Collection Overview
The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg holds approximately 266,719 items, excluding periodicals, microfilm and microfiche, some archival materials, and electronic resources, as of July 1, 2010.
Total Monographs 238,013
Video all formats 7,916
Sound recordings 1,421
Manuscripts 211
Musical scores 121
Slides 6 sets
Software, computer files 117
Maps 903
IMC, Kits 298
Juvenile books 8,360
Non-periodical series 9,354, including continually updated resources, all formats; serial publications, all formats
Areas of Collection strength include marine science, ethics, journalism, Florida history, business management, social sciences, and the general liberal arts, including literature, education, history, philosophy and religion. Goals for development of collections include strengthening holdings in anthropology, education, world languages, and environmental sciences, and developing materials to support a planned undergraduate pre-health education program.
For more information about our collections please see our Collection Development Policy
Collection Services is responsible for the following:
Collection Assessment & Analysis:
- Providing discipline and subject-specific reports on the library’s collection
- Providing analysis of the overall strengths and weaknesses of the collection
- Analyzing holdings to identify material for de-selection
- Analysis of serial and periodical subscriptions by format to identify the need for strategic cancellations, renewals and additions
- Analyzing and describing current levels of collection activity
- Supporting programmatic and regional accreditation
Collection Development
- Coordinating library liaison selection activities
- Providing standard bibliographies, recommendations and guidance to faculty and library liaisons
- Selecting materials in all formats to enhance and develop collections
- Developing collections to support new programs, new courses and new faculty
- Receiving and evaluating gifts and working with donors to acquire materials
- Creating and maintaining collection development policies
Coordination of Library Liasons (Subject Specialists)
Library faculty collaborate with teaching and research faculty to select and deselect library materials, developing library collections in areas of their expertise. For a list of subject area experts and their areas of responsiblities and contact information: