Collection Development Policy
Anthropology

 

PROGRAMS AND CLIENTELE SUPPORTED:

The collection supports an undergraduate major in Anthropology as well as, in a limited degree, the research of the faculty of the department. It also supports, more generally, the study of human culture within other departments of the university.

Anthropology is a broad field of study addressing the fundamental questions relating to the meaning of human nature. It is a broad and comprehensive field, dealing with human life in all aspects, ranging across the political, artistic, social, religious, psychological and religious spheres.

SUBJECT LIAISON:

Kathryn Ryan-Zeugner
Reference Department
117 Hesburgh Library
(574) 631-6683
Ryan-Zeugner.1@nd.edu
FAX: (574) 631-6772

CONSPECTUS:  None

GENERAL COLLECTION GUIDELINES:

Languages: The primary language of the collection is English, with Spanish materials acquired on a limited basis, primarily due to the development of the Latin American Collection. Materials in other European languages are acquired occasionally, and in non- western languages, rarely.

Chronological: All time periods are included, from the prehistoric to the present.

Geographical: Emphasis is on Latin America and the Mediterranean area including Spain, Africa, and the Middle East. Materials on other areas of the world are collected more selectively.

Treatment of Subject: The collection includes a wide range of materials dealing with cultural and social anthropology, primitive peoples, contemporary social structures, and organizations of developed and undeveloped areas. Materials covering human paleontology, and the various aspects of physical and biological anthropology are included. Research monographs and site reports are collected selectively, depending on the research needs of the faculty. Juvenile works are excluded as are textbooks unless they treat a subject not easily available elsewhere.

Types of Materials: In addition to books, a core collection of journals is maintained. Major reference and bibliographical sources are collected. Microfilm is purchased when material is only available in that format. A limited number of videos are acquired for classroom or assignment use. Major museum, society and governmental agency reports are also acquired.

 

COORDINATION INFORMATION:

The Anthropology collection is also enhanced by the materials selected in the areas of Sociology, Government, History, Latin American Studies, Biology, Gender Studies, and Government Documents. The Liaison checks Approval Plan books in all of these areas as a matter of course.

COLLECTING LEVELS:

(Because Anthropology covers such a wide range of subjects, no Library of Congress classification divisions are cited below. Purchases in Anthropology are never confined to the "G's," but range across the classification schemes from "A" to "Z.")

Subject	Collecting Level
Anthropology, General History, Methodology	3
Applied Anthropology	3
Physical Anthropology	3
Ethnology, Social and Cultural Anthropology	4
Economic Anthropology	2
Social Organization	4
Medical Anthropology	3
Educational Anthropology	2
Political Anthropology	3
Human Ecology	2
Archaeology	3
Folklore	2

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Within the limitations of the budget, Collection Development aims to provide the most significant English language books, journals and reference tools, along with specialized titles requested by the faculty to support their research needs.

 

> Back To Top