Policy Documents

Collection Management Policy

The Library’s Collection Management Policy derives from the Library’s strategic directions, established in support of the University’s academic goals:

to provide good access to information in a manner appropriate to the needs of customers and to maximise the use of existing Library resources
to provide optimum academic support for Library customers’ teaching, learning, and research
to provide for the special requirements of customers
to exploit fully communications and information technology
to exploit opportunities for regional, national, and international collaboration.

This document also contains information on collection management policy relating to:

Research and course materials
Donations
Housing and preservation of stock
Stock editing.

Gifts Policy

Durham University Library has throughout its history benefited significantly from the generosity of its friends and benefactors. Many important, valuable and useful gifts, and numerous donations of money to purchase library materials, have enriched both its teaching and its research collections. To this day, gifts to the Library of relevant publications and collection items in all formats are welcomed and encouraged. All gifts are accepted at the discretion of the University Librarian. In so doing, the Library wishes to focus on materials that it would like to retain, and normally will not accept material which will not be added to the Collection.

The Library's Gifts Policy sets out the guidelines which should apply when consideration is given to any offer to donate material to the Modern and General Collections of Durham University Library.

Health & Safety Policy: University Library & Culture Durham

The Library & Culture Durham takes Health and Safety very seriously. Our Health & Safety Policy underpins this approach and, along with our other measures, forms part of the University programme of Responsible Safety. The University Library & Culture Durham Health & Safety Policy is reviewed annually and is informed by each termly meeting of our Health & Safety Committee. Our policy operates in tandem with and in support of the overarching University Health & Safety Policy.

Privacy Notice

Public Sector Information (PSI) Regulations (2015)

The PSI Policy sets out how we will respond to any requests made under the Public Sector Information Regulations (2015).

Special Collections

The Collecting Policy for Special Collections is designed to support the research and teaching of Durham University, and to develop coherent collections which build on existing strengths as a service to scholarship generally.

The Preservation Policy defines the responsibilities and activities undertaken by Special Collections staff to ensure that the University collections are safeguarded for current and future users.