Read an overview of what we have in our wide ranging collections below or download our Collection Management Policy [pdf] which describes the Library's collecting responsibilities, including statements on collection principles, criteria for selection, criteria for deselection and retention, fund allocation, resource sharing and special collections.

General lending collections

Book Collection

The Main Library has the largest collection of books (approx 80,000 titles) with smaller collections at Building One Library, Waitakere Joint Library and the Northern Campus Library and Learning Commons. The collections reflect the learning needs of each library's user community. In total the libraries contain approximately 125,000 books. We also subscribe to over 170,000 e-books.

Audio Visual Collection

Each library has an AV collection, consisting of videos, DVDs, cassettes, CDs and similar material. This material can be borrowed.

Course specific collections

Course Reserve Collection

The Course Reserve collection is used to manage the circulation of high demand titles and includes books, articles, and audio-visual material. Most items are issued for two hours only, although some are available to take home for a limited time. Each library has its own Course Reserve collection appropriate to its users.

Exams

The Library catalogue includes links to exam papers in pdf format for most Unitec courses. See our help page on how to access the exam papers.

Journals

Online journals

We have online access to over 50,900 journals. Our electronic journal titles are listed in the Library catalogue and the Journal finder list. Most are located within searchable databases we subscribe to.

Print journals

The Libraries also subscribe to approximately 550 printed journal titles to supplement our electronic journal databases. The latest issue is usually on display. Students may use the print journals in the library only. Teaching staff may borrow them for up to 5 days.

Reference and special collections

Reference Collections (includes business, trade and community related information)

Each library has a reference collection of dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps and other material which provides quick and concise facts. See also our e-reference page for online links to these sort of items and others, such as phone books.

The Main Library collection includes NZ statutes and regulations, NZ yearbook from 1903 onwards, and some NZ company annual reports (although these are mainly accessed online now).

Building One Library has a large collection of Trade catalogues related to the architecture and construction industries, and an 'Arts File' collection which includes art exhibition catalogues and other information on NZ artists of an ephemeral nature, where there is pictorial content.

Waitakere Joint Library has a collection of Waitakere local community information.

NZ Standards

The Main Library and Building One have selected NZ standards appropriate to their user community. These are part of the reference collection and so cannot be taken out of the Library. A complete set of NZ standards is available online

Te Kohinga Maori / Maori Collection

The Main Library has a Maori collection (Te Kohinga Maori) which contains books and audio-visual resources on Maori culture, history and society. This is a reference collection, but most of these resources are also available as lending copies from within the Library's main collection.

Fred Tschopp Collection

This special collection is located in the Building One Library. It includes many of Fred's photos, plans and papers from his time in New Zealand. Fred Tschopp came to New Zealand at the start of the Depression and made plans for five parks in Auckland, such as Craigavon Park in Blockhouse Bay. He also worked on many other major projects around the country, including the Prime Ministerial residence in Wellington. To access the collection do a keyword search in the catalogue for the phrase "Fred Tschopp Collection". See also this related news article.

Student Reports

The Library accepts student reports where they provide information on unique research. These can be borrowed from the library.

Unitec Theses

The Main Library holds a copy of all Unitec theses in a closed collection. Their call number can be found via our catalogue and the physical item can be used in the Library only. Most theses completed since 2006 are available online via the Unitec Research Bank and the Kiwi Research Information Service (KRIS).

Arts File

The Arts File housed in the Building One Library contains art exhibition catalogues and ephemeral items on New Zealand artists.

Recreational Reading Collection

This collection is housed in the Main Library. Its role is to promote and encourage literacy amongst students. Popular genres, both fiction and non-fiction are collected. There is a great selection of graphic novels available.

Electronic resources

NB. Access to electronic resources is restricted to Unitec staff and students. Click here for more information.

E-Books

The library subscribes to over 170,000 e-books which are accessible through our catalogue. Find out how to access e-books.

E-Journals and articles

We have access to over 50,900 e-journals. Our e-journal titles are listed in the library catalogue and our Journal finder list . If you know the details of the article you are looking for you can obtain it by using the Article Linker.

Databases

The library subscribes to a number of databases which include academic articles and reference information. You can access them from the online resources gateway page.

Subject Guides

The guides are pages on our website which provide a 'one stop shop' for each subject area. In each guide our expert liaison librarians have gathered together research databases relevant to a particular teaching area as well as subject specific websites and relevant online resources. You can access the guides from the subject guides index.