National Library of Australia


University of Melbourne collection assessment
Architecture & town planning

Priscilla Stott, Collection Management Librarian (Educational Services and Architecutre)
November 1996

  1. Aims
  2. Methodologies
  3. Nature of the Discipline
  4. The Architecture and Planning Library
  5. Special Collections
  6. List Checking
  7. Shelf Scanning
  8. Evaluation by Experts
  9. Assessment of the Collections
  10. Areas of Research Strength
  11. Areas to be Enriched


1. Aims

1.1 To evaluate the architecture and town planning collections in the Dewey Classification areas 710 - 711, 720 - 729.2 throughout the University of Melbourne Library.

1.2 To identify areas of the collection which need improvement in currency and scope.

1.3 To lay the foundation for a collection management policy for the architecture and planning areas.

2. Methodologies

The collections were assessed using criteria laid down in the Australian Conspectus Manual:

3. Nature of the Discipline

In 1860 the University introduced Australia's first studies in architecture at Melbourne but it was not until 1927 the first full time course was established. Later, courses in the discipline of the built and natural environment were added. Now architects, builders, quantity surveyors, facility planners and managers, environmentalists, landscape architects and urban planners are trained in the faculty.

The objectives of the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning are:

The Faculty maintains close links with a number of professional bodies which recognise and accredit academic qualifications awarded by the Faculty.

Some of the key areas of research are:- urban planning and design, construction, cost management and history and conservation of the built and natural environment.

4. The Architecture and Planning Library

The Library service and collections are maintained to support the mission of the faculty. The library's budget for 1996 was $232568 of which 42% is allowed for serials. The increasing tendency of government and semi-government bodies to charge for material previously distributed gratis will force the Library either to pay for what has been supplied free or lower its level of coverage of this important source of information. Vigilance will be required to maintain the collection at its present level. Additional funding will be needed to bring it up to the strength required to support the full range of the Faculty's research programme.

5. Special Collections

5.1 Audio visual collection

5.1.1 Slides

There is a large slide collection in the library representing the following areas:

5.1.2 Videos

The library has over 260 videos covering the following topics:

5.2 Maps

While the Architecture and Planning Library holds a collection of Victorian planning scheme maps, the main source of maps is the Map Library. Resources used by staff and students include:

The Baillieu Library holds the Sanborn fire insurance maps on microfilm.

5.3 Microform Collection

The Architecture and Planning Library holds a number of microfilms which include the following:

These resources together with the extensive collection of microforms in the Baillieu Library where whole collections of galleries, museums and private collections are reproduced, provide strong research support.

5.4 Theses

There are approximately 2500 theses including Graduate Research projects, Honours, Masters and PhD theses in the Architecture and Planning Library.

5.5 Rare books

The rare books collection in the Baillieu Library contains many works on Australian and European architecture adding strength to the historical collections.

6. List checking

A number of lists were used to assess the collections strengths.

6.1 Bibliographies used for list checking:

6.1.2 Results of the list checking
6.1.2.1 Monographs

Choosing lists for the subject area was difficult because of the interdisciplinary nature of urban planning, related subject areas of fine arts, construction, urban studies, landuse, interior design and the graded implementation of conspectus on campus. The lack of an appropriate verification instrument was keenly felt by the review team. Any lists suggested by the National Conspectus Office in this regard were suitable only for North American libraries, out of date or both. Lists such as RAIA and RIBI were chosen to represent the professional nature of the subject area. BNB provided a national listing and others provided a specialist subject approach. The chosen lists provided predominantly English language material, a good geographical coverage, published and unpublished research and teaching material. The lack of a comprehensive listing of Australian material was seen by the survey team as a disadvantage.

6.1.2.2 Serials

The lists checked for serials were:

Of the total of 298 titles checked against these lists the library held 32.21% of the titles. The result highlights the need to increase the number of new subscriptions for the library, especially in new areas of development, not covered by existing subscriptions.

7. Shelf Scanning

The shelf scan provided an overview of the collections, size, age and possible areas of strength, minimal coverage and growth areas, an impression of undergraduate and research emphasis was gauged. The holdings are scattered over a number of libraries on the campus reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the material in this classification area.

8. Evaluation by Experts

Evaluation by academic staff has been on an informal basis especially in the architectural areas. Their advice has been sought in building up areas where weaknesses have been identified. Professional bodies reviewing courses have also commented on the collection. The absence of some legal/ standards material has been noted but this material is held nearby in the Law Library. The main problem identified has been the need for more serials to keep up with new areas being developed in the discipline.

9. Assessment of the Collections

9.1 Dictionaries and encyclopaedias

The reference collection in Architecture is good with a spread of languages other than English.

9.2 Monographs

The collection is scattered in the Architecture and Planning Library, the Research Collection in the Education Resources Centre and in the Baillieu Library. As the material is interdisciplinary there is duplication between the holdings in the Baillieu and Architecture and Planning Library. It has been policy to locate material in foreign language in the Research collection which has a growing collection of old and new material in European and Japanese languages. Due to lack of space in the Architecture and Planning library research materials from 1900-1920 have been located in stack.

Areas such as study and teaching of architecture, and buildings for educational and research purposes are reliant on the journal collection for support. The Rare Books collection and the microform collection give research support in areas of historical architecture and for galleries, museums and private collections.

9.3 Serials

The fact that the library holds 32.2% of the serials in the lists scanned is of concern if more emphasis is to be placed on providing research resources for staff and students. Newer titles need to be investigated as potential subscriptions especially in areas not covered by previously published material.

9.4 Indexing and abstracting services

The University of Melbourne holds or provides access to the major indexes and abstracts in the discipline both in print and electronic formats. The electronic formats are available as CD-ROMS or online. These include the following:

9.5 World Wide Web sites

Many students and academics make use of a wide range of sites on the World Wide Web. These sites are examples of sites to visit relating to architecture:

9.6 Electronic journals

The following are examples of a number of journals available in the area of architecture and planning:

10. Areas or Research Strength

Strengths in the collection were identified as follows:

11. Areas to be Enriched

These areas have been identified:

Acknowledgments

The basis of the report is the work of Juliet Flesch and Liz Neumann in 1993. In updating the results and formats my thanks go to Di Hodge and Shirley Sullivan for their help and support.

Last modified: August 18 2004.