Articles tagged with: Collections

• Art, history, and visual culture collection

  Friday, July 03, 2026 | By Connor Wilkes

  

  Art is more than what hangs on a gallery wall. Art reflects history, culture, politics, and identity.  

  This collection brings together new books exploring art history and visual culture from around the globe. Discover the work of groundbreaking women artists, Indigenous and African American artists, Pop Art and Surrealism, Buddhist art, Japanese aesthetics, architecture, design, photography, and much more. If you’re researching, creating, or simply curious, this collection offers fresh perspectives on how art helps us understand the past and imagine the future. 

  Browse the display, borrow a book, and see where your next creative discovery takes you.

  Tags: Collections, display, Virtual Book Display
  Categories: Featured Collections

• Global Connections and International Education

  Tuesday, November 04, 2025 | By Connor Wilkes

  

  Enjoy this curated collection of books and ebooks focusing on international education, studying abroad, and global connections. International Education Week (IEW) is celebrated globally on the third week of November each year. IEW highlights the importance of a globally oriented learning experience and showcases the impact that international education has on preparing students for the world. 

  International Education Week events, held November 17-21, are a great opportunity to get involved, expand your knowledge and connect with the world. 

  Tags: Book Display, Collections
  Categories: Featured Collections, Learning Commons

• Reconciliation and libraries: cleaning up descriptions of library materials

  Monday, September 29, 2025 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  As part of the 2025 Truth and Reconciliation events, the Brock Library hosted a discussion of reconciliation work as it applies in the context of library metadata.

  Since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Report in 2015, libraries in Canada have been hard at work implementing the Calls to Action related to memory institutions (C.T.A. 79). One particular area of concern is metadata: the descriptions which represent material in a library’s collections and allow it to be searched for and discovered. Metadata can, and often does contain outdated and harmful terminology.

  What are libraries doing to address these problems and move to language which is inclusive and respectful of the communities, people, and knowledge represented in them? What are some of the challenges of this work? In this presentation, Brock Metadata Librarian, John Dingle shared the Library’s harmful metadata remediation strategy for the general collection, while David Sharron, University Archivist spoke about this work in the context of the Archives and Special Collections.

  View the presentation on YouTube.
  Duration: 1 hour

  Tags: Archives and Special Collections, Collections, Reconciliation
  Categories: Main

• Message from the University Librarian: Library Collections Update

  Tuesday, November 19, 2024 | By nnolan

  

  November 19, 2024

  As Brock community members are aware, the university underwent an intensive budget mitigation exercise in order to reduce the operating deficit for the fiscal year 2024-2025. As a result, the library acquisitions budget was frozen at the 2023-2024 level ($5.75 million). This translates to a projected $250,000 shortfall due to the perpetual rise in the costs of library subscription prices.  

  Background 

  During the summer of 2024, the library conducted a comprehensive review of our collection expenditures. To have a balanced budget, we determined that we need to reduce spending on both journal subscriptions and books/e-books.  

  As shared in our June update, a significant structural challenge is the ‘Big Deal’ model: Major publishers bundle their catalogue of journal subscriptions into large, expensive packages.  At Brock, the Big Deals with Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and Sage exert outsized pressure on our constrained budget, even when the data demonstrates that researchers are not using a majority of these bundled journal titles.  

  Decision and Impact 

  The outcome of this evidence-based evaluation is that we are cancelling the Springer Big Deal subscription, effective January 1, 2025. Our analysis indicated that cancelling the Springer package (~2,100 journal titles) would help us achieve the necessary savings while having a lesser impact on Brock’s research and teaching when compared to other packages. Relative to our other Big Deals, Springer has the poorest value proposition, with relatively lower usage but at a high cost.  

  As a result, the Brock community will lose subscription access to Springer publications from 2025 onwards. Researchers will continue to be able to request new Springer articles using the expanded interlibrary loan service. Open Access versions of articles can often be located using a number of alternative approaches. 

  Please note: 

  • Permanent access to all Springer journal content from 2024 and earlier will remain available through Omni and Springer Journals Online. 
  • Springer Nature journals are not impacted; these subscriptions are managed separately.   
  • The Library is currently exploring individually subscribing to a small number of high-use Springer journals. Once determined, this information will be shared on the Subscriptions and Budget FAQ page. 

  Cancelling the Springer package will achieve about half of our budget reduction target. The remaining savings will be found by reducing our spending on new books and e-books, and cancelling a number of smaller, low-use subscriptions.  

  Communication and Next Steps 

  At Senate meetings this fall, I shared the state of the collections budget and the challenging context of the profit-driven scholarly publishing industry.  We had productive discussions about the unsustainable ecosystem and the frustrations of academics worldwide. The Library continues to advocate for and support Open Access publishing as the main path to effect change.  

  We appreciate your support for the Library and your patience with this process. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at  [email protected] 

  Regards, 

  Nicole Nolan
  University Librarian
  Brock University Library 

  Tags: Budget, Collections, Research
  Categories: Main

• Collections update: budget planning for 2024-2025

  Wednesday, June 26, 2024 | By mrettig

  

  As Brock community members will be aware, the university underwent an intensive budget mitigation exercise in order to reduce the operating deficit for the fiscal year 2024-2025. As a result, the Library acquisitions budget was frozen at the 2023-2024 level ($5.75 million): We did not receive the inflationary protection increase as we have in previous years. For context, annual inflationary protection in the acquisitions budget (~2-3% increase) has historically aimed to sustain the library collection.

  Structural Challenges: Annual Subscription Increases

  In planning for the coming year, the Library must account for standard annual subscription price increases from publishers and vendors. These increases can range from zero to over twelve percent.

  Subscriptions constitute the majority of our annual spending (see Figure 1). As a result, recurring pressure in the form of annual increases can have an outsized impact on the overall picture.

  

  Figure 1: The 2024 Library acquisitions budget is $5,745,000. Subscriptions account for 75% of the total, books: 19%, and infrastructure: 6%

  As terms come up for renewal, we are negotiating to keep increases as low as possible – but a frozen acquisitions budget means we need to find savings to absorb anticipated price increases.  

  Structural Challenges: The ‘Big Deal’

  The prominent business model for most publicly funded research is the profit-driven, highly consolidated scholarly publishing industry. Publishers gain the rights to the work of academics and then sell the research back to university libraries with steep profit margins.  

  The major publishers bundle their catalogue of journal subscriptions into large, expensive packages, known as “Big Deals”. Brock University Library subscribes to all five major scientific journal Big Deals: Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Springer, and Sage. 

  Over the last decade, academic libraries worldwide have been responding to the combination of budgetary pressures and a broken, exclusionary publishing system by closely assessing and sometimes cancelling some of their Big Deals.  A non-comprehensive list of “Big Deal” journal cancellations can be found on SPARC’s website: Big Deal Cancellation Tracking – SPARC (sparcopen.org) 

  Summer 2024 Assessment Project

  The Library is currently focused on an assessment project, reviewing our current usage and spending patterns to find savings. The assessment team includes librarians and staff from the Collections Services department, led by the Head of Collections Services.

  Project Principles:

  1. Ensure any cuts are distributed: Not overly harming a single discipline.
  2. Evidence-based. Collect usage data to inform decisions. 
  3. Assess high-cost materials. Evaluate Cost Per Use/value for money.
  4. Balance with qualitative data. Consider Brock’s unique programs and strategic directions.
  5. Consider what work the library can reasonably absorb: Cuts are not labour-neutral & typically remove efficiencies. 

  Communication

  In April 2024, the Library presented information about the acquisitions budget and collections assessment to various stakeholders, including Research & Scholarship Policy Committee, Teaching & Learning Policy Committee, Research Strategy Operations Group, Library Representatives Meeting, and the Associate Deans Meeting. Library budget planning was also presented at the February meeting of the Planning Priorities and Budget Advisory Committee. 

  Further communication efforts will include keeping this webpage updated with project developments and additional information sessions in the fall. 

  You are welcome to contact us with questions or concerns. 

  Monica Rettig, Acting Associate University Librarian Research [email protected]  

  Alicia Zorzetto, Head Collections Services [email protected]  

  Tags: Budget, Collections, Research
  Categories: Collections, Main

• Career Opportunity in Library Collections Services

  Tuesday, June 18, 2024 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time, permanent position of Collections Librarian.

  The successful candidate will be responsible for developing collection management strategies related to various resource formats including print, ebooks, streaming media, databases, and journals for the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences and the Faculty of Math & Science.  They will assist in collection analysis and assessment and, alongside the Library’s other Collections Librarians, will develop a coordinated approach to collection development.

  Learn more about this role, and apply by July 16, 2024 at 12:01 am

  Tags: Collections, Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Career opportunity in Library Collections Services

  Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time, permanent position of Collections Librarian. This position is part of the Brock Black Cluster Hire initiative and belongs to the Brock University Faculty Association (BUFA) employee group. As a signatory to the Scarborough Charter on anti-Black racism and Black inclusion, Brock is committed to the development of Black academic and research excellence.

  The successful candidate will collaborate with a team of eleven professionals within the Collections Department and will be responsible for developing collection management strategies related to various resource formats including print, ebooks, streaming media, databases, and journals. Collection analysis and assessment is also part of this role.

  All applicants to this Brock Black Cluster Hire must identify as Black, African, and/or as a person of African-Caribbean descent in their cover letter and through the self-identification application process. This opportunity is specific to applicants who self-identify as Black, African, and/or of African-Caribbean descent, and this self-identification information will be used for the purposes of screening candidates.

  Learn more about this position, qualifications, salary, etc. and apply by May 7, 2024 at 12:01 am

  Tags: Collections, Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Metadata Specialist career opportunity

  Tuesday, March 19, 2024 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time, permanent position of Metadata Specialist in the Library Collections Services department.

  Reporting to the Head, Collections Services, the Metadata Specialist is responsible for the creation, maintenance and integrity of metadata for all Library materials, including Archives & Special Collections, and University departmental collections. The Metadata Specialist will also create policies and procedures in accordance with metadata standards of practice for the library catalogue.

  Learn more about this position, qualifications, salary, etc. and apply by April 17, 2024 at 12:01 am

  Tags: Collections, Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Career Opportunity in Library Collections Services

  Monday, May 31, 2021 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  Brock University Library invites applications for the full-time probationary position of Head, Collections Services (Library).

  Candidates will have experience in the acquisition of materials in all formats. The position includes providing leadership and direction for the operations of Collections Services, a department of 10 people.

  Apply online by June 28, 2021 at 12:01am EST.

  Questions? Email [email protected], Acting Head, Collections.

  Tags: Collections, Employment opportunity
  Categories: Main

• Intersectional feminism: from Beyoncé to data science

  Monday, November 09, 2020 | By Evelyn Smith

  

  We welcome you to check out our latest virtual book display. This month’s topic is “Intersectional feminism”. All of these reads are available electronically, so you can dive right in!

  Tags: Collections, Virtual Book Display
  Categories: Featured Collections