Core Book Collection Project Progresses

Over the summer ordering began on books selected for acquisition in the Library's core undergraduate collection development project. Purchasing will focus on monographs that are classics in the field or which are frequently discussed within a field and are considered essential to the basic understanding of subject areas studied in undergraduate courses. The intent of the project is to establish a solid foundation of resources which both supports the ongoing development of the collection and which provides a starting point from which studies can diverge

 

The development of the core undergraduate book collection of the Weinberg Memorial Library began even before the collection had been relocated to that facility. The Amigos Company was commissioned to run a computerized comparison of Library holdings against the standard bibliography Books for College Libraries, 3rd edition. During the past year substantial progress has been made. Faculty have participated in selection of titles from the non-match category that had previously been reviewed by library faculty. Members of the Library Advisory Committee participated in a survey of undergraduate student perception of the adequacies/inadequacies of the collection. (See related article this issue.)

 

The project will cover a five year time period. The state of the collection, its strengths and weaknesses, will be reassessed as the project proceeds. Titles and editions selected for acquisition are being ordered electronically through the book jobber Midwest Library Services. The books will he partially processed by Midwest so that they can be ready for circulation more quickly after their arrival at the Library

 

Subject bibliographers on the Weinberg Memorial Library staff are: Kevin Norris for Art and Music, English, Foreign Languages, History/Political Science; Katie Duke for Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Nursing, and Physics; Betsey Moylan for Education, Theology/Religious Studies, and the School of Management including Accounting, Economics/Finance, Marketing/Management, and Quantitative Management Systems; Joseph Fennewald for Physical Therapy, Psychology, Sociology, and the Dexter Hanley College; and Bonnie Strohl, for Communication, Physical Education, Philosophy, and Human Resources and also project coordinator. Also participating in the project are Jane Wang and Sheila Flaherty, members of the Cataloging Department which is headed by Donna Ramos, and Nancy Arduinn and Ann Marie Ziskowski from the Acquisition Department.

 

We would like to extend our thanks to the faculty who have so generously contributed time and effort in helping us with this project. Copies of "Guidelines for the Initial Purchasing Phase" of the project arc available from Bonnie Strohl at X 4006.