(Re)Connecting (with) the Research and Teaching Needs of Social Sciences Faculty through Collections

Abstract

Significant collection budget cuts created the opportunity to reengineer the way the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Library managed its collection development. The library leveraged its membership in the University of California Consortium, adopted Demand Driven Acquisitions, and moved to a divisional (discipline) based approach to collection management and outreach. Further, the Social Sciences Divisional Collections Team capitalized on the opportunity presented by the reorganization of collections management and raised the level of engagement with the faculty. This, in turn, improved the ability to support divisional faculty collection needs. Methodologies and general findings are outlined. While the budgetary and consortial circumstances are specific to the UCSC campus, several of the individual elements of the UCSC situation are highly adaptable to other libraries. DDA can be implemented in whole or in part to help alleviate pressures on budget and/or staffing levels. Similarly, a divisional approach to collections can be implemented anywhere. Even without the benefit of a large consortial partner, these approaches can be executed to ensure campus collection needs are met effectively and efficiently.