Introduction to benchmarking: industrial tourism or a tool for continuuos improvement

The University of Wollongong library Acquisitions Team has established an ideal model for best practice in relation to the acquisition and provision of prescribed texts and recommended readings for library clients through benchmarking with three other Australian academic libraries. The approaches integral to our focus on texts and recommended readings were examined in detail, with opportunities for our own continuous improvement defined. Our major aim was improvement of collection relevance and development concerning acquisition of University of Wollongong curriculum texts and recommended readings through benchmarking. In practical terms this meant redesigning the texts and recommended readings process from selection to shelf ready access for our clients. Specifically, we examined components such as: approach taken; selection; ordering; accessioning, copy cataloguing and end processing; access provided for clients; and funds used.