Content, Access and Open Licensing

Name: McMaster University Library

IP/Domain: mcmaster.alma.exlibrisgroup.com

Port: 1921

Database name: 01OCUL_MU

Syntax: MARC21

The University Library has partnered with four other Ontario research libraries to share collection preservation and storage facilities and services. McMaster joins the University of Toronto, University of Ottawa, Western University, and Queen’s University in the Keep@Downsview partnership.

Joining Keep@Downsview ensures that infrequently used items in the Library's print collections are preserved and readily available to McMaster faculty, students, and staff for generations to come. Preservation of these scholarly but seldom used materials remains an important role for a research library like McMaster in supporting our academic community.

The Keep@Downsview partners share a high-density storage facility, optimized for long-term preservation and access to print materials. Located at the University of Toronto's Downsview campus, the facility opened in 2005. A new addition to the facility, shared by the partners and funded in part by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, increased the building's capacity to five million volumes.

Major Additions

Dimensions Analytics
An advanced insights and discovery platform that provides access to research, including grants, publications, citations, clinical trials and patents all together in one place.

JoVE Video Journal & JoVE Science Education
JoVE publishes peer-reviewed scientific video protocols to accelerate biological, medical, chemical and physical research. All JoVE Video Journals and Science Education components are now subscribed by McMaster. 

Nature Journals  
McMaster can now access (almost) all journals published by Nature.

O'Reilly for Higher Education (Safari Tech E-books)
Primary source for technology professionals, software developers, web designers, and business and creative professionals with 40,000 technology, digital media and business ebooks and videos.

ProQuest Academic Complete E-books
This subscription collection provides over 200,000 e-books spanning a range of academic disciplines.

Science & Engineering

Databases and Online Reference Resources

ASM Handbooks Online
A comprehensive and authoritative guide to the structure, properties, processing, performance, and evaluation of metals and nonmetallic engineering materials. 

Begell Digital Library
29+ journals, 12 e-books, 4 databases, 3 references, and 4 conference proceedings in engineering, and 18+ journals in biomedical sciences. 

E-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis
Contains a database of approximately 70,000 reactions and 5,250 of the most frequently consulted reagents and catalysts.

Engineering Case Studies Online (Alexander Street)
Contains video and text material focusing on engineering failures and successes such as Apollo 13, Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Ford Pinto, Space Shuttle Challenger and the Titanic.

Patai's Chemistry of Functional Groups
The most comprehensive work in functional groups; Includes the content of all volumes from the landmark book series, The Chemistry of Functional Groups.

SciFinder-n - Upgrade
In addition to the same substance, reaction, chemical sourcing and reference content found in CAS SciFinder®, SciFinder-n includes advanced synthesis planning and retrosynthetic analysis tools, chemically-annotated patents, curated step-by-step synthesis methods and procedures, and biosequence searching and analysis.

Springer Materials
World's largest resource for physical and chemical data in materials science; incorporates all volumes of Landolt-Börnstein New Series; includes 250,000 substances and material systems, 3,000 properties, and 1,200,000 literature citations. 

Springer Nature Experiments (Springer Protocols)
The largest database of reproducible laboratory protocols in biomedicine and life sciences, bringing together content from Springer Protocols, Nature Methods, Nature Protocols and Protocol Exchange. Major book series such as 'Methods in Molecular Biology' are included.

Synthesis Digital Library of Engineering and Computer Science (Morgan & Claypool)
A digital library of 50 to 100 page electronic books that synthesize important research or development topics, providing concise introductions to new fields and methods of staying current.

E-Journals

Applied Physics Reviews
Features articles on important and current topics in experimental or theoretical research in applied physics or applications of physics to other branches of science and engineering.

Biomicrofluidics
Publishes research in fundamental physicochemical mechanisms associated with microfluidic and nanofluidic phenomena as well as research in unique microfluidic and nanofluidic techniques for diagnostic, medical, biological, pharmaceutical, environmental, and chemical applications.

The CRISPR Journal
The only peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science and applications of gene editing.

Nature Aging
Lauched in January 2021, the monthly journal ims to provide a unique multidisciplinary, unifying and highly visible publishing platform for the aging-research community.

Nature Synthesis
Launched in January 2022, the journal is interested in all aspects of synthesis, from making discrete molecules to extended materials, as well as technological innovations leading to significant advances in synthetic methods and processes.

OSA Conference Proceedings
The complete collection of conference papers from more than 800 meetings as well as more than 5000 conference videos. 

Science Robotics
The newest journal to join the Science family of journals, with a goal to select the most groundbreaking advances in robotics across applications, systems, and scales of general interest to the robotics and research community. 

Soft Robotics
The leading robotics journal, publishing world-class peer-reviewed research on the emerging technologies and developments of soft and deformable robots. 

Journal Backfiles
Journal backfile packages have also been added, including ASCE Legacy Journals Archive (1872-1996), IET Journals Archive (1872-2012), and a selection of disciplines and titles from Cambridge, Taylor & Francis and Wiley. 

Ebooks

A selection of ebooks from different publishers have been added, including AIP, APA, ASCE, Elsevier (Environmental Studies) IEEE, Springer (Energy) and Wiley. Individual records are available in catalogue. 

Humanities and Social Sciences

Online Videos

Curio.ca 
Access the CBC's educational streaming platform for programs, documentaries, audio content and archival material from CBC/Radio-Canada.

Digital Theatre+ 
An online streaming video collection of current, leading British theatre productions, musicals, and operas.

Henry Stewart Talks: The Business and Management Collection 
Includes multimedia talks, case studies, and interviews on management, strategy, banking and finance; marketing, and digital business.  Added with the DeGroote School of Business.
 

Databases and Online Reference Resources

Cambridge Companions
A series of guides to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods, COO offers subject or theme based cross-searchable collections, available in three sub-collections: Literature & Classics, Philosophy, Religion & Culture, and Music.

Cambridge Histories
A series reference works of over 400 volumes spanning fifteen subject areas across the humanities and social sciences, with a concentration on political and cultural history, literature, philosophy, religious studies, music and the arts.

Caribbean History and Culture, 1535-1920
More than 1,200 fully catalogued and searchable books, pamphlets, almanacs, broadsides and ephemera cover the history of this broad region from the 16th century to the early 20th century.

Caribbean Newspapers, 1718-1876
The largest online collection of 18th- and 19th-century newspapers published in this region, the collection provides a comprehensive primary resource for studying the development of Western society and international relations within this important group of islands. 

Digital Loeb Library
A fully searchable, virtual library of Greek and Latin literature with English translations.  

Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān / Qurʾānic Studies Online
An encyclopaedic dictionary of qurʼānic terms, concepts, personalities, place names, cultural history and exegesis extended with essays on the most important themes and subjects within Qurʼānic studies.

Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures
An interdisciplinary, trans-historical, and global project embracing women and Islamic cultures in every region where there have been significant Muslim populations.

Oxford Bibliographies Online - 10 Subjects
Identify the best scholarship in Anthropology, Biblical Studies, Geography, International Relations, Jewish Studies, Literary and Critical Theory, Philosophy, Political Science, Social Work, and Sociology.

Oxford Handbooks Online 
Provides in-depth introductions to topics, with scholarly review articles that summarize current thinking in Archaeology, Classical Studies, Economics/Finance, Criminology, History, Linguistics, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, and Sociology.

Policy Commons
the world’s largest database for public policy, the collection includes more than 3.2 million reports, working papers, policy briefs, data sources, and media drawn from a directory of more than 24,000 IGOs, NGOs, think tanks, and research centers.

Religion Past and Present (RPP): Encyclopedia of Theology and Religion
online version of the updated English translation of the 4th edition of the Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart (RGG), providing deep knowledge and authority  in religious, theological, and biblical studies.

Social Work Online (Alexander Street)
A multimedia database that combines recently published social work books along with documentaries, clinical demonstration videos, and lectures that illustrate the complex and challenging issues faced by social workers.  

Very Short Introductions
Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects across Arts and Humanities, Law, Medicine and Health, Science and Mathematics, and Social Sciences.

E-books:  Publisher Collections

Brill
Over 16,000 e-books published by Brill, providing in-depth academic studies of topics in the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Cambridge University Press
Over 40,000 e-books published on Cambridge Core are available, with new titles to be added through April 2023. 

DeGruyter and the University Presses
Over 85,000 e-books published by DeGruyter and the University Presses, with individual titles listed in the catalogue.

Routledge, and the Routledge Handbooks
Over 110,000 e-books published on the Taylor & Francis platform, with new titles added through May 2023. 

Wiley E-books
Over 22,000 e-books published by Wiley, providing current science, engineering, business, and social sciences content.

E-Journals

London Review of Books
Europe’s leading magazine of culture and ideas. Published twice a month, it provides a space for some of the world’s best writers to explore a wide variety of subjects in exhilarating detail. 

Primary Sources

Accessible Archives
Primary source material from the 18th century to the early 20th century devoted to American history, particularly strong in African American newspapers, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Women's Suffrage, and World War I.

Archives of Sexuality & Gender: L'Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale de France
Enfer ("Hell") from the Bibliothèque nationale de France is one of the most storied and sought-after private case collections of forbidden books. The collection was created in the 1830s to protect and isolate works that were considered contrary to the morals of the time.

Archives of Sexuality & Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940
A robust and significant collection of primary sources for the historical study of sex, sexuality, and gender with material dating back to the sixteenth century.  Added in 2021: International Perspectives on LGBTQ Activism and Culture.

Archives of Sexuality and Gender: Sex and Sexuality, Sixteenth to Twentieth Century
The collection is made up of more than five thousand rare and unique books covering sex, sexuality, and gender issues across the sciences and humanities from 16th to 20th century.

Archives Unbound
30 collections in African Studies, American Studies, British and European History, Business and Economic History, Cultural Studies, Holocaust Studies, International Relations, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Law, Politics, & Racial Studies and Religious Studies have been added to Gale Primary Sources. 

Disability in the Modern World: History of a Social Movement (Alexander Street)
Includes primary sources, supporting materials, and archives, along with video covering history, media, the arts, political science, education, and other areas where the contributions of the disability community are often overlooked.  

Financial Times Historical Archive 
Covers the complete run of the London edition of this internationally known daily business newspaper, from its first issue in 1888 through 2016.

Health & Fitness Magazine Archive (ProQuest)
Includes the backfiles of the following nine major US and UK consumer magazines devoted to health, fitness, exercise, nutrition, and medicine, charting trends in these areas from the mid-20th century to the 21st. 

Men's Magazine Archive  (ProQuest)
Provides digital access to the backfiles in full color page image of six major US and UK men’s-interest consumer magazines covering contemporary issues and trends in history and society, masculinity, sex roles, literature, sports, fashion, popular culture, entertainment, and more. 

Le Monde 
Covers 1944 to 2000.

Montreal Gazette
Covers January 2, 1857 to December 31, 2010.

The Times of India 
Covers 1838-2010 of this Indian English-language daily newspaper.

War, State and Society
Explore the reality of Britain's Home Front in World War II through thousands of primary source documents reporting on and managing every aspect of the civilian population's daily lives, from evacuation to food rationing, and air raids to propaganda, sourced from The National Archives U.K. and The History of Advertising Trust.

Collection Guidelines

The Library

• acquires material that will be available to authorized users.
• actively strives to offer diverse and inclusive collections.
• purposefully acquires resources that document the culture, history, and current experience of First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. We support the principles outlined in the Library & Literacy Services for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis & Inuit) Peoples of Canada Position Statement.
• acquires resources that are compliant with the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. When our resources are inaccessible, the Library will work with partners to provide an accessible version.
• collaborates with other academic institutions in order to maximize access to collections while exercising fiscal accountability. This includes membership in library consortia and partnerships in resource sharing to borrow and lend materials to other libraries.
• supports a variety of open access and publishing initiatives.
• takes an evidence-based and holistic approach to developing and managing the collection.
• undertakes routine resource evaluation to maintain a relevant and balanced collection. Lower demand materials will continue to be available from storage.
• acknowledges its responsibility to ensure the sustainability of the collection.

Commitment to Protect Intellectual Freedom

We strive to acquire and make available the widest variety of materials, including those that may be considered controversial.

As a member of Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) the University Library supports the Statement of Freedom of Expression in Research Libraries (adopted by CARL membership, ca. 1987):

“All persons in Canada have a fundamental right, as embodied in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Bill of Rights, to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity.

It is the responsibility of research libraries to facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge, opinion, intellectual activity and creativity from all periods of history to the current era including those which some may consider unconventional, unpopular, unorthodox or unacceptable.

To this end research libraries shall acquire and make available, through purchase or resource sharing, the widest variety of materials that support the scholarly pursuits of their communities.” (Source: CARL Guiding Principles – Freedom of Expression)

In addition, the Library supports the principles elucidated in the Freedom of Expression and Inclusive Libraries Statement from CARL (2022).

Policies

Languages

Although English-language materials are prioritized, the Library acquires materials in a range of languages upon request.

Resource Types

The Library prioritizes the purchase of electronic format for new resources to provide the widest possible access. We prefer to purchase materials with perpetual rights rather than subscribe to secure ongoing access.

E-books

Our priority is to purchase barrier-free (Digital Rights Management-free), unlimited user access. Single user access is acquired selectively when multi-user options are unavailable or prohibitively expensive.

Print books

We recognize that preference for print monographs differs across disciplines, and we accommodate these preferences when feasible. In general, we do not purchase print duplicates when unlimited user e-books are owned.

Textbooks

The Library generally does not purchase required textbooks. In many circumstances, we do not have an avenue to purchase online textbooks. However, we will explore the availability of recommended texts and add if feasible. Alternatively, instructors are asked to place personal copies on Course Reserves.

Journals

Subscriptions are reviewed regularly for continuation. New journal requests are evaluated/considered based on alignment with research areas. E-journal backfiles (to replace print) are purchased selectively, as funds permit.

Video

The Library subscribes to academic online streaming sources to support the curriculum. Individual titles are purchased mainly for classroom use at the request of instructors. DVDs will be acquired when streaming is not available.

Media collections are generally licensed for educational use only. For additional information, please see our Film and Video for Instruction page. Please contact Collection Strategy Librarians if you have questions about Public Performance Rights.

Data and Statistics

For individual research needs regarding data sets, faculty and graduate students are encouraged to contact the Sherman Centre for Digital Scholarship for assistance in identifying and locating data sets.

Standards

We subscribe to online collections of standards from major standard bodies. Requests for specific standards to support courses will be considered for online subscription. Single-use standards may be purchased in print depending on cost.

Microform

We collect microform at a minimal level based on need or availability. We also rely on our Center for Research Libraries membership to supply specialized primary source collections.

Exclusions

The Library does not ordinarily collect:

• Individual audiobooks
• juvenile literature
• laboratory manuals and workbooks
• obsolete formats
• realia (physical objects / kits)
• self-published/vanity press titles

Donations and Gifts

Gifts of books and other materials are accepted when they enhance library collections in support of the University’s teaching and research needs. Title lists are required to aid review. The Library accepts materials that:

• fall within the scope of library collection policies
• do not duplicate existing holdings
• are in good physical condition

Generally, the Library does not accept gifts of newspapers, popular magazines, and back runs of journal titles, unless of significant value to the collection. The Library reserves the right to manage gifts at our discretion.

For gifts to the general collection, please contact Casey Hoeve – Associate University Librarian: Content, Access, and Open Licensing: (hoevec@mcmaster.ca).

For gifts of archives, rare books, and materials (whether historical or modern) that align with collecting interests of The William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections, please contact Wade Wyckoff – Associate University Librarian, Distinctive Collections: (wyckoff@mcmaser.ca).

For gifts related to health sciences, please visit the Health Sciences Library.

Additional policies related to collections (in progress):

• Open Access Support [currently in development]
• Data Privacy
• DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) [currently in development]
• Acceptable use of electronic materials
• Harmful language statement [currently in development]

Sites Consulted

• Library & Literacy Services for Indigenous (First Nations, Métis & Inuit) Peoples of Canada Position Statement
• University of Ottawa Collection Development Policy
• Wilfred Laurier University General Collection Development Policy

Last Updated September 6, 2024