The University of Reading Library Collections Project ‘Reshaping the Collections in a time of institutional Change’ (CILIP South East Group – October 5th- Reading)

In 2009 the University of Reading began their Library Collections Project, and at this CILIP South East Group meeting Rupert Wood (Head of Collections and the University of Reading) and Victoria Bird (Collections Project Co-ordinator) provided detailed information on the project.
This information included details on the background to the project, how the project was carried out and information on further stages of the project that have yet to be completed.

Project aims
The main aim of the Library Collections Project was to change and adjust the collections to enable them to more effectively meet the current and future needs of the library’s users, and to create a single and more improved library at Whiteknights. Within this main aim were additional aims related to the project that included the following: (These aims and other details of the project can be found on the university’s website)

• Provide easy access to the most needed books and journals (and also to lesser-used material – from storage or through reciprocal networks)[1]
• Improve the layout of the collections and the signs so that the Library is as easy to use as possible[2]
• Increase access to electronic sources of information when possible[3]
• Provide better long-term protection for stored books[4]
Background
The background to the project is related to a number of issues but the main factor I would argue was the desire to make the service more efficient. Subsequently, the project involved the closure of the Bulmershe library, and changes and enhancements made to the library at Whiteknights. These changes and enhancements have now made the library at Whiteknights the main library, and it is now more spacious, has an improved layout and provides more study spaces for users. All these changes and enhancements at Whiteknights and the closure of the Bulmershe library have enabled the project to achieve its aims. As the library at Whiteknights has now been improved to more effectively serve the needs of its users, both now and in the future.
Off-site storage
To achieve many of the aims of the project an off-site storage facility needed to be found, acquired and prepared. It appears that it took some time searching to find the right place. Once found it also had to be suitably set up and equipped for it to be able to perform its role as a storage facility that could facilitate easy retrieval of journals and books. Finding and preparing this storage facility appears to have been an essential part of the project, and it has enabled the university to relocate many lesser used items from the collection to this facility. This again has been a move to improve the efficiency of the service by keeping the most used items onsite and at the same time providing improved access to the onsite items.
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[1] “Library Collections Project 2009-2013 – University of Reading”, n.d., http://www.reading.ac.uk/library/about-us/news/lib-news-collections-project.aspx.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] “Library Collections Project 2009-2013 – University of Reading”, n.d., http://www.reading.ac.uk/library/about-us/news/lib-news-collections-project.aspx.