Policy:
440
Page 440.1
Subject:
Newspapers
Approved by:
Contact:
Management Group
Associate University Librarian – Services to Libraries
Approved: April 9, 1998
Jan Horner
Revised:
Nov. 18, 2015
Prepared by:
Purpose
The objective of the policy is to provide guidelines for the development of a newspaper
collection capable of supporting major teaching and research programs at the University of
Manitoba (UM). Newspapers maintained in some units for the purpose of current awareness and
leisure reading and not paid for by the Libraries’ acquisitions budget are not included in this
policy.
Policy
Major Newspapers - The UM Libraries takes a selective approach to the acquisition of
newspapers, providing access to major Winnipeg and national Canadian newspapers (in English
and French), and a selection of the major English- and French-language international papers. The
Elizabeth Dafoe Library is the main repository of newspapers for research purposes and is
responsible for maintaining equipment for viewing, printing and scanning microfilm.
UML’s selected newspaper titles are received in paper, but are replaced by microfilm for
permanent retention, unless digital access is available that both reproduces the look of the
original and provides adequate searching capabilities.
Specialized or Foreign-Language or Non-Major Newspapers
UML does not normally collect foreign-language (not including French) newspapers. Through
UML’s membership in the Center for Research Libraries, UML patrons are able to borrow large
numbers of microfilm of newspapers from all over the world that are not held locally for
generous loan periods. However, some exceptions regarding foreign-language newspapers will
apply:


Foreign language papers may be acquired for language programs. These papers are
normally discarded after a certain period of time.
Some foreign language papers are acquired for the Icelandic and Slavic Collections.
Depending on their rarity, the paper may be retained if microfilm is not reliably received.
Manitoba Newspapers
UM Libraries does not collect newspapers for municipalities outside of Winnipeg, but rather
depends on the holdings of local libraries, and the Manitoba Provincial Library for access to
Policy: Newspapers
Page 4402
these current papers. UM Libraries works with these same libraries to provide electronic access
to historical Manitoba papers, especially through digitization initiatives for UM Libraries’
Digital Collections and Manitobia.
Procedures Applicable to All Units





The selection, maintenance and retention of newspapers within a unit rests with the unit
heads/subject liaison librarians
Rationalizing the UML newspaper collection held in support of teaching and research is
the responsibility of the Collections unit in the Libraries.
Titles and holdings information will be entered in the catalogue/discovery layer
The following factors are essential to selection of a newspaper
o Relevance to teaching and research
o Availability in local libraries and the Center for Research Libraries
o Cost relative to population served
o Geographic relevance to UM readership
o Language readership at UM
o Format – whenever possible newspapers should be acquired in digital form
The following factors should be considered in decisions regarding retention
o Availability and cost of storage
o Availability and cost of microfilm equipment
o Availability and cost of non-microfilm formats