ROYAL HOLLOWAY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON LIBRARY
Collection Policy for the Department of English
The Collection Policy for acquiring resources for English does not stand
in isolation and should be viewed in relation to the Library’s
overarching Collection Development and Management policy.
1. User Categories
1.1.
Taught Courses and Programmes
1.1.1 Undergraduate
The Library undertakes to support all taught undergraduate courses in
accordance with current validation procedures. The Library expects
the English Department to make it clear where personal copies of
essential primary and secondary readings should be obtained by
students in order that undue expectation is not placed on the Library.
1.1.2 Masters
The Library supports validated Masters Programmes, but does so in the
knowledge that Masters students may require material not held by
Royal Holloway but available to them through the University of London
(Senate House) Library (http://www.ull.ac.uk/), other central University
of London libraries, libraries participating in the SCONUL access scheme
(http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk/), the M25 Consortium of Academic
Libraries Visit a Library service (http://www.inform25.ac.uk/AET/) and
the Inter-Library Loans service.
1.2. Research
1.2.1 MPhil & PhD, Academic Staff
The Library has a collection of considerable breadth and depth to
support the needs of research students and staff in English. However, it
does not expect its collections to fulfil these information needs
comprehensively. Significant research material will be available via the
Library’s print and online provision but researchers at this level should
expect to make extensive use of the University of London (Senate
House) Library (http://www.ull.ac.uk/), the British Library (www.bl.uk)
and other major research libraries, other central University of London
libraries, research libraries participating in the SCONUL access scheme
(http://www.access.sconul.ac.uk/) and the M25 Consortium of
Academic Libraries Visit a Library service
(http://www.inform25.ac.uk/AET/) Researchers will also expect to use
the Library’s Inter-Library Loans service and national services such as
EThOS (Electronic Theses Online: http://ethos.bl.uk ) and ESTC (English
Short Title Catalogue: http://estc.bl.uk )
2. Types of materials
The following guidelines by type of material are set within the context
of a movement towards an e-strategy for acquisitions, where
appropriate, commencing with e-journals and reference works.
2.1
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2.2
Monographs and texts
When buying primary texts and secondary materials, the Library
will take into account the English Department’s policy on
material taught course students are expected to buy as well as
the budget provision available.
The English Department’s information provision budget is
determined by the budget allocation formula agreed by the
Library Users Advisory Group.
Subject to the above factors, materials on reading lists will be
given priority as it is the Library’s intention to support taught
courses as fully as possible.
Primary texts will not be acquired in multiple copies.
Multiple copies of secondary material, clearly defined on
reading lists as core reading list items, will be acquired, where
possible, in the ratio of one copy per ten students. However, the
Library and English department should work together to provide
such readings electronically as per 2.2 below to reduce physical
pressure on the shelves. It is also recognised that within the
English subject area some texts will hold their value to the field for
an indefinite period but that authors and subjects may at times
be rested or even dropped from the degree. Where possible,
consideration will be given to this prior to texts being bought in
large multiples.
Other secondary materials will be acquired in multiple copies on
the basis of predicted demand and, subject to available
funding, will be supplemented on the basis of evidence showing
actual demand, e.g. through the analysis of the number of
reservations.
Loan statuses will be changed as appropriate to improve
accessibility.
E-books will be acquired as the preferred format subject to
budgetary constraints.
Journal Articles and Chapters of Books
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2.3
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2.4
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Unless specific requests are made for print copies, material of this
type will be obtained and hosted on the College’s digital object
management system (currently Equella) and made available via
Moodle according to the terms of the Copyright Licensing
Agency Comprehensive Higher Education Licence.
Journals
As part of the annual review of subscriptions to journals and other
standing orders in English, the Library will liaise closely with the
Department via the Library representative.
As part of the review, the Library will agree with the English
Department the balance of expenditure between journals and
books, digital chapters, etc, ensuring that an appropriate
amount is available for the purchase of reading list materials.
From the financial year 2010/11 the Library is pursuing an e-only
acquisition policy for journals.
Electronic resources
The Library purchases access to significant on-line databases
and resources relevant to English. All such provision is subjected
to annual evaluation to determine relevance and to assess value
for money in terms of levels of use in relation to cost.
All resources subscribed to, together with appropriate gateways
and sites, will be accessible via the Library catalogue and will be
available 24/7.
All Royal Holloway users have access to e-resources acquired by
the Senate House Library.
Principal electronic resources for English to which subscriptions are held
by Royal Holloway include:
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EEBO
ECCO
JSTOR
MLA Bibliography
Project Muse
LION
Oxford English Dictionary
Shakespeare Collection Online
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Other Media
DVDs and VHS tapes are acquired upon departmental request
from the English Department’s Library budget allocation.
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Examination papers
The Library holds examination papers for the preceding five years
both in hard copy and electronically via Moodle.
2.5
2.6
2.7
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Theses
The Library holds copies of distinction level MA theses for a period
of 5 years where these are sent to the Library by the department.
Creative Writing theses will be retained indefinitely subject to
periodic review in consultation with the department.
The Library receives a copy of all MPhil and PhD theses which are
housed in the Depository Library.
2.8 Special Collections
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Among its rare book collection of about 7,000 items, the Library
has significant holdings in English literature including a 1622
Shakespeare second folio, a rare Laurence Sterne work, and a
signed Evelyn Waugh item, together with over 400 pre-1800 items
recorded in the English Short Title Catalogue.
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Additions to the special collections will be made very selectively
(see main Collection Development and Management Policy
document).
2.9 Archives
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Among the College’s Archives (http://www.rhul.ac.uk/archives/)
is material of relevance to English studies, for instance the papers
of Professor Caroline Spurgeon, Bedford College (1901-1929) and
of Professor Kathleen Tillotson, Lecturer in English at Bedford
College (1939-71).
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New acquisitions will be made selectively in line with the
provisions of the main Collection Development and
Management Policy document).
2.10
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Donations
Donations of library materials will only be added to stock after
evaluation under the framework of the Collection Development
and Management Policy and the departmental Collection
Policy.
Items that are not judged to fit the criteria for acquisition will not
be accepted.
3. Retention and disposal policy
 Within the English subject area some texts may hold their value to
the field for an indefinite period but authors and subjects may at
times be rested or discontinued from the undergraduate degree
teaching. Therefore, the collections will be subject to regular
consultative review in order for the Library to manage its space
appropriately. The Library recognises that authors and subject
areas within the discipline are subject to revaluation, and
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acknowledges a custodial role for texts which are not currently
taught by the present staff of the English department.
At the time of stock reviews, appropriate criteria will be agreed
with the English Department. On the basis of these, the Library will
coordinate the stock reviews.
Where required, it is expected that the English Department will
provide sufficient staff resource to enable the Library to manage
the process within an appropriate time-frame.
As general practice on a day-to-day basis or when reviewing
stock in the English collection, particular attention will be paid to
multiple copies, items in poor physical condition and items no
longer of research or teaching interest. The importance to English
of superseded editions and of material in related interdisciplinary
areas is recognized.
Information Consultant for the English Department : Irene Bittles
English Department, Library Representative: Roy Booth
Policy agreed: March 2010
Review date: July 2012
Irene Bittles
April 2010