Wellesley College Library

Collection Development Policy for Psychology

Subject Specialist: Deborah Lenares (x3596)
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The collection development policy for Psychology guides the development and management of the Psychology collection. This policy is for the use of the selector for this collection and for the wider College community. The policy will be updated as needed. Faculty and students are encouraged to provide recommendations for library materials.

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE COLLECTION
The Psychology collection primarily supports the undergraduate curriculum in Psychology. The Collection serves as both a reference and basic research resource for students and faculty. Particular emphases of the Department have been in research and methods, child development, personality, social psychology, and cognition. The teaching of Psychology at Wellesley began in 1891, and an independent Department of Psychology was founded in 1940. The Library therefore has a rich Psychology journal collection as well as a strong core collection of classical scholarly monographs in the field. The Collection is traditionally strong in general psychology texts, cognition, child study, and psychopathology. Current collecting interests in Psychology reflect curricular offerings which emphasize social and group psychology, research methodologies, and women and gender issues.

DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Types of Materials: Materials are bought in all formats (print, electronic, DVD) but this is still primarily a print collection. Conference proceedings are rarely acquired unless their topics overlap with current curricular offerings and are of a level appropriate to undergraduate scholarship. Materials supporting specific coursework such as audio-visual materials, and textbooks are evaluated with faculty consultation, and purchased as needed. The Library does not collect popular psychology or self-help books.

Readership Level: Material is bought at all levels, with emphasis on upper undergraduate, early graduate levels for the general collection. Textbooks are acquired for course reserve only.

Languages Collected: The primary language of the collection is English. Some works of foreign theorists are available in the original language, although this is not current collecting practice.

Geographical Areas Covered (intellectual content or publication source): Most materials are published in and purchased from the United States, Canada, and sometimes Europe. Intellectual content primarily focuses on, but is not limited to, studies conducted in the United States. Current collecting interests include studies on the treatment and understanding of mental illness among minority ethnic groups in the United States. Occasionally materials on attitudes towards mental illness, or clinical practices, in other countries may be purchased.

Chronological Periods Covered (intellectual content): Intellectual content of the collection is strongest in later twentieth and twenty-first century works.

Chronological Period Covered (publication dates): Current materials are the focus of almost all purchasing, but a retrospective collection is maintained particularly as it supports current course offerings and student research.

Shelving Locations: This collection is mostly housed at the Science Library, although patrons will also find parts (with some duplication) in the Clapp Library. Electronic access to an ever growing number of relevant reference sources is now available.

Reserves: Print, electronic, and audio-visual materials for student reserves are handled at the Science Library. A very limited number of print texts are purchased at faculty request to support reserves.

Reference: Reference material for Psychology is housed primarily at the Science Library and is purchased by the Reference Librarian for Research and Instruction. Selection follows the general subject parameters of the Psychology collections policy. The scope includes, but is not limited to, thesauri, a variety of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, style manuals, statistical and diagnostic manuals, and a variety of electronic reference sources.

RELATED SUBJECTS & INTERDISCIPLINARY RELATIONSHIPS
Psychology materials, though purchased to support the Department's curriculum, are used by a variety of disciplines. Following are a few useful distinctions which may assist in the delineation of collecting responsibilities shared by a variety of collection managers.

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