Faster inter-library loan delivery is just one benefit you’ll soon see now Reading has joined the UK’s other research intensive university libraries to create a national, distributed journal collection for future researchers.
What is UKRR?
The UK Research reserve (UKRR) for printed journals is being created to guarantee at least three copies of each item will be securely retained nationally, including one at the British Library for quick inter-lending. Funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) with £9.8m over five years, this project also allows participating HE libraries to safely withdraw duplicated, low-use issues to create more study space.
UKRR’s pilot phase saw eight universities, led by Imperial College, re-purpose 11,000 metres of shelf space with over 8,000 titles being added to the Reserve. Reading has been selected to join the project, which now involves all the top research ‘Russell Group’ universities and five other important ‘1994 Group’ universities.
Benefits of membership
- Quicker delivery times and improved service levels from the British Library’s document supply / Inter-Library Loans service.
- The chance to acquire journals from other university libraries to further enhance research collections in Reading’s areas of strength.
- We choose which items we contribute to the Reserve.
- Knowing researchers can access Reserve copies means we can confidently withdraw printed journal parts where the University no longer needs them (eg where they are surplus to anticipated research needs, or available electronically and not needed in print as well).
UKRR and our Library Collections Project
UKRR aims fit well with the University Library’s Collections Project - to create additional study space and re-organise holdings at Main Library Whiteknights in anticipation of Bulmershe Library’s closure in 2011.
In line with our Collection policies, we are already consulting Schools about which journal volumes we might withdraw for the UKRR, and which to retain at Main Library or the new, low-use Store.
If you would like to know more about the UK Research Reserve or the Library’s Collections Project, please contact the Collections Project Co-ordinator, Vicky Bird v.l.bird@reading.ac.uk.