Suggest a Resource for the Library Collection


Collection purchasing decisions are based on these general guidelines:

The Libraries are a digital-only library –  our general collection is made up of books, journals, other publications, and information resources in digital formats, usually full-text. When we receive a suggestion for new resource, the library team will investigate if it is available in digital format for libraries in addition to exploring costs. Recommendations that are not digital will not be considered since we no longer acquire print materials.

The print collections once housed in the Dolph Briscoe Jr. Library have been relocated to the Joint Storage Facility shared by the University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems – UTHSA students, faculty, and staff may request any print books held in the off-site facility for delivery to the Library. If the print item is not held by the UTHSA Libraries, students, faculty and staff may request the print item through interlibrary loan.

The P.I. Nixon Medical Historical Library which is a special collection of rare print books and is part of the UTHSA Libraries is housed in the Briscoe Library.

Recommended resources should be appropriate to the academic, research, and clinical mission and needs of UT Health San Antonio.

  • The Libraries do not acquire textbooks that students are required to purchase for specific courses. Most textbooks are digital and only available for individual purchase through services like VitalSource which offers electronic textbooks for students.
  • Materials that supplement required course-related titles may be suggested; however, these will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Faculty who are seeking supplemental readings for their courses are encouraged to work with their liaison librarian to identify resources in our collections or seek Open Educational Resources (OER) which are freely available. Find your liaison librarian on our Liaison Library Services page.

The UTHSA Libraries budget is limited, and purchasing decisions are determined by available funds as well as factors such as item availability, potential for high use, relevance to the curriculum and research needs, currency of materials, and reputation and reliability of journals and publishers.

Collection Development Committee

  • Pat Hawthorne, Executive Director of Libraries
  • Chris Gaspard, Associate Director, Liaison Services
  • Andrea N. Schorr, Associate Director, Resource Management
  • Dana Whitmire, Electronic Resources Librarian
  • Jeff Uribe-Lacy, Liaison Librarian for School of Dentistry, School of Public Health and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences