University of Waterloo Library
The accompanying Collection Development Policy statement is submitted by
the Liaison Librarian for the School of Optometry and is approved by the
undersigned.
____________________________________
Associate University Librarian,
Information Resources & Services
_____________________________________
School Director
____________________________________
Liaison Librarian
________________________________________
Faculty Library Representative
Date:
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University of Waterloo Library
Collection Development Policy statement for the School of
Optometry.
Completed
Persons Responsible for Collection
The decision to select library materials is the responsibility of the Liaison Librarian in
consultation with the Faculty Library Representative.
Department Description and Purpose
To library collection supports the curriculum and research needs of students and
faculty in the School of Optometry from the undergraduate level through the PhD
level.
The undergraduate professional accredited program (Doctor of Optometry - OD)
includes visual optics, visual neurophysiology, and clinical techniques along with the
health and diseases of the visual system. The first 2 years of the program focus on
the basic sciences of health, disease, optics and visual sciences. The final 2 years
concentrate on clinical techniques including practice management, binocular vision,
community health, environmental vision, contact lens practice, spectacle
applications, pharmacology, electrodiagnosis, primary care, low vision, ocular health,
geriatrics, and pediatrics.
The School of Optometry also offers a MSc and PhD program in vision science.
Emphasis is on Biomedical Ocular Research, Contact Lenses, Low Vision
Rehabilitation, Optometric Education and Practice, Vision and Ophthalmic Standards,
Visual Development and Refraction Correction.
The physical collection is housed in the Witer Learning Resource Centre (WLRC) in
the School of Optometry. The WLRC collection includes the library funded collection
and the School supported archival thesis collection, specialized pre-clinic materials,
and course specific equipment.
Scope of Coverage
Because the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry is the only English speaking
school in Canada, the library collection must be as extensive and inclusive as
possible. Materials relating to all areas of current vision science are collected. Basic
reference materials in human biology, clinical medicine, diagnosis of disease, and
pharmacy are also collected.
English language materials are preferred. Materials in other languages are
considered on an individual basis. Publications from North America, the United
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Kingdom, and Australia/New Zealand are emphasized. Materials from other
geographic locations are considered.
Historical materials are not actively collected. Instead, the School of Optometry
Museum focuses on this area.
Types and Formats of Materials Collected
Print and electronic (Web based, CDROM / DVD) formats are collected and PDA
formats may be selectively purchased as needed.
In addition to books, journals and indexes, other formats collected include technical,
government and professional association reports, conference proceedings, image
databases, study and exam guides, diagnostic atlases, standards, pharmacopoeias,
and reference materials.
Subjects Collected
All collections are systematically reviewed for currency of information and to ensure that
essential and important resources are retained. Because of the unique nature of the
collection within Canada, superseded editions and titles containing outdated information are
withdrawn only after extensive consultation with faculty. Most retrospective materials are
retained and preserved to serve the needs of historical research and the importance to the
history of Optometry teaching within Canada.
The following subject list provides some detail to the subjects collected. The levels of
collecting listed alongside the subjects are described below. Each level of collection
includes the level below.
Levels of Collecting
Out of Scope
Materials to support research and curricula in this subject area are not
covered in this Collection Policy Statement. Coverage of interdisciplinary
subject areas and topics linked across departments can be identified with
references to other Collection Policy Statements.
Basic Information/Reference Level
The collection serves to introduce and define the subject. Only the most
important reference works, general surveys, the most significant works of major
authors, and a limited selection of representative general periodicals are
collected.
Instructional Support Level (Undergraduate)
The collection supports all courses of undergraduate study. Materials collected
include a wide range of reference works, fundamental bibliographic tools, and an
extensive collection of monographs and periodicals. Access to owned or
remotely-accessed electronic resources, including texts, journals, data sets, etc.
is provided.
Research Level
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The collection includes major published source materials required for master’s
degree programmes, doctoral study and independent research in the subject. All
formats, including appropriate foreign-language titles, are acquired. Historically
important monographs, archival materials, and back-runs of serials are acquired
as necessary.
NOTE: Each level includes the level that precedes it. For example,
research includes both instructional and basic levels of collection which
means I would collect everything resources geared towards introducing
and training professional optometrist and supporting research on the
topic.
Disease Management
Basic Medical Sciences
 Human anatomy (gross and ocular)
Research level
 Human histology & ultrastructure(general and ocular)
Research level
 Human embryology and visual development (general and ocular)
Research level
 Human systems physiology
Instructional level
 Cellular and molecular biology, including genetics
Instructional level





Neurobiology (anatomy and physiology)
Medical microbiology
General pathology
General and ocular pharmacology
General and ocular immunology
Organ Systems & Disease
 Systemic disease,including neuro-ophthalmic disorders
 Clinical medicine, including laboratory medicine
Instructional
Instructional
Instructional
Instructional
Instructional
level
level
level
level
level
Research level
Instructional level
Ocular Disease (anterior segment disease, posterior segment disease, glaucomas)
 Epidemiology
Research level
 Pathophysiology
Research level
 Genetics
Research level
 Diagnosis & management
Research level
Sensory-Motor Management
Visual Perception
 Physical & visual space
 Resolution (spatial & temporal)
 Contrast sensitivity
 Colour vision
 Dark & light adaptation
 Deprivation & amblyopia
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
Research
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level
level
level
level
level
level
Binocular Vision & Oculo-Motor System
 Ocular motility (normal, abnormal, epidemiology, clinical manifestations &
management strategies)
o Fixation
Research level
o Version
Research level
o Vergence
Research level
o Nystagmus
Research level

Binocular vision (normal, abnormal, epidemiology, clinical manifestations &
management strategies)
o Heterophoria
Research level
o Strabismus
Research level
o Accommodation
Research level
o Stereopsis
Research level
o Aniseikonia
Research level
Refractive Management
Optics
o Geometric & physical
o Visual
o Ophthalmic (spectacles)
o Contact lens
Research
Research
Research
Research
level
level
level
level
Refraction techniques
Research level
Ophthalmic Lasers & Refractive surgery
Instructional level
Professional Practice
 Healthcare communication
 Professional ethics
 Jurisprudence
 Practice management
Research level
Research level
Instructional level
Instructional level
Clinical Practice
General clinical examination techniques
 Refraction
Research level
 Binocularity & ocular motility
Research level
 Ocular health assessment
Research level
Additional testing
 Perimetry
Research level
 Ocular imaging (photography, ultrasound, Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph:
HRT, Optical Coherence Topography: OCT)
Research level
 Visual electrophysiology (electroretinogram, visually evoked potential,
electro-oculogram)
Research level
 Medical work-up (Computed tomography: CT Scan, Magnetic Resonance
Imaging: MRI, medical labs)
Instructional level
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Public health optometry & environmental vision
Research level
Paediatrics



Research level
Research level
Research level
Low vision




& gerontology
Epidemiology
Examination techniques
Management
Epidemiology
Examination techniques
Low vision aids
Rehabilitation/Management
Clinical reasoning
 Evidence-based medicine
 Clinical decision making
Research
Research
Research
Research
level
level
level
level
Instructional level
Instructional level
Other Resources Available
The Library explores opportunities for collaborative purchases with the Ontario
Council of University Libraries, the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. For
Optometry, collaborative purchase opportunities with other health networks in
Ontario and Canada and the Association of Vision Science Libraries (AVSL) are also
considered.
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