Collection Development Policy for Geoscience

Subject Specialist: Deborah Lenares (x3596)
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The collection development policy for Geosciences guides the development and management of the geology collection. This policy is for the use of the Science Librarian for Collections and the Science Library's users. The policy will be updated as needed. Faculty and students are encouraged to provide recommendations for library materials.

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE COLLECTION
The geology collection supports the undergraduate geology curriculum offered at Wellesley College. To a limited extent, the collection supports departmental research in specific areas of interest. The collection is used primarily by geosciences majors, by students in environmental studies courses, and by students fulfilling course distribution requirements in the sciences. The overall collecting policy supports the Geosciences Department goal of giving students a broad understanding of the earth as background for possible future study in areas of resource development, waste management, environmental protection and land use.

Material is acquired covering subjects such as mineralogy, climate, petrology, hydrogeology, paleontology, mapping, geographic information systems, structural geology, sedimentology and volocanism. Selected specific departmental research interests encompass areas such as: environmental geochemistry, paleontology, biogeochemical processes in watersheds, physical geology and stable isotope geochemistry. Published material from the major national geological societies (e.g. Geological Society of America, American Geophysical Union ) or government agencies (U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior) is favored and selectively purchased to support courses currently being taught. All geology materials, both general and reference collections, are housed in the Science Library, except for pre-1970 runs of selected journal titles which are housed (and are retrievable by request) at an off-site facility.

The Geosciences Department offers a program leading to a traditional bachelor's degree in geology or to an environmental geoscience degree that emphasizes an understanding of and solution to environmental problems. Also, the Department collaborates closely with the Departments of Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Physics to support an Environmental Science concentration within the Environmental Studies major.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Types of Materials: Materials are bought in all formats, with emphasis on the journal literature. The library's increasing acquisition of electronic journal access has led to cancellation of paper format in instances where the electronic vendor has an established reliable reputation and an acceptable plan for back-file/archival access to the content. Paper vs. electronic format decisions are made based on content, optimal use, license agreements and costs for acquisition and maintenance. Other publication types, such as conference proceedings are selectively acquired when their topics overlap with current curricular offerings. Materials supporting specific coursework such as lab notebooks, problem/answer sets, and textbooks are purchased infrequently and in limited quantity to support reserve collection activity.

Readership Level: Material is bought at the college level, with emphasis on upper undergraduate/early graduate works. Entry level material is acquired selectively for courses supporting distribution requirements.

Languages Collected: The primary language of the collection is English. Foreign language works, if selected, are purchased in translation.

Geographical Areas Covered (intellectual content or publication source): Materials are routinely purchased from all areas of the world with no exclusions. A sizeable portion of the collection constitutes literature from various geological societies throughout the world.

Chronological Periods Covered (intellectual content): There are no restrictions on intellectual content of the collection. Current history of science material is bought selectively to support current course offerings. Typically, primary geological works of historical significance are not purchased although referrals are sometimes made to the Selector for Special Collections for the history of science collection housed there.

Chronological Period Covered (publication dates): Current materials are the focus of almost all purchasing, but a strong retrospective collection, especially in the journal literature, is maintained. Recently the Library has started to purchase (ongoing) electronic archival content of existing paper collections and of collections previously unavailable on campus. Selective retrospective titles are acquired rarely to fill gaps or to enhance archival coverage in our journal collection.

Shelving Locations: Paper copies of books and journals are housed at the Science Library (with the exception of most pre-1970 journal literature). Electronic access to many databases and online full-text documents is provided through the college website.

Reference: Reference material for geology is purchased by the Science Librarian for Research and Instruction and follows the general subject parameters of the geology collections policy. The scope includes, but is not limited to, the following types of material: biographies, dictionaries/thesauri/nomenclature aids, encyclopedias, style and/or literature guides, and occasional electronic search aids and directories which support curricular or related professional programs.

The library subscribes to GeoRef Online, the major database available for Geosciences study.

Current Collecting Emphasis: Geoscience materials supporting the Environmental Sciences portion of the Environmental Studies major are a current focus.

Subjects Collected Selectively: GIS materials are bought selectively by the Geology Selector to support classroom teaching. The Geosciences Department typically provides handbooks and instructional material related to GIS training for their students. Also, the Geosciences Department works closely with the campus Instructional Technology group for GIS training support.

Hydrology, climate, global warming, and corresponding environmental changes are only purchased selectively to support specific curricular needs or to provide general background to the collection.

RELATED SUBJECTS & INTERDISCIPLINARY RELATIONSHIPS
Interdisciplinary support is offered as follows:

Environmental Studies & Chemical Engineering materials in the areas of hydrology, geochemistry, soil analysis, pollution, ozone depletion, climate, and contaminant testing and tracking are purchased to support the Environmental Sciences concentration in the Environmental Studies program. Material supporting the Environmental Studies major is purchased collaboratively with the Biology, Chemistry, and Physics selectors, depending upon the focus of specific courses offered for the Environmental Sciences concentration.

Political Geoscience topics about the environment such as policies concerning global warming, acid rain, and heavy metals in the environment are purchased by the Social Sciences selectors.

Science & Society materials are selected by the Social Sciences selectors.

Paleontology materials describing early organisms are typically purchased by the Biology selector but selected material concerning extinction are sometimes purchased by the Geoscience selector.

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Page Created: November 2005
Last Modified: March 7, 2008
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