University of Waterloo Library
The accompanying Collection Development Policy statement is submitted by Jane Forgay, Liaison Librarian for the History Department and is approved by the undersigned.
[signed] [signed] ______Associate University Librarian, Department Chair Information Resources & Services
[signed] [signed] ______Liaison Librarian Faculty Library Representative
Date: July 2006
Page 1 of 7 University of Waterloo Library
21 July 2006
Collection Development Policy statement for the History Department
Persons Responsible for Collection
The decision to select library materials is the responsibility of the Liaison Librarian, Jane Forgay, in consultation with the Faculty Library Representative, Geoffrey Hayes.
Department Description and Purpose
Materials are collected to support the teaching and research needs of students and faculty in the History Department from the undergraduate to the PhD level. Teaching and research focus on:
Canadian History Gender, Women, and Family Studies
United States History Global Governance
British History Race, Imperialism, and Human Rights
Early Modern European Rural and Community Studies History Science, Medicine, and Technology Modern European History War and Society Middle Eastern History Historiography
UW Library will occasionally obtain material not specifically taught or researched here but which are deemed useful in placing historical topics into a larger context.
Scope of Coverage
Language With regard to secondary sources, English is the preferred language but other languages are collected if considered relevant.
Geographical Areas There are no limitations.
Chronological Periods There are no restrictions.
Place of Publication Priority is given to materials published in North America, Great Britain, and continental Europe.
Page 2 of 7 Dates of Publication Emphasis is on current publications for secondary literature. With regard to primary sources, materials produced during a period that falls within an area of focus will also be acquired.
Types and Formats of Materials Collected
Any type of material will be collected if it is relevant to the teaching and research in the areas listed above. Of greatest importance are monographs, serial publications of all kinds, government documents, and association/society/organization publications. Relevant reference materials including bibliographies, biographies, chronologies, research databases (indexes/abstracts) are also collected.
While preference is given to print and electronic sources other formats such as microfilm and microfiche will be considered.
Materials generally excluded are: manuscripts, photographs, maps and illustrated histories. In general, the Library does not acquire materials in a format for which access cannot be provided in the Library.
Subjects, Library of Congress Classification, and Collecting Levels For further explanation about collecting levels see Appendix 1
Subjects (by periods / themes / LC Classification) Collecting Level
Canadian History
Colonial periodBritish: FC400-480 French: FC305-389 Instructional
Post-Confederation FC500-529 Instructional
Modern Canada FC540-584 (to 1948) FC600-644 (1948- ) FC3051-3100 (Ontario) Research
History of medicine and public healthRA395.C2 (medicine and the state) Research RA449-450.4 (public health) R461-464 (history of medicine in Canada)
International relationsFC242-251 JZ1515 Research
Race and human rightsJC599.C2 (political rights) FC104-129 (elements of the population; includes race relations) Research KE4381-4430 (law)
Page 3 of 7 Social, economic, politicalHC111-120 (economic history & policy) Research HN101-110 (social history) JL41-65 (political administration) Business, sport, filmGV585-585.5 History of sports in Canada HF3221-3230 Commerce in Canada Basic HD9000-9999 Special industries & trades PN1993.5.C2 Film in Canada War and society Research Listed below United States History
America until 1877 (survey)E171-185 general U.S. history Instructional E186-655 (1607-1865)
America since 1877 (survey)E660-904 (1865- ) Instructional
20th century America covering social history and popular culture, and history of the familyE740-883 (20th century America) Instructional HN51-90 (social history) HQ535-557 (family) E169.12 (civilization)
Modern political historyJK271-276 (public administration) Research
British History
Modern BritainEngland: DA300-592 Scotland: DA800-826 Wales: DA727-731 Ireland: DA935-966 Instructional British Empire
India DS433-481 British East Africa DT421-432.5 British West Africa DT491-516.9
Early Modern European HistoryD203.2-297 (1453-1789) Instructional Modern European History Instructional Social, economic, politicalD299-863.7 (World/European history) D1050-2027 (20th century European history) HC240-241 (economic)
Page 4 of 7 HN373-373.5 (social) JN9-12 (public administration)
Specific European Countries, Regions
DB35.99.2 Austria DB921-958.6 Hungary DB2044-2247 Czech Republic DB2700-3150 Slovakia DC35-424 France DD84-257.4 Instructional DF701-951 Greece (modern) DG538-583.8 Italy (modern) DH503-694 Belgium DJ95-292 Netherlands DK36-293 Russia DK4123-4452 Poland DR32-48.5 Balkans DR436-605 Turkey
Eastern Europe since 1945DJK48.5-51 Instructional
Middle Eastern HistoryDS61-66 DS70.82-79.9 Iraq DS114-128.2 Israel DS221-244.63 Saudi Arabia DS270-318.85 Iran Instructional DS355-371.3 Afghanistan DS381-389.22 Pakistan DT74-107.87 Egypt DT 17-39 Africa
Western World (survey)CB245 (civilization) Instructional
Rural and community studiesHT401-485 (rural sociology) Instructional
Gender, women, and family studiesHQ1-2044 Instructional
Global governanceJZ1317.5-1324 Research (emerging field)
Race and human rightsJC571-628 K3236-3268 (law) Research
Insurgency/counterinsurgencyJC328.5 Research UB240-241(military) Research War and societyHM554
Page 5 of 7 U21.5
Historiography, research methodsD13-16.9 Instructional
All collections are systematically reviewed for currency of information and to ensure that essential and important resources are retained. Superseded editions and titles containing outdated information are withdrawn as necessary. Classic retrospective materials are retained and preserved to serve the needs of historical research.
Other Resources Available
Many materials acquired for political science, sociology, government publications, and Special Collections are also relevant to the teaching and research of history.
The Library explores opportunities for collaborative purchases with the Ontario Council of University Libraries and the Canadian Research Knowledge Network.
Page 6 of 7 Appendix 1 Explanation of Levels of Collecting (Adapted from Research Libraries Group guidelines)
Levels of Collecting
Out of Scope Materials to support research and curricula in this subject area are not covered in this Collection Policy Statement. Coverage of interdisciplinary subject areas and topics linked across departments can be identified with references to other Collection Policy Statements.
Basic Information/Reference Level The collection serves to introduce and define the subject. Only the most important reference works, general surveys, the most significant works of major authors, and a limited selection of representative general periodicals are collected.
Instructional Support Level (Undergraduate) The collection supports all courses of undergraduate study. Materials collected include a wide range of reference works, fundamental bibliographic tools, and an extensive collection of monographs and periodicals. Access to owned or remotely-accessed electronic resources, including texts, journals, data sets, etc. is provided.
Research Level The collection includes major published source materials required for master’s degree programmes, doctoral study and independent research in the subject. All formats, including appropriate foreign-language titles, are acquired. Historically important monographs, archival materials, and back-runs of serials are acquired as necessary.
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