Collection Development Policy
African-American Studies

PROGRAMS AND CLIENTELE SUPPORTED:

The African-American studies program allows for a second major only (students must fulfill the major requirements in another department and 24 additional hours in African-American studies). It is a comparative, multi-ethnic and interdisciplinary major that draws its courses from various departments throughout the University. It is an undergraduate program which recognizes two major educational objectives: the preparation in a specialized area of study which will enable its graduates, as professionals, to make contributions to contemporary society and the establishment of the pivotal position the African-American experience has had in the development of American art, music, literature and thought.

Courses are offered by various departments such as American Studies, Anthropology, Economics, English, Government, History, and Sociology. While the focus is on the African-American experience the program also includes the experiences of Native Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Euro-Americans and Africans.

 

SUBJECT LIAISON:

G. Margaret Porter
Reference Department
117 Hesburgh Library
(574) 631-7620
Porter.2@nd.edu
FAX: (574) 631-8887

CONSPECTUS: None

 

GENERAL COLLECTION GUIDELINES:

Languages: The primary language is English, with material acquired in Spanish and French on a limited basis.

Chronological: United States: early 17th century to the present; Africa-Nile River civilizations to the present.

Geographical: North and South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Treatment of Subject: Primarily suitable for undergraduate course support; in some subject areas at the graduate level and in support of research needs of the faculty.

Types of Material: In addition to books a core collection of journals is maintained. Reference sources are collected. Video and audio materials are collected when appropriate.

COORDINATION INFORMATION:

The coordination of the collection development effort is made by the faculty member designated as library liaison by the African-American Studies program and the subject liaison on the library faculty. The library faculty liaison consults with and refers requests to other subject librarians and liaisons when appropriate. The African-American Studies collection is greatly enhanced by materials purchased through funds from other subject areas.

COLLECTING LEVELS:

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of African-American Studies the Library of Congress classification divisions are not useful. Support for African-American studies is provided by materials purchased on other funds. Of particular interest are relevant materials in Literature, Sociology and History, which are collected at a 3 and/or 4 level; with other relevant materials collected at a 2 and/or 3. The small African-American allocation is used for methodological works and materials highly specialized to the field, as well as to satisfy immediate needs of faculty that cannot be covered by other funds.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The small collection development budget of the African-American Studies program precludes the purchase of expensive reference items, microform collections, and videos, as well as material peripheral to the instructional level of the department, although such materials are purchased with endowment funds in response to requests from the African-American Studies program. The collection is also enhanced by the currently published titles received through the bi-weekly shipments of the Blackwell North America Approval Plan books. All the books received from BNA are checked by the African-American Studies liaison as a matter of course.

 

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