Conceptual Framework
Vision
University Libraries
The University Libraries is a welcoming and inclusive place for learning. We foster innovation, knowledge creation and discovery, and academic achievement to enrich our UNLV and Southern Nevada communities.
Technical Standards Collection
We support learners and researchers by providing access to information resources that are used in engineering and innovation design processes.
Mission
University Libraries
Graduate lifelong learners, inspire transformative research, and connect diverse communities.
Technical Standards Collection
We provide university-wide access to information resources that may be used by anyone researching or designing technologies that are influenced by constraint-defining documents such as technical standards.
Values
University Libraries
All users have the right to equitable and ready access to information.
Technical Standards Collection
We provide university-affiliated learners and researchers with core resources in digital format with minimal restrictions on file download and printing, and seek to provide on request access to additional resources. We maintain expertise and produce finding aids to assist those seeking publicly available technical standards and similar documents.
Objectives
- The University Libraries seeks to balance the cost of collecting technical standards and the value provided to our students and researchers.
- The University Libraries subscribes to sets of core technical standards collections where efficient, such as ASTM, IEEE and SAE.
- The University Libraries maintains short-term, university-wide subscriptions to individual standards and similar documents on request.
- All subscribed standards are regularly reviewed for past and future use.
Institutional Context
Minority Serving Institution designation
UNLV is a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) according to the U.S. Department of Education. As an MSI, UNLV is committed to reducing barriers to our students' academic success. The technical standards collection provides equitable access to an important information format.
ABET - Accreditor for several undergraduate degree programs
Student use of technical standards in capstone design projects is a critical criterion for accreditation of engineering undergraduate degree programs (see criterion 5 d, ABET 2024/2025). The Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering has several undergraduate degree programs accredited by ABET.
American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) - Accreditor for construction management degree programs
Application of construction documents such as codes and standards, and understanding of the fundamentals of contracts, codes and regulations that govern a construction project are among the student learning outcomes for degree programs accredited by ACCE (see section 3.4, ACCE 2024). The capstone design course CEM 456 is one course that meets these requirements. The College of Engineering's Construction Management BS degree is accredited by ACCE.
National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) - Accreditor for architecture degree programs
Student understanding of regulatory requirements, current laws and regulations applicable to buildings and building site design in the U.S. are among the student learning outcomes for degree programs accredited by NAAB ( section 3.2, NAAB 2020). Programs must also demonstrate that students and faculty have "convenient and equitable access to architecture literature and information" (section 5.8, NAAB 2020). The School of Architecture's Master of Architecture programs are accredited by NAAB.
Supporting Documents
- ABET Accreditation Criteria, Engineering Accreditation Commission Criteria
- ACCE Accreditation Standards and Criteria, 2024
- National Architectural Accrediting Board Conditions for Accreditation, 2020
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Minority-Serving Institution
- University Libraries Standards Document LibGuide
- University Libraries Collection Development Policy Statement
Defining the Collection
Technical standards and related documents such as building codes are important information resources for engineering students and researchers, as well as inventors from many fields. These documents are vital to understanding design constraints and are published by a variety of organizations. Often, these documents are costly for individuals to obtain. Institutional access to these documents may have restrictive licensing terms, including restrictions on lending through interlibrary loan programs.
Collection Formats
Digital Preferred
Digital versions of these documents are preferred to maximize utility for online students and remote researchers. Licensing terms without digital rights management are preferred to ensure flexible use by instructors and minimal software requirements for students.
Selecting Collection Materials
Currency of Documents
The most recent version of technical standards and similar documents may not be the currently-adopted version by regulatory agencies, thus it is often not vital to quickly acquire a new edition of an individually-requested document, and historical versions remain relevant for several years. When cost-effective to do so, a digital license that will include not only updated versions and errata, but also several historical versions of the document, with or without redline markup, should be selected to serve the most users.
Maintaining and Evaluating the collection
The Technical Standards Collection should be actively maintained and be in alignment with the University Libraries collection development policy and this statement.
Discovery and Cataloging
Discovery of standards that are subscribed for three consecutive years is enhanced by cataloging or seeking Primo records.
A library guide is maintained as a finding aid to subscribed or owned technical standards sets and other shorter-term subscribed documents. This finding aid should also assist users to locate and ethically obtain free versions of standards.
Deselecting
Review of subscribed technical standards should include actual usage and likely usage by courses in the next year. If a bundled set of journal or ebook content that includes technical standards is deselected, the recent historical use of the technical standards should guide alternative licensing, or adjustments to the budget for the on request subscription process.