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Guidelines for Physics

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

1. Purpose.

The physics collection supports the B.S. and M.S. degrees. The Department of Physics offers three undergraduate degree programs: the B.S. in physics, the dual physics/engineering program, and the accelerated B.S./M.S. physics program. Physics majors interested in teaching careers in elementary, secondary, or special education participate in an extended program that results in the awarding of two degrees: a B.S. in physics and a master's degree in teaching. The dual physics-engineering degree program is conducted in conjunction with Auburn University, George Washington University, and Old Dominion University. Upon completion of the requirements for a B.S. in engineering at the cooperating university, the student also receives a B.S. in physics from V.C.U. The Department of Physics offers a program leading to a Master of Science degree with an emphasis in either instrumentation, the physics of materials, or physics research. The Department is engaged in research in various areas of condensed matter physics.

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English is the primary language for the monographic and serials collections. Foreign or multi-language journal and monographic titles are purchased selectively, particularly research works of international importance or value.

B. Chronology.
Materials in the history of physics are collected to a limited extent.

C. Geography.
Inapplicable.

D. Publication Date.
Emphasis is on current imprints, particularly the latest editions of core texts and treatises.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Lower division textbooks are not generally acquired. Upper division texts are acquired selectively. Primary emphasis is on graduate and professional texts reporting current research. Acquisition of periodicals takes precedence over that of monographs.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Monographs and periodicals are the principal formats. Indexes, abstracts, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, bibliographies, data tables and charts, as well as conference proceedings and symposia are also collected. Dissertations are added only by special request. Audio-visual materials, principally videotapes, slides, and slide-audio-tapes, are also collected and housed in the Learning Resource Centers.

3. Area Resources.

There are no comparable resources in the area.

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Subject	Call Number Range	Present	Desired
Physics. General	QC1-75	C1	C1
Weights and Measures	QC81-114	C1	C1
Descriptive and Experimental Mechanics	QC120-168	C1	C1
Atomic Physics. Constitution and Properties of Matter	QC170-197	C1	C1
Acoustics. Sound	QC220-246	C2	C1
Heat	QC251-338	C1	C1
Optics. Light	QC350-467	C2	C1
Radiation Physics (General)	QC474-496	C1	C1
Electricity and Magnetism	QC501-766	C1	C1
Nuclear and Particle Physics. Atomic Energy. Radioactivity	QC770-798	C2	C1
Geophysics. Cosmic Physics	QC801-809	C2	C1
Geomagnetism	QC811-849	C2	C1
Meteorology. Climatology	QC851-999	C2	C1

5. Methodology.

Primary sources for assessment:

Books for College Libraries.

Haselbauer, Kathleen. A Research Guide to the Health Sciences. New York: Greenwood Press, 1987.

Science Citation Index 1988 Guide. Philadelphia: Institute for Scientific Information, 1989.