Guidelines for Mass Communications

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
5. Methodology

 

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1. Purpose.

To support teaching and research through the Master's level. The School of Mass Communications offers both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. The goal of the program is to provide students with a comprehensive base in the techniques and ethics of mass communications, thus equipping them for careers in the mass media and its related fields.

The emphasis in the undergraduate program is fourfold: News-Editorial; Electronic Media; Advertising; and Public Relations. The News-Editorial sequence is offered for students who wish to prepare for careers in newspaper and magazine writing or editing. The Electronic Media sequence is designed for students interested in radio and television news and production. Courses taken in these sequences (news-editorial and electronic media) include the following: News-Editorial; Media Graphics; General Assignment Reporting; Copy Editing; Legislative Reporting; Communications Law; News Casting; Electronic Media Writing; TV Production; Radio Production; Documentary.

The Advertising sequence provides instruction in the techniques used to sell products and services through the various communications media. The Public Relations sequence provides instruction in communications therories and techniques used to influence the images and perceptions held by the public concerning organizations, individuals and issues. Courses taken in these sequences include the following: Public Relations; Public Relations Writing; Media Graphics; Introduction to Advertising; Introduction to Marketing; Public Relations Research; Communications Law; Advertising Copywriting; Ad Layout and Production; Media Strategy.

In the graduate program, there are two tracks: 1) Mass Communications, which allows students to select courses that cover areas such as Media Management, Public Relations, Professional Journalism, Scholastic Journalism, etc.; and 2) Advertising, which includes Art Direction, Copywriting, Account Management, Account Planning, and Media Planning.

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English-language works are preferred, unless the text is secondary in importance to the layout or advertising.

B. Chronology.
No limitations.

C. Geography.
Primarily, the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. In the case of advertising graphics or journalistic layout, no specific restrictions apply.

D. Publication Date.
Current imprints constitute the primary focus of collecting efforts, but there are no specific limitations, given the historical component of several of the areas of concentration.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Material providing historical, analytical, and critical studies of the areas of emphasis is acquired. Popularized public relations texts are not collected.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Monographs and reference works - dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, and directories - are actively collected, as are core serial titles. Funds permitting, retrospective collecting of program-related material, in a variety of formats, is pursued. On a limited basis, representative newspaper titles are acquired to provide examples of layout and format. Seminal textbooks by noted authors in the field are selectively collected.

Excluded are textbooks, other than those mentioned above; original advertising artwork; and scholastic journalism.

Electronic information resources (CD-ROMs, online resources, etc.) may also be acquired on a selective basis.

3. Area Resources.

There are no area resources that would directly affect collecting decisions.

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Subject	Call Number Range	Present	Desired
Journalism (incl. study & teaching)	PN4699-5650	C2	C1
Telecommunication industry (incl. radio & t.v. broadcasting)	HE7601-8700.9	C2	C1
Advertising	HF5801-6182	C1	C1
Personnel Management	HF5549-5549.5	C1	C1
Management of special enterprises	HD62-62.8	C1	C1
Communications, Mass media	P87-96	C1	C1
Public Relations	HD59-59.2	C1	C1
Political Polls	JK1967: HM261	C2	C1

5. Methodology.

Collection centered: List-checking, using samplings from:

Books for College Libraries, 3rd ed., vol. 2. (Chicago: ALA, 1988).

McCavitt, William E., comp. Radio and Television: a Selected, Annotated Bibliography. (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1978).

Gitter, A. George. Communication: a Guide to Information Sources. (Detroit: Gale Research, 1980).

Hill, George H. Black Media in America: a Resource Guide. (Boston: G.K. Hall, 1984).

Blum, Eleanor. Basic Books in the Mass Media, 2nd ed. (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1980).

Williams, Emelda L. American Advertising: a Reference Guide. (New York: Garland, 1988).

Coats, Jo A. Journalism: a Guide to the Reference Literature. (Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1997).

Block, Eleana S. Communication and the Mass Media: A Guide to the Reference Literature. (Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1991).

Sterling, Christopher. Mass Communications Research Resources: An Annotated Guide. (Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum Associates, 1998).