Western European Social Sciences
This policy covers collection development for the descriptive, continental Western European social sciences in Olin Library. Specific subjects covered include demography, urban studies, government, politics, sociology, women's studies, and policy studies. Overall, the European unification, European Union documents, German, and French resources are the strongest components of this collection. Some important materials in European languages other than English on subjects collected by other Cornell Libraries are included in Olin's collections. Primary Users: In addition to supporting teaching and research in the College of Arts and Sciences, these collections function as a core resource for Europeanists across campus. Faculty may be affiliated with Cornell's Institute for European Studies (IES), which is a Title VI National Resource Center for Western European Studies (2004-2007). Existing Collection Strength: Overall, ECS 3+W
Current Collecting Intensity: Overall, CCI 4W Subjects covered, by LC classes: Current collecting emphasizes European issues and comparative studies but the following general notes pertain. H to HA: Descriptive statistics and census materials are a collection strength
HB to HG: Economics collections are selective, with emphasis on economic history and conditions, comparative regional development, and economics of European union.
GV, HB, HM to HX, R: Sociology-- social history, demography and migration, cultural studies, new social movements and new ethnic groups, sexuality and gender issues, policy analysis.
HJ, J to JZ, K, U: Government and politics-- institutional history, political history and change, peace and security issues; German politics. Geographic source of publications: The collection includes imprints in all Western European languages, originating worldwide. Approximately 75% of titles added are published in continental Western Europe, with most of these titles published in German, French, and Italian. Newspapers: We receive a representative selection of Western European Newspapers, including major papers of record, and those regional and alternative papers which are important for local users. We subscribe to at least one paper from most of the larger European countries. Airmail subscriptions are preferred whenever their cost is not too unreasonable. (Because of cost and increased Web availability we have fewer airmail subscriptions than ten years ago, but we are aware that studies show that Europeans prefer to read papers in paper and web versions are not fully adequate substitutes.) We are very selective about the purchase of newspapers on microfilm, and do not purchase microfilm for papers owned by CRL. We buy newspapers on CD-ROM in response to requests from researchers doing textual analysis (faculty and students in linguistics, sociology, or government). We prefer to retain paper copies for one year, or until microfilm is available at CRL. Documents: European documents include comprehensive collections of European Union documents and nearly comprehensive collections of European Union publications. Cornell was named a European Union Documentation Centre (i.e., depository) since 1997. Other document sources are the Council of Europe, and the European Free Trade Association. European national documents are collected at 3+ level. Geographic source of publications: The collection includes imprints in all Western European languages, originating worldwide. Approximately 75% of titles added are published in continental Western Europe, with most of these titles published in German, French, and Italian. Key sources: This collection is developed from the full range of general, international forms plans, Internet current awareness services, and book approval plans for German language materials (Harrassowitz) and for Italian language materials (Casalini). Many European Union documents and publications are received through the EU depository. Council of Europe publications are received on blanket order. Exclusions: Juvenile literature, textbooks, reprints, dissertations, trade and commercial handbooks, and newsletters. Most European theoretical social science publications are collected by the general social sciences selector. Many materials on immigrant groups are collected by area studies selectors. Relevant materials may be found in other campus libraries with social science collections, among them Mann Library, Catherwood Library, and the Archictecture and Fine Arts Library. Sarah How, 7/10/03
