Managing collection growth collaboratively
Library print collections continue to grow alongside the proliferation of electronic materials. Academic libraries carefully steward this collection growth while maintaining an important corpus of historical scholarly works. By working together, Keep@Downsview members optimize access to their on-campus collections while sustaining selected items in a shared print preservation facility managed within the library community. Items are chosen for Downsview based on criteria established at each institution. This collaboration is part of a larger movement in higher education for universities to cooperate to share resources and costs.
Preserving Scholarship for the Long-Term
The University of Toronto’s Downsview facility is a purpose-built, high-density preservation facility designed to provide a secure environmentally controlled space that is optimal for long term preservation. Operational since 2005, the Downsview facility has capacity for five million items. A facility expansion doubling capacity is expected by 2027.
Upholding International Bibliographic Standards
Keep@Downsview follows OCLC Detailed Metadata Guidelines to share partner retention commitments with the global library community.
Working Together at Scale
By participating in Keep@Downsview and the shared print community of practice, partners ensure the responsible stewardship of academic library collections and avoid costly duplication. Through active membership in relevant Canadian and North American consortia, Keep@Downsview partners develop policy and best practice in collection analysis, scarcity, discovery, disclosure and retention commitments, preservation standards, assessment, resource sharing and access, and more.
For further information:
Seamless access to important collections
Materials held at the Downsview preservation site are requestable via your library’s catalogue and delivered either electronically to your device or physically to your specified library location. Contact your library for more information.