Criminology

Purpose

The Collection Development policy is a used as a guide to shape relevant collections and to ensure consistency in collection development. The decision to purchase library materials is primarily the responsibility of the Collections Librarian in consultation with faculty in the Department.

This policy has been developed by Michael Skelton, the Collections Librarian, in cooperation with and endorsed by Lauren Eisler, the Department Faculty Library Liaison and the Department Chair.

Focus

To support teaching, study and research up to the Honours B.A. and M.A. levels. As program offerings generally reflect faculty areas of competence, the collection also supports faculty research interests.

Scope

• Language: primarily English language materials are collected.
• Place of Publication: priority is given to materials from Canadian or American publishers followed by British and European publishers.
• Dates of Publication: emphasis of ongoing purchases is on current publications.
• Chronological Period: coverage is from the 19th Century forward.
• Geographical Areas: priority is given to works with a North American focus, with secondary emphasis on British and European matters.
• Publishers: works from scholarly and academic publishers are emphasized

Types, formats, and readership of materials collected

• Materials with academic-level readership are selected.
• Web-based formats for reference sources, journals and indexing sources are preferred. Print and microform are considered for reason of cost, availability, expected use or long term access.
• Single copies of books in print formats are generally selected. Web-based formats are selected on a title by title basis, especially if the title is of interest to users at multiple Laurier campuses. Duplication of print across Laurier campuses 2 is generally avoided.
• Excluded types include textbooks, abridgements, study aids, limited editions, works by vanity presses, reprints and partial contents (eg. single issues of journals, electronic versions of single chapters of books).

Subjects collected and collecting priorities

Collecting priorities are categorized into 3 levels:

A - highest emphasis

The collection includes major published materials required to support the core teaching and research at the highest degree level offered by the Department.

B - secondary emphasis

The collection includes a selection of materials to complement the discipline as a whole, although it may not be a primary focus for courses.

C - selective emphasis

Materials, including reference materials and basic journals and indexes are collected to introduce and define an area.

Related programs and support

Consortial purchases with the TriUniversity Group of Libraries (Guelph, Waterloo, Laurier university libraries), with the Ontario Council of University Libraries, and on a national level, are pursued.