Guidelines for Foreign Languages

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 Foreign Languages support teaching and research consistent with the curriculum at a Carnegie Research Intensive (Very High Research) institution with undergraduate programs in the field.

The Foreign Language programs in the VCU School of World Studies – including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish, and Russian -- support teaching and research through the undergraduate level. The primary goal of these programs is to prepare students for the international nature of global business, for deeper appreciation of cultural life, for political understanding, and careers in teaching as well as innovative scholarship. The department offers the Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages.

 

The Department of Foreign Languages also offers courses in Foreign Literature in English Translation and European Culture, as well as classes in Chinese, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Swahili, Hindi, and Russian. In addition, courses are offered in the Latin American Studies minor, the Mediterranean Studies program, and the Russian Studies program.

 

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
Language, literature, and critical works are acquired in most of the major European languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish). English-language translations of literary works are acquired on a regular basis to support the courses on literature in translation and comparative literature.

B. Chronology.
No restrictions.

C. Geography.
Primarily Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America.

D. Publication Date.
Material is purchased with the intention of creating a representative collection of major literary and critical works. Multiple editions of seminal works are acquired when new explanatory or critical material is introduced, as are editions of those titles held only in "Complete Works."

E. Treatment of Subject.
Literary biography, criticism, and history are purchased, as are studies of literary technique and cultural or historical context of literary production.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Most materials are in the form of books and periodicals. In addition to monographs and serial publications, this includes dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference works, as well as reports or proceedings of literary associations, conferences, or congresses. The latter may be acquired on a highly selective basis.

Audio and film, and sound recordings, as well as selected recordings designed to assist with language acquisition, are also acquired.

Online resources that support the acquisition of a language are acquired on a selective basis.

 

3. Area Resources.

There are no local resources in this subject area that impinge upon our collecting decisions.

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Resources for Foreign Languages are collected at an instructional support level (3).