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Political ScienceCollection Development Policy
Paul Piper, Librarian
Political Science, History, Fairhaven College; to a lesser extant Sociology, Environmental Studies, Economics and Philosophy.
Explanatory Notes: These collections are composed primarily of books, secondarily, journals. Government documents add significantly.
Government documents add significnt content.
Several, including ProQuest, PAIS, JSTOR, American History and Life, Ethnic Newswatch, Contemporary Womens Issues, CPI.Q,l EconLit.
The materials examined are primarily in English, although specialized collections (politics, law, constitutions, theory, etc.) of particular countries do contain significant works in those languages, primarily European languages, Japanese and Chinese. There are no major chronologic or geographic exclusions, although the Asian materials across all areas seem weak, considering our Pacific Rim presence. There are strong US, Canadian and European collections. The collection is well-balanced between books and journals, with scattered videos/DVDs. There is a significant up-to-date collection of Reference materials, many of which fall into other call number areas (primarily C, D, E, F and H), as well as J and K. As such, this area has substantial overlap with History and Sociology. There are numerous textbooks. The collection overall fell solidly within the Instructional Support level, which is appropriate for this institution, particularly given Summit and reciprocal borrowing privileges with schools like University of Washington. Within all areas there are uneven collections – introductory textbooks next to materials that might be expected only at major research institutions. The strengths are clearly United States politics, policy, and public administration, with an emphasis on presidential, congressional and legislative politics; and state and local politics. Political theory is well represented, as is introduction to political science, its history, and classical roots. The collection is also adequate in political economy. There is decent coverage of Canadian and European political structures. There is an ongoing attempt to enhance Asian and Mid Eastern and African collections. Law is adequate for an introductory level, but since the only current law classes taught by Political Science are Constitutional Law, the general areas of law and international law are no longer being supported by Political Science. And while there have been a shift in the curriculum toward the politics of marginalized peoples (people of color, women, gays, and other minorities) these collections need continual improvement. It can be noted however, that these collections are often supplemented by purchases in Sociology. Environmental law and politics are supplemented by purchases out of Huxley. The political science collection areas are dramatically supplemented by United States, Canadian, and Washington State documents, United Nation publications, as well as the numerous demographic guides and handbooks. |
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