2018 Charleston Library Conference

Building on the successful 2017 presentation, A Primer in Science and Engineering Collection Development, this presentation will explore a content type that stumps the engineering librarian and acquisitions librarian alike - standards. Technical standards are documents that establish a uniform practice or process for materials, procedures, and products. Each of us uses standards daily - from USB ports to elevators to lights, automobiles, bridges, standardized train tracks, and much more. Standards are prepared and issued by a professional groups, committees, societies, or governmental agencies, and can influence safety and performance and the role of business and manufacturing.

Four librarians from diverse institutions, responsible for science and engineering collection development, will outline their libraries’ relationship to standards. Presenters will discuss the importance of standards to the researcher, the curriculum, innovation, and even to our own library systems. They will outline each of their institutions’ strategies for acquiring and providing access to standards, along with budget ramifications, and how to align standards’ acquisition with university purchasing guidelines. Lastly, the panel will highlight key sources and suppliers of domestic and global standards.