, in colour, for less than ten dollars. And this story leads us into the domain of the electronic book, because in some cases electronic books can serve us very well.
Electronic Books
Students and faculty in the humanities make effective use of electronic books for out-of-print materials. York has purchased databases created from large digital copies of microfiche collections; two examples are Early English Books Online and Eighteenth Century Collections Online.
Many computer science students are enjoying the easy access to electronic books. The Libraries appreciate the fact that computer texts in digital format can be used when the library is closed and do not go missing unlike the print copies.
Digital books also help to level the field for many scholars with print disabilities. Special software applications read electronic texts well, so Braille and audio tape transcriptions are required less often than in the past.
For my part, I am waiting for the commercial world to provide software that will let me download any eBook into my laptop or iPod and then “read” it to me while I drive my car home from work.
Print books remain dear to our hearts.
Even while the Libraries are connecting the campus to more electronic books, we are also looking for ways to keep, and continue building, our print monograph collection. One problem is space: the Libraries’ collection spaces are quickly reaching maximum capacity. Over the next five years we will be approaching a steady state situation, where one book goes out as one book comes in. Meanwhile, every effort will be made to retain and build our research collections, but it will be necessary to make difficult decisions such as relying on electronic journals more and print journals less. Capital funds will be needed to install more compact shelving in the Scott Library stacks areas. And most importantly, we will continue to lobby for a special high-density library collection storage unit to enable the future growth of York University Libraries’ research collections.
Your support for these initiatives is appreciated.
