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Guidelines for Sociology and Anthopology

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. Related Subject Policy Statements
5. Subjects and Collecting Levels
6. Methodology


1. Purpose.


To support teaching and research for the undergraduate (BS and BA) and graduate (MS) programs. The undergraduate program emphasizes basic principles, theories, and techniques of analysis important in research oriented careers. The graduate program in sociology offers specializations in social history, social problems, applied statistical methods, social theory, and urban sociology.

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology also offers a certificate program which emphasizes applied social research.

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English is the primary language of the collection. English translations of works in other languages are preferred. However, ULS acquires the original text of the writings of major sociologists if the English translation is not available.

B. Chronology.
Works on all aspects of social history are collected. Emphasis is on the twentieth century, especially contemporary conditions.

C. Geography.
There is more emphasis on society in North America and Western Europe than on other geographical areas, but no area is excluded from consideration.

D. Publication Date.
Emphasis is on materials published in the past thirty years. Retrospective purchasing is selective and may involve microfilm or reprints rather than the original format.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Biographies of sociologists, minority leaders and minority members are collected selectively. Works on social history, social problems, social research, statistical methods, and social theory are collected broadly. There is a strong emphasis on theory, techniques, and research methods involving statistics, mathematical models, and computer applications, and these materials are systematically acquired.

Titles on techniques and procedures, especially related to field work, are collected. Legal aspects of sociological and anthropological topics, i.e., the legal rights of ethnic minorities, are pertinent. As a whole, undergraduate textbooks are not purchased; however, some upper undergraduate titles, especially in anthropological field research, may be selected.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Most materials acquired for the sociology/anthropology collection are in book or periodical format. Indexes, abstracts, proceedings, publications of private or quasi-public agencies, including foundations, and statistical materials of all types are collected. Purchases of dissertations and theses from other institutions is restricted. Other instructional and research formats for the collection may include microformed research collections, online databases, data sets, software, CD-ROM, film, and video and audio cassettes.

ULS is a partial depository library for U.S. government documents and a full depository library for Virginia state documents. In Richmond, numerous federal, state and local agencies are sources of statistical data and other information useful to the sociologist.

3. Area Resources.


Students and faculty should be aware of other libraries in Richmond that also support this program. They are the University of Richmond Law Library, the Virginia Theological Seminary Library with its HRAF (Human Relations Area File) Microfile, the state Division of Criminal Justice Library, and the Virginia State Library. Faculty and students also have access to the specialized collections of the Center for Research Libraries. CRL is a cooperative research library that acquires, stores, preserves, and provides bibliographic access to a collection which supplements and complements the collections of the major research libraries of North America.

4. Related Subject Policy Statements.


Because of the interdisciplinary character of the field, publications in sociology and anthropology are of interest to many subject areas outside the disciplines themselves. Among these are social work, economics, statistics, business, education, urban studies, psychology, gerontology, history, political science, public administration, and justice administration.

5. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Subject Call Number Range Present Desired
Archaeology CC  C2  C2
Social and Cultural Anthropology GN301-673 C2  C2
Folklore  GRl-950 C2  C2
Sociology of Leisure GV14.45 C1  C1
Applied Social Science Research H61-62 C1 C1
Demographics HB849-1947 C1  C1
Sociology HM  C1
Social History (includes SocialProblems; Social Reform) HN  C1 C1
Marriage and Family Relations HQ1-1090 B C1
Sociology of Women HQ1595 C1 C1
Urban Sociology HT101-301 C1 C1
Social Stratification HT601-1455 C1 C1
Race Relations HT1501-1595 C1 C1
Juvenile Delinquency HV9051-9230.7 C1  C1
Medical Sociology RA418-418.5 C1  C1

6. Methodology.


ULS' collection was assessed quantatively by "list-checking" the following general and specialized bibliographies:
    Aby, Stephen. Sociology: a Guide to Reference and Information Sources. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1987.

    Books for College Libraries. 3d ed. vol. 4. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1988.

    Social Science Citation Index Journal Citation Reports. Philadelphia, PA: ISI, 1988.

    Handbook of Sociology. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, 1988.

    Annual Review of Anthropology. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews, Inc., 1972- .

    Loeb, Catherine R. Women's Studies: a Recommended Core Bibliography. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1987.