GENERAL STATEMENT

1. Description of Department and Programs

The Geology Department at Brooklyn College is a close knit group of faculty and student scholars interested in understanding our home planet and its environment. The Department's faculty have gained world-wide reputations for their work in such fields as environmental geology, natural resources, and oceanography. In addition, the Department has about fifty undergraduate and graduate students who are at various stages of their professional development- from those taking their first steps as geology majors to those defending their Ph. D. theses.

Undergraduate Program

The Department of Geology offers two programs. The B.S. degree program is intended for students who plan to study geology on the graduate level or to pursue professional careers in the field of geology. B.S. students must choose one of two areas of concentration: (1) geology, which focuses on preparation in classical geology; or (2) environmental geology, which focuses on applied and environmental aspects of geology. The B.A. degree program is for students interested in a broad background in the earth sciences. For students interested in teaching, the department offers, in conjunction with the School of Education, bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree programs for earth science teachers, grades 7 through 12.

Graduate Program

The Department offers a master of arts degree program in Geology and a master of arts degree program in applied geology. The Department also offers courses creditable toward the CUNY doctoral program in Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Applicants for the graduate program must have an undergraduate major in geology or the equivalent which may include: physical geology including geomorphology; historical geology, or stratigraphy and sedimentology; invertebrate paleontology or faunal stratigraphy; geochemistry; structural geology; mineralogy including elementary crystallography; petrography or optical mineralogy including use of the petrographic microscope; field geology including a minimum of six weeks of fieldwork and a field report; two terms of differential and integral calculus; one term of computer and information science; two terms of physics; and two terms of chemistry. Applicants planning to specialize in soft-rock geology must have completed at least one term of biology.

In some cases, the graduate committee in geology may waive part of the geology requirements stated above for applicants with a strong background in one or more of the basic sciences who plan to study in such special fields as geophysics, geochemistry, and paleontology.

2. Library Resources in Geology

A unique characteristic of the literature of Geology is its relevance to all disciplines involving the planet and its physical characteristics. Thus, one can find geologists involved in agriculture, astronomy, oceanography, meteorology, paleontology, pedology, etc. Adequate coverage of Geology therefore requires acquisition of resources that satisfy this wide ranging approach to the geological sciences. In addition, a large amount of Geology literature is generated as grey literature from organizations and societies in the form of field guides, special publications, memoirs, treatises, maps and atlases.

There are two databases currently available at Brooklyn College that offer geologists comprehensive coverage of the world of geology. GeoRef , issued by the American Geological Institute (AGI) covers worldwide technical literature on geology and geophysics from 1785 to date. This valuable resource cites over 13000 serials and other publications from 1875 to the present in all aspects of the geological sciences from the 29 professional geological and earth science societies that are members of the AGI. Geo Archive, published in the United Kingdom, is a comprehensive database that indexes more than 100,000 references each year including more than 5000 serials, and books from more than 3000 publishers, conference proceedings, doctoral dissertations, and technical reports. Particular emphasis is given to economic geology, hydrology, water resources, the environment, and conservation. These two sources and related databases such as Agricola, Applied Science and Technology Index, General Science Index, offer access to the multifaceted literature of Geology and its subdivisions.

The Life Sciences Bibliographer is responsible for collection development in Geology and is in contact with faculty throughout the year discussing new resources and requesting their input regarding the relevancy of the materials for the collections. The bibliographer regularly scans review publications, publishers catalogues, web sites, newspapers and other sources to find resources for the library collection. The bibliographer examines and assesses this material for relevancy, price, and anticipated use and makes a decision accordingly. Other resources come to the bibliographers attention via interlibrary loan requests, and patron requests.

A selection of links to online resources, both licensed and free on the Web, is maintained on the Library's Website at Research Resources - Geology.

A. Acquisitions Strategy:

The geology resources are available in print and electronic formats, and these resources are intended to meet the needs Geology students and faculty with a wide range of books, periodicals, grey literature and online resources, to supplement course work, and keep them up to date with relevant information. These scholarly materials provide both research and popular information to meet requirements for term papers, theses and dissertations, oral presentations and current awareness. The collection is strong in physical geology, paleontology, mineralogy, and oceanography.

A small number of geology journals are now available online. The bulk of the subscriptions are still being received in print. As the library increases its online access to academic journals, those available to Geology will increase permitting access from home or office terminals. Net Library, the e-books program at Brooklyn College, offers another avenue of access for students and faculty who are seeking monographs in geological topics. Some publishers who issue titles of interest to geologists, including Geological Society of London, participate in the Net Library. With Net Library access, users can read selected titles of interest from computer terminals. The number of titles is expected to increase in the future as more books and publishers are selected for inclusion.

B. Level of Difficulty

Materials acquired for the library range from the general materials including grey literature (reports, special papers, bulletins, etc.) generally used by undergraduates to the more scholarly technical and research publications used by graduate students and faculty. In all cases, the works should be well written, accurate, and suitable for academic users.

C. Languages:

Materials are collected primarily in English. Resources in other languages may be acquired based upon the bibliographer's assessment of need and use.

D. Geographic Areas:

Resources in Geology are produced worldwide, and geography is generally not a criterion for acquiring or rejecting a work. In fact, geographic and cultural differences account for a great contrast in geology that is essential for a world view of the discipline. Thus, a geology resource specifically devoted to a particular region or country will be acquired when it is deemed relevant to the needs the library users.

E. Current and Retrospective Purchases:

The extensive research in Geology brings new knowledge and new research findings to the science community on a regular basis. As in all sciences, the key element is currency. With the exception of classical works that form the foundation for universal geological knowledge, emphasis will be placed on acquisition of materials issued within the past five years.

F. Format of Materials Collected/Excluded:

The library collects primarily monographs, periodicals and reference works in both print and electronic format. Audiovisual recordings related to Geology are acquired when requested by a faculty member for use in courses.

G. Reference Policy:

Other reference materials in print and online include dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and other works that are generally used for looking up small amounts of information and not read or perused in entirety are necessary supplements to the standard resources. These are heavily used by our students who find them essential for the facts and data they are seeking and will be acquired as needed.

H. Duplication:

One copy of each resource is usually acquired. For heavily used materials that are checked out or consulted frequently, the bibliographer will make a decision regarding acquisition of additional copies if budgets allow.

I. Weeding Policy:

Outdated materials and earlier editions of revised works deemed obsolete or no longer applicable to course work or research will be withdrawn. As budgets permit, new editions will be acquired to ensure that users are receiving contemporary information.

Updated: March/2002
Prof. Mariana Regalado, Bibliographer
David J. Leveson, Department Representative