During a three-year transition period (2013-2015), the previous DFG-funded special subject collections were transferred to the new "Specialised Information Services" funding programme.

Maintaining a special subject collection differs substantially from the tasks associated with a specialised information service, since there are no longer any common standards in this area. The main concern for maintaining a specialised information service is to examine the needs of specialist communities in detail in order to develop a suitable range of services. This objective assumes that as far as possible each specialised information service should be distinctly – although not exclusively – related to certain subjects or specialist communities. In the "collection plan" for the expiring system for special subject collections such a relationship did not exist in every case, nor was it mandatory.

Further Information:

• Evaluation of Special Subject Collections (German)
• Key Evaluation Points (German)
• Prognos Study “Evaluation of DFG-funded System of Special Subject Collections“ (German)
• DFG Infobrief: Evaluation of Special Subject Collections
• Recommendations by the Expert Commission on the Evaluation of Special Subject Collections (German)
• Programme and minutes of the roundtable discussion "Regional or by subject matter? Advantages and disadvantages of different ways to organise the Specialised Information Services" (26 March 2014, in German only)
• Collection Focus at German Libraries / WEBIS (SUB Hamburg)
• Guidelines: Nationwide Library Services in Special Subject Collections