Overview

The acquisitions staff of Collection Strategies are responsible for acquiring library materials needed to support the educational and research mission of the University of Oregon. Working with the Subject and Area Librarians, they facilitate the selection and acquisition of materials for use by faculty and students in the University's academic and research programs. Acquisitions staff administer the Libraries' collections budget and handle donations of gifts in kind. They order, receive, and process library material in any format from around the world. Acquisition staff adhere to generally accepted accounting principles and measure and evaluate vendor performance and sources of supply.

Process and General Timeline

Acquisitions staff order thousands of titles annually from around the globe. The acquisition of library materials requires:

• identifying and working with vendors and suppliers to order print and electronic resources (i.e.,e- journals, e-books, DVDs, maps, recordings, and print books and journals)
• receiving and verifying accuracy of shipments of purchased library materials
• paying invoices for all orders and renewals
• recording, monitoring, reporting, and maintaining fiscal records related to library funds

Acquisitions staff record ordered items in the UO Libraries' catalog. These titles are indicated as "on order" in the catalog until they are received. Once the item has been received, the status changes to "in process" until the item has been cataloged and is available on the shelf. On average, domestic orders arrive in one to four months, and international orders within three to six months.

Recommending Items for Purchase

If you would like to suggest material for purchase use the Recommend Item for Purchase form.