Library Science Collection Policy

OVERVIEW

subject description and guidelines

  • The Library Science collection seeks to support research, instruction and outreach of professional librarians employed by Cornell University Library. Wide-ranging statistical compilations and any statistics pertaining to research libraries are collected in depth. Works on cataloging, collection development, and reference are added regularly if applicable to college and university libraries. Recent emphasis is on user studies as it relates to academic libraries and their constituents as well as information literacy and its relationship to higher education instruction.

constituencies

  • Cornell University Library librarians and staff are the primary constituencies for this collection.

COLLECTION SCOPE

collection strength

  • The Library Science collection is basic level collection with occasional areas of deeper focus based on professional interests.

collection level

  • basic

geographical guidelines

  • We collect titles published in North America (the United States and Canada) and Western Europe.

areas of significant geographic coverage

  • country (self-governing)

    • Canada
    • United States of America
  • transnational region

    • western Europe

language guidelines

  • We collect primarily English publications. Occasional foreign language monographs will be purchased, if specifically requested.

language

  • English

chronological guidelines

  • We collect current publications selectively.

exclusions

  • Materials not selected for the Library Science collection include textbooks, technical works on information science and titles of primary interest to school and public libraries. Technical aspects of information science are collected in the Engineering Library. The Law Library is responsible for covering the legal aspects of copyright and censorship. Olin Library collects works on freedom of the press and on the history of censorship and copyright.

material types

  • We primarily collect materials in print and online (plain text, HTML, PDF, ebook) formats. Recently, a recent heavy emphasis has been placed on purchasing monographs in electronic format. Moving forward, all materials purchased for this collection will be pursued in electronic format only; print copies will only be purchased if no electronic format exist from vendors.

COLLECTION CONTEXT

housed in

  • Uris Library

related library subject collection


RESPONSIBILITY

library contact

  • Wilcox, Wendy -  Access Services Librarian