GENERAL STATEMENT

1. Description of Department and Programs

The Brooklyn College Department of Anthropology and Archaeology offers a BA in anthropology and participates with the Department of Education in a BA degree program for social studies teachers (grades 7-12). The Department participates in the college's core curriculum through Core 9. Comparative Studies in African, Asian, Latin American, and Pacific Cultures.

The department's curriculum reflects the broad scope of anthropological endeavor by encompassing its four fields: cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, prehistoric and historical archaeology, and physical anthropology. Anthropology is an inherently interdisciplinary field with ties to the social sciences, the life and physical sciences, and the humanities.

Faculty research interests encompass cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, physical anthropology, North American and Eastern European archaeology, and zooarchaeology.

2. General Approach to Materials Selection

The anthropology collection primarily supports the teaching curriculum, and texts and journals are selected based on anticipated student use. Because anthropology is such a broadly interdisciplinary field, the collections developed for such departments or programs as Africana Studies, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Comparative Literature, Education, Geology, Health and Nutrition Science, History, Puerto Rican and Latino Studies, and Women's Studies serve as additional support for the research needs of anthropology and archaeology researchers.

A. Acquisitions Strategy:

The Anthropology Bibliographer has primary responsibility for collection development in anthropology and archaeology, and maintains ongoing contact with the Anthropology and Archaeology Department Representative regarding resources suitable for the collection. In addition the bibliographer utilizes book review sources such as Choice, publisher catalogs, review publications, Websites and other sources to find materials for this discipline. The bibliographer examines and assesses the material for relevancy, price and anticipated use, and makes decisions accordingly. Patron, and in particular faculty, requests are also considered for acquisition purposes. The bibliographer consults with other bibliographers on the selection of cross- or inter-disciplinary materials.

B. Level of Difficulty

The emphasis in collection development for Anthropology and Archaeology is on secondary literature of a scholarly nature and on materials appropriate for undergraduate instruction. Books appropriate for teachers of elementary education that cover culture studies, biography, and holidays and celebrations may be purchased on the K-6 level. Popular material that is likely to be requested and that is relevant to the curriculum will also be collected. Materials for faculty research will be purchased as funds allow.

C. Languages:

Materials are ordered in the English language, with exceptions considered for special requests.

D. Geographic Areas Included/Excluded:

All geographic regions and peoples of the world are considered in materials selection.

E. Current and Retrospective Purchases:

While collection emphasis is on current materials, classic works in anthropology and archaeology will be collected or replaced as needed.

F. Format of Materials Collected/Excluded:

The library collects primarily monographs, conference proceedings, collections and periodicals in both print and electronic format. Audiovisual materials are collected on request by Department faculty as funds become available. CD-ROMs may be ordered on a limited basis if they offer information not readily available in some other format. Electronic resources requiring a subscription for access as well as free electronic resources will be included. A selection of links to online resources, both licensed and free on the Web, is maintained on the Library's Website at Research Resources - Anthropology & Archaeology

G. Reference Policy:

Reference materials include in-print and online include dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, bibliographies, indexes, and other works. The library has a modest collection of reference materials in anthropology and archaeology covering many aspects of human social life and prehistory, as well as biographical sources on anthropologists.

H. Duplication:

It is generally the policy of Brooklyn College Library not to purchase duplicate materials, however exceptions may be made for heavily used materials.

I. Weeding Policy:

Weeding should be done on a yearly basis to replace lost or stolen items and to remove popular materials that can be replaced by scholarly materials. Inventory should be made when organizations publish lists, or bibliographies are published, of core collections. Materials that are deemed obsolete or which are in serious disrepair will be withdrawn from the collection.

3. Selection Activity/Problems

The subject bibliographer for Anthropology and Archaeology should alert the department library representative when funds become available for purchase and will encourage her to inform department colleagues of the availability of the money. The bibliographer should allow up to ½ of the library budget to go to purchases requested by the department representative. The subject bibliographer would make selections with the remaining money in order to provide balance to the overall collection and its cross-disciplinary uses.

4. Comments

A system for alerting library and classroom faculty of important new acquisitions in Anthropology and Archaeology and all areas could be beneficial. The new Exlibris catalog may provide simple ways to do this.

Updated: March/2002
Prof. Mariana Regalado, Bibliographer
Sophia Perdikaris, Department Representative