North European
Literature and Language
Clientele:
Areas of specialization within the Department of German Studies include German
literature and language from all periods.
In addition, the department teaches film, the political culture of
Germany, aesthetic theory, German Jewish literature, minority literature, and
feminist theory. Swedish and Dutch are
also taught. A wide variety of courses
are co-sponsored with other departments.
Germanic linguistics is also bought by this bibliographer, but Icelandic
language and literature are covered by the Curator of the Icelandic collection.
Existing Collection: ECS: 4/W
Because of Andrew White, Willard Fiske, Felix Reichmann, and subsequent
bibliographers, the Library's Germanic collections are very strong. Library holdings include many monographic series; extensive
reference holdings; multiple editions of major and some minor authors; and many
critical works. Long and unbroken runs
of over forty publications from academies of science in Germany, Austria, the
Netherlands, and Belgium were held until the 1990’s, when almost half of them,
particularly those in the sciences, were cancelled. Since 1984 we have received, via an approval plan, contemporary
belles lettres of authors writing in German in Germany, Austria, or
Switzerland. Dialect poetry, prose and
folklore were collected heavily in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The German literature collection is at a 4
level; Austrian and Swiss literature are a 3, and Dutch and Scandinavian
literature are at a 3- level. Germanic
linguistics holdings are at a 4 level for the German language and a 3+ for
Scandinavian and Dutch.
Current Collecting: CCI: 4/W
Critical editions and other primary texts, bibliographies and other
reference material are all collected intensively in German literature (4), with
less emphasis on Austria and Switzerland (3).
Primary and secondary material in Dutch (including Flemish) and
Scandinavian literature is acquired very selectively (2), with emphasis on the
major authors. Some translations are
bought in all the literatures.
Secondary criticism, primarily in English and German, less frequently in
other Western European languages, is acquired for major authors of all
periods. Literary histories, studies of
genres, and information on the study and teaching of German literature are
bought to support study and research in this field. Germanic linguistics, including works about Frisian and Afrikaans
(but not Yiddish), is acquired at a 4- level.
Pedagogical materials are acquired very selectively.
Subjects Covered: LC class: PD (together with the Icelandic
curator), PF, PH (Finnish only), PT, and some PN's.
Acquired are belles lettres in German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and
Finnish; critical works; information about and analyses of their philosophical,
social, historical and intellectual milieu; dictionaries and works on Germanic
linguistics. Also acquired are film
studies, folklore, biographies, works by minorities in Germany writing in
German, and critical theory as related to German studies. Films (VHS and DVD) are collected
selectively.
Geographical Information:
Works about the subjects described above from Germanic Europe, excepting
Iceland, and from Finland. Swiss and Belgian literature written in French or
Italian is covered by the Romance Studies Bibliographer.
Exclusions:
Most dissertations (except those received on exchange), vanity press titles,
and unedited "complete works" of living authors are not
acquired.
revised, 10/03
