Foundation and Early Years
The Institute of Management & Production (IMP) established its Library in 1976 when it moved to 17 Worthington Avenue, Kingston 5. The first collection consisted of reel-to-reel tapes, the Laws of Jamaica, and ICD Annual Reports. At this time, the facility was known as the Information Centre – Library.
In 2003, the Institute of Management & Science (IMS), located at 34 Old Hope Road, acquired IMP. IMS already had its own collection, and in November 2003, a decision was made to transfer the IMS Library collection to the Worthington Avenue Campus. This merger formed the Library of the newly created University College of the Caribbean (UCC).
After renovations, the unified collection reopened on January 25, 2004, just before the official launch of UCC on February 24, 2004. At that point, the Library was renamed the Library and Information Centre.
Growth and Development
2004–2007: The renovated Library accommodated 60 patrons, up from 38. By 2004, the collection held 4,500 book volumes and 600 periodicals (a total of 5,100). By 2007, the total number of volumes had reached 6,500
2012: The Library transitioned from manual to electronic operations with LibrarySoft, which automated circulation, cataloguing, and user records.
2018: The Library relocated to the second floor of the new Knowledge and Innovation Building, with 5,000 sq. ft. of space and panoramic views of New Kingston. The reading area seated 60, with 17 dedicated computer stations. Following the weeding and increased reliance on e-books and online databases, the physical collection now comprises approximately 5,300 items.
The Library continues to support UCC’s teaching, learning, and research, including initiatives for faculty research, student involvement, and the creation of an Innovation Centre for applied research with commercial potential.
Regional Campus Resource Rooms
Montego Bay: Established with approximately 500 sq. ft. of space and computers.
Ocho Rios: The Resource Room was created in 2005.
May Pen: Will be added soon
Mandeville: Will be added soon
Cooperative Agreements and Licences
Jamaica Union Catalogue: On August 23, 2001, UCC joined the National Library of Jamaica’s project to build a national bibliographic database.
Memorandum of Understanding: Signed August 25, 2008, with the Calvin McKain Library, University of Technology, for collaborative information services.
JamCopy Licence: UCC complies with national copyright law under the JamCopy licence, allowing for limited reproduction (10–15%) of publications for research purposes.
Collections
Research Theses: Made available from June 1999.
Journals: Subscriptions began in 1999 (e.g., Smart Computing, Hotel Management, Business Week).
Textbooks: In 2000, only nine titles were available; by 2003, this had expanded to 63 through gifts and purchases.
Overall Growth: By 2005, holdings had reached 3,300 volumes; by 2018, they had increased to 5,585volumes.
Cataloguing Systems
1999: Shifted from Dewey Decimal to Library of Congress Classification.
WIN/ISIS: Introduced in December 1999 to automate catalogue card production.
Genesis: Installed in September 2006 to provide searchable access.
LibrarySoft: Implemented in July 2012, fully automating circulation and catalogue management.
Computer/Internet Access: Introduced in February 2000, increasing library use by 25%.
Extended Hours: Sunday opening was introduced in 2000.
Loan Policies: Loan periods expanded in 2001 to include overnight and weekend borrowing.
Overdue Fines: Implemented in January 2000.
Donations and Gifts
1999: Excelsior Learning Resource Centre donated ~500 periodicals.
2000: Food for the Poor donated ~224 books.
University of London: Provided texts in Economics, Computer Science, Sociology, and Mathematics.
Michael Todd: Alumnus donated Law materials.
2008: Donation guidelines established—books no older than 10 years, periodicals no older than 3 years.
Capacity and Usage
2018: 60 seats in the reading area; 17 computer stations.
COVID-19 Adjustments (2021): Reduced to 30 reading seats and 9 computer stations.
Users: By December 2004, the Library had 2,112 registered users and recorded 293 internet sessions.
Policies and Procedures
The first Library Policies and Procedures Manual was completed in December 2004.