2 Collection Development and Management

• 2.1 Exhibitions

This year again witnessed the continued growth of the collection and this growth again comprised largely printed materials, chiefly books and journals. As shown in Table 2.1, the Library's collections grew to 2,319,359, an overall increase of 4.3% over 1994.

In spite of the growth of electronic publishing there were no indications of any diminution in the output of academic printed titles, and serial prices continued to escalate at rates that were in excess of inflation.

The total number of books and journals which the Library can afford to acquire annually is but a fraction of what would be of potential use to its clients, and it is the recognition of this that has led to the development of a number of strategies to maximise the value of the funds available in order to best serve the learning and research needs of members of the University. At all metropolitan campuses subject specialist librarians have been assigned to teaching and research departments whose responsibility it is to coordinate and lead collection development in cooperation with academic staff and in line with overall University policy. As part of this the Library is seeking to develop detailed policies which map out what is taught and researched in all Departments and Centres of the University and focus its collection activity accordingly.

Electronic tools are increasingly being used in finding information on new books and journals and this includes data on prices, availability and content as well as other publication details, all of which enhance selection decisions. Electronic data from the Library's automated system is being analysed to provide insight into how the Library is being used and what the pattern of demand is from the different categories of clients. Added to this, more traditional surveys have been carried out which have sought to find the views of staff and students on the Library's collection and discover any shortcomings.

The figures in Table 2.1 do not include electronic media, the acquisition of which accelerated in 1995. While the bulk of this media was accounted for by indexing and abstracting tools on CD- ROMs, an increasing proportion of full-text electronic media was also acquired. As well as subscriptions to some two hundred CD-ROMs and floppy disk databases, the Library also paid for access to a number of very large research databases, to which all Monash users had free access. In addition, the Library acquired a number of full text electronic journals, some of which were only available in that format, while others duplicated printed editions but provided enhanced access.

The number of current serial titles totalled 17,858 in 1995, a reduction of 1.5% over

The Library acquired a number of rare items and collections, including:

• a Swift manuscript, a draft of an unpublished letter written in 1735 to Dr. Thomas Sheridan, in Anglo-Latin.
• a large number of 19th century items from the State Library and the Parliamentary Library (via the State Library). These were duplicates which they wished to dispose of. They included a good proportion of early Australiana.
• some 19th century Australian pamphlets from the Australian Natives Association via the Taxation Incentives Scheme.
• several large collections of early medical books. These included the Rare Book collection of the Australian Medical Association (on permanent loan); Sir Sydney Sunderland's collection (which came to the Library via the Faculty of Medicine), and a forensic medicine collection purchased from Professor Mant of Guys Hospital. At the same time, there was a promise by Dr Richard Travers that he would donate his collection of medical Australiana under the Taxation Incentive Scheme.

2.1 Exhibitions

The Library organised a number of book exhibitions, mainly from the rich resources of the Rare Books collection. The first exhibition was "Literary Links". This was held in conjunction with the British Council. They provided the panels, while the Library supplied a selection of material from its Australiana holdings. It ran from 3rd to 28th July.

This was followed by a major exhibition, "Highlights of the Monash University Library Rare Books Collection". This was opened on 1st August by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lauchlan Chipman, and was well-attended by senior Monash University staff and librarians from other institutions, as well as the Friends of the Library. It ran until 27 October.

The current Exhibition, "French Fiction", was opened by Professor Wal Kirsop on 2 November. This coincided with two related conferences held at Monash, by the ALIA Rare Books Special Interest Group, and the Bibliographical Society of Australia and New Zealand. This exhibition will run until 4 March 1996.

All exhibitions were accompanied by catalogues.