Guidelines for Allied Health

Table of Contents

1. Purpose
2. General Collection Guidelines
    A. Language
    B. Chronology
    C. Geography
    D. Publication Date
    E. Treatment of Subject
    F. Types of Materials and Formats
3. Area Resources
4. Subjects and Collecting Levels

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1. Purpose.

Collections in Allied Health support a research agenda consistent with the research enterprise at a Carnegie Research Intensive (Very High Research) institution with master's, and doctoral degree programs in the field. See specific collecting levels under section 4.

The collection supports study, teaching and research for departments in the School of Allied Health Professions. The departments include Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Gerontology, Health Administration, Nurse Anesthesia, Occupational Therapy, Patient Counseling, Physical Therapy, Radiation Sciences, Rehabilitation Counseling, and the Virginia Center on Aging. The School offers curriculum at the baccalaureate, masters, post-graduate, and doctoral levels. All of its programs are approved or accredited by the appropriate professional or educational organizations. The school has been a pioneer in the development of distance education programs at the University, and offers the only interdisciplinary, internet-based doctoral program in allied health in the country-the Ph.D. Program in Health Related Sciences.

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English is the primary language of the collection.

B. Chronology.
Primary emphasis is on twentieth and twenty-first centuries, especially current aspects.

C. Geography.
Major focus is on the United States.  Other areas of interest include Canada, Great Britain and Western Europe.

D. Publication Date.
The emphasis is on current publications. Some retrospective ordering takes place to fill in gaps and for replacements.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Popular works and lower division textbooks are not generally acquired. Upper division and graduate texts are acquired selectively. Professional and scholarly works that support the curriculum are acquired broadly.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Monographs and periodicals are the principal format types collected for the general collection.  E-journals are preferred over print when it is an acceptable equivalent.  Indexes, abstracts, encyclopedias, handbooks, proceedings, publications of private agencies and professional associations, and statistical materials of all types are collected. Examination guides, self-instructional texts, outlines, pocket-sized books, syllabi, and workbooks are not collected. Dissertations are added only by special request.  The preferred format for reference works is electronic.  Other instructional and research formats for the collection include microform research collections, online databases, data sets, and audiovisuals in the most current technology available.  Pertinent local, state, and federal government documents are acquired.

 

3. Area Resources.

The T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond is available to VCU students who are participants in the dual program leading to the Masters in Health Administration and Juris Doctor degrees.

 

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Materials are typically collected at the research or advanced study level.  This includes all subject areas covered by the M.S. and Ph.D. curricula.  Materials for entry level B.S. courses and certificate programs may be collected at the instructional support level.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the departments within the School, faculty and students share interests with business, economics, psychology, nursing, social work, religious studies, education, public administration, and many basic health sciences subject areas.